The effect of mental problems on bowel work. Are the intestines the second brain?

Most of us have noticed that our bowel movements change during stress or we experience much more digestive system problems when we are exposed to intense stress. Numerous scientific studies have recently been published supporting this, suggesting that it may be due to a biological relationship between the brain and the gut. These studies show that there is a tighter relationship between the brain and the gut than we think, and that the gut can send various signals to our body, just like the brain.

It has been suggested that psychological diseases in general, especially stress, are mostly caused by the deterioration of the chemical balance in the brain. In addition; Thoughts, emotions, environment, biology, nutritional status, mental and emotional characteristics, as well as living conditions play a role in the deterioration of mental health. Researchers emphasize that the symptoms of conditions such as depression and anxiety (anxiety) consist of more than one factor. Biologists, on the other hand, state that the symptoms of depression occur during periods of great mental, emotional, and physiological stress.

Anxiety and depression are symptoms rather than illnesses. Feelings of sadness and worthlessness, lack of motivation, lethargy, brain fog, loss of appetite and changes in weight are symptoms of depression. The first point where these symptoms start is the digestive system and biological imbalances.

There are many studies stating that psychological disorders are mainly caused by intestinal and digestive problems. Psychological disorders can occur not only with the deterioration of chemistry in the brain, but also with the deterioration of chemistry in the digestive system. This shows that the cause of depression is not only a brain chemical imbalance, but a chemical imbalance in the intestinal system may also contribute to it. Individuals experiencing depression and anxiety often have digestive problems. It is known that the digestive tract and the brain have a close connection. The vagus nerve to the mood-regulating neurotransmitters that protect the intestines and are formed in the skull slows down other systems while speeding up the digestive system.

The link between mental health and the digestive system can be summarized as follows:

The majority of serotonin, also known as the happiness hormone, is produced in the gut. Unhealthy intestinal cells cannot produce enough or appropriate amounts of serotonin.
Imbalance in the normal flora bacteria of the intestines affects our whole body as well as our mental health. Because bacteria provide the digestion of food, the killing of harmful pathogens, and the secretion of serotonin and dopamine, which are important for mental health.
Factors such as malnutrition, increased stress, and excessive drug use deplete the properties of foods. The healthy functioning of the intestines’ ability to digest the consumed foods also affects mental health.

Correction of only one factor in psychological problems does not help the treatment of the disease. To help a person with anxiety or depression recover, it is necessary to know how diseases and their symptoms are related to each other. In order to provide the treatment of psychological disorders by regulating the digestive system, it is necessary to regulate the digestive feature of the intestines, to maintain the balance of probiotics, which are good bacteria in the body, in the digestive system, to eliminate food sensitivities, to heal digestive system inflammations and to balance hormones. In addition, environmental factors such as life stress should not be ignored in the treatment of psychological problems.