Anxiety nausea and real nausea.

[Rls1994]

OK, I'm not sure if I worded the title right but I can't write it any other way. What I mean by real nausea is something caused by something like the Norovirus or some other illness that causes nausea.

Is there any difference between this 'real' nausea and anxiety nausea? Or is it all the same? I haven't been sick in several years, so I cannot remember what 'real' nausea feels like.

I feel nauseous everyday, and not all day now (thank god..), and often I won't eat because I feel that nauseous. The thought of food makes me worse. It scares me sometimes because I even get that tingling sensation in my face, and some people have said they get that before they throw up.

The only way I can tell if it's anxiety nausea is if it disappears when I'm doing something to distract myself I guess, or when I'm relaxed and not think about it. OR, if I don't experience any other symptoms, like upset stomach, headaches etc. Because like now, I feel a bit nauseous but I don't have stomach aches or anything.

I would like to see what other people say about this. Sorry if this seems like a stupid thread, but I'm awfully curious to see what others say.

[vicky23]

This is something I also struggle to understand. Like you say if I can distract myself from the nausea then I tell myself it's just anxiety.
so for me it's just a case of telling myself that the cause for my nausea is anxiety or hunger and then if it eases then everythings fine. A few months back I was feeling pretty nauseous but put it down to anxiety/ibs but I didn't get any ease from it in the morn I was still feeling really sick then I started to vomit and it turned into a stomach virus :(

[Mark13]

The only way I can tell if it's anxiety nausea is if it disappears when I'm doing something to distract myself I guess, or when I'm relaxed and not think about it. OR, if I don't experience any other symptoms, like upset stomach, headaches etc. Because like now, I feel a bit nauseous but I don't have stomach aches or anything.

I'm no Doctor of course and I can only give you my personal experience, but in the absence of any such additional symptoms such as blinding headache, visual disturbances, diarrhoea, constipation, dizziness or actually vomiting, I always put nausea (as long as it's relatively fleeting, or at a constant low level) down to anxiety or the side effects of my medications (Pregabalin and Mirtazapine).

Mark

[mel1972]

I've had this for a couple of days!
Not all day it comes and goes..
I'm fine when I have something to distract me, but now sat at home on my own and feel cold/shivers and nauseous!!
Once again anxiety kicks in and it's obviously bad..
Same old fears.. ��

[PanicPod]

I have the same nauseous feeling and although I sometimes don't feel like eating I try to have something which can take the edge off. Hunger is quite often the cause! Ginger is good for the feeling and I have lemon and ginger tea which helps.

[Kells81]

I have also wondered this for years as one of my main anxiety symptoms is nausea.

What has helped me is noticing that even when non anxious people feel nauseous it doesn't stop them from doing things as usually nausea doesn't result in being sick, it soon passes. I basically use to do nothing when I felt sick but now I just try and get on and do things as whether it is anxiety or not it shouldn't stop me!