Depression, Stress, Anxiety And The Urge To Urinate: Can They Be Related?

Anxiety, stress and depression can affect both our body and mind. In fact, one of the little-known symptoms related to these disorders is suffering from frequent urges to urinate. So how can you know if your urinary problems are due to anxiety, stress or depression?

Can anxiety, stress or depression cause frequent urges to urinate?

According to studies carried out by different researchers, both stress, depression and anxiety can cause ‘psychological’ urges to urinate.
This ‘voiding syndrome Due to anxiety, stress or depression it can also cause nocturia, that is, waking up frequently at night to go to the bathroom. So much so, that this symptom typical of these disorders could also cause sleeping problems and make it worse.

It is important that if you suffer from the so-called overactive bladder that is, if you have a tendency to urinate many times, go to a doctor to rule out certain diseases such as diabetes.

Why can urinary problems occur due to anxiety or stress?

There are some explanations as to why people may experience psychological urge to urinate Mainly, we can highlight the following:

1. Muscle tension: This is one of the most probable causes that can explain this ‘‘micturition syndrome’ due to anxiety, depression or stress When we experience fear or worry our muscles can become very tense. In this way, this tension puts pressure on the bladder, causing people to suffer from constant urges to urinate.
2. Evolutionary adaptation: Anxiety, depression and stress activate our body’s fight/flight system. That is, when faced with possible danger, our body can activate a series of mechanisms that allow us to deal with it more quickly. Among them, the frequent urination Because losing additional weight makes it easier to escape from imminent danger.
3. Focus too much on it: People with stress and/or anxiety are often more likely to focus on some negative sensations in their body. For example, you may feel the need to urinate a little, but you have trouble ignoring this sensation and holding it in. With anxiety or stress, you are more likely to focus with pressure in the bladder and feel the need to urinate many times.
4. Changes in digestion: The anxiety, depression and stress They can also affect the way our body processes nutrients. Therefore, this can cause people to suffer from frequent urges to urinate.

How to deal with urinary syndrome due to anxiety, depression or stress?

If you suffer from frequent urination For any psychological disorder, it is important that you know that these types of symptoms do not usually cure on their own. In fact, many people choose to drink less water to avoid the urge to urinate many times and this only increases the symptoms related to anxiety due to dehydration.

To face the voiding syndrome due to anxiety, depression or stress, it is vital that you go to a professional psychologist to end the problem at its roots and stop suffering from the symptoms related to these disorders. Additionally, we recommend that you follow the following tips:

• Avoid stimulating drinks or foods: Given this ‘voiding syndrome ‘It is essential that you avoid foods or drinks that can stimulate the bladder, such as coffee, tea or alcohol.
• Practice relaxing activities: As we have mentioned, the frequent urge to urinate They may be related to the tension we experience in our body. Thus, one way to cope with this symptom is precisely by practicing activities that can relax us mentally and physically. For example, yoga, meditation or relaxation exercises can be useful to control body tension.
• Perform physical exercise: Regular exercise can also help you counteract the symptoms of this ‘voiding syndrome’ This is because it allows us to relax both the body and the mind, better coping with symptoms related to disorders such as anxiety or depression.
• Go to therapy: Normally, people who suffer from these ‘psychological urge to urinate ‘They may be suffering from an anxiety disorder, depression or excess stress that needs to be treated. For this reason, if you rule out that your frequent urination is related to a physical illness, it is important that you go to a professional psychologist.

People who suffer from these symptoms due to an anxiety, depression or stress disorder often experience other features of these types of psychological conditions. In this way, it is very possible that you are facing a disorder that is affecting more than going to the bathroom too many times, including both emotional and physical discomfort. Therefore, these urinary problems due to anxiety, stress or depression They are a sign that you should seek help to deal with these disorders. Your body is telling you that we are facing a problem that we must solve. Furthermore, these symptoms may be related to some physical pathologies that you should consult with your family doctor. It is crucial to rule out physical illnesses that may involve frequent urination.