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The Intersection Between OCD and IBS

Laura Kiesel's avatar image

By Laura Kiesel

Last Updated:

2 min read

In addition to many of the physical ailments I have, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), I also have a couple of mental health conditions. Namely, when I was 14, I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, otherwise known as "OCD."

My OCD mostly manifested as obsessive thoughts rather than compulsive behavior (though I do have a couple of mild compulsions – usually the need to repeatedly check a stovetop before I leave my home or my door locks at night).

Digestive issues along with my OCD

Around the same time I had been diagnosed with OCD, I was having a lot of digestive issues – heartburn, nausea, and occasional bouts of diarrhea – unexplained by my diet. These digestive upsets were short-term and mostly dissipated within a few months as I got my OCD under control with medicine and by participating in theater club.

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OCD and IBS

In college, my digestive disorder rebounded. It continued to get worse until I was finally formally diagnosed with IBS.

Recently, I found out that there is an overlap between those who have OCD and those who have IBS. In some ways, I am not surprised. It is well known that there is a connection between anxiety and IBS.1

Specifically related to OCD: A cross-sectional study published in 2021 established that about 15 percent of people with IBS met the criteria for OCD. Symptoms like washing, checking, and skepticism were most common among people with IBS, and they were more common overall in women than in men.1

OCD treatment may benefit IBS

In another study from 2015, a 55-year-old woman with OCD was offered deep brain stimulation as a treatment for it. Interestingly, while her OCD symptoms improved somewhat, the more immediate and vast improvement was to her IBS symptoms, which was an unexpected benefit of the treatment.2

The central nervous system connection

Overlapping parts of the brain seem to affect both OCD and IBS, potentially explaining their connection with each other and also why treatment for OCD can have benefits for IBS. The 2016 study also backed up the role the central nervous system plays in IBS, as well as the possibility of brain stimulation as a treatment that might offer relief from IBS.2

Do you have OCD as well as IBS? If so, have any treatments for your OCD resulted in improvements to your IBS? Please answer in the comments below!

Read more in our collection: IBS and Mental Health: The Vicious Cycle

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The IrritableBowelSyndrome.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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