Q I'm an office worker in my 30s, and whenever I'm stressed my stomach hurts and I run to the bathroom. Is this a psychological problem?
A Stress directly stimulates the gut-brain axis and is a real cause that disrupts bowel movement and sensation. Psychological factors clearly play a role, but this is not a "made-up symptom"—it is a physical reaction involving the nervous system, immunity, and hormones together.
Detailed Answer
The brain and gut are closely connected through neurotransmitters like the vagus nerve and serotonin, so emotional stress directly changes bowel movement speed and the visceral pain threshold. Particularly under stress, when serotonin balance is disrupted, the bowel moves too fast or too slow, and even contractions normally not felt are perceived as pain. Gut microbiota imbalance (dysbiosis) also disrupts gut-brain axis signaling and worsens symptoms.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine, this is understood as a state of "liver-spleen disharmony (肝脾不和)" in which liver qi (肝氣) invades the spleen-stomach (脾胃). Herbal medicine and acupuncture that release the liver's coursing function and support the spleen-stomach's transformation are effective in reducing stress-induced digestive reactions.
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