Nausea in Teens: Anxiety, Stress, and Emotional Health Links
October 28, 2025
Nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms are common in teens, yet it can be hard to pinpoint the cause. While physical illnesses and digestive disorders may cause nausea, other times the real issue that needs to be tackled is anxiety or stress.
There’s no doubt that teens are under a lot of stress. Between school, social activities, and family dynamics, sometimes this excess stress presents itself physically.
This article focuses specifically on nausea in teens as a symptom of emotional health issues. We’ll cover the many causes of nausea in teens, signs that can point to underlying anxiety disorders, and how to address these issues effectively.
What Is Teen Nausea and Anxiety?
Recent research has shown that gastrointestinal symptoms are relatively common in the general population, affecting between 40% and 70% of people.1 Some of the symptoms that people report frequently are abdominal pain, nausea, and heartburn.
Oftentimes, when these issues start impacting a person’s life, they seek medical attention. However, as a teenager, you might not know where to turn if you’re faced with nausea, especially if it has a sudden onset and continues to progress. Speaking with a trusted adult or doctor is important if you’re struggling with ongoing nausea, as this can be one of the signs of underlying mental health issues.
If your doctor rules out physical causes of nausea in teens, you might be told that you have a ‘functional gastrointestinal condition.’1,2 Functional gastrointestinal conditions have been linked to psychological symptoms such as anxiety. While it’s more common for this stress-related nausea in adolescents to be misunderstood or overlooked, it’s important to know that this is a valid concern that deserves treatment and support.
Causes of Nausea in Teens
As mentioned above, there are many possible causes of nausea in teens. Let’s look at some of the common culprits and how they can be diagnosed.
Acute Physical Illness
If the nausea is due to an acute physical illness, like a stomach bug or the flu, it’s easier to understand and treat. A teen might be able to pinpoint symptoms starting after eating a certain food, suggesting food poisoning or aligning with a night that they spiked a fever, indicating that the flu could be coming on. However, other physical conditions aren’t as apparent.
Chronic Gastrointestinal Diseases
Chronic gastrointestinal diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease, and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) are other physical disorders that can cause nausea in teens.
Proper diagnosis of these conditions requires a full medical workup from a qualified gastroenterologist. When teens are reporting chronic nausea and parents don’t see a clear cause, they might turn to a gastroenterologist for further testing.
Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
Functional gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or chronic indigestion (functional dyspepsia) can take longer to accurately diagnose and begin to treat. There’s a growing body of research that links functional gastrointestinal disorders to an increased risk of developing anxiety, which is important to consider.2-4
Teen Nausea and Anxiety
Physical symptoms are sometimes part of the criteria for a psychological disorder.3 For example, in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), the diagnostic criteria for separation anxiety disorder includes frequent complaints of physical symptoms such as nausea. Nausea and other physical symptoms are also known to exacerbate anxiety disorders, especially in adolescents.3
As you can see, there are several possible causes of nausea in teens, and figuring out which one is at the root of your teen’s issue can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there is a lot of information about nausea in teens available, and many treatment options to aid recovery. More on this soon.
The Mind-Body Connection in Adolescents
There has been a lot of talk in recent years about the ‘mind-body connection.’ While some might assume this is a trending topic that isn’t based on research, it turns out that there is a large volume of research to support this idea. Specifically, in biology, this is known as the gut-brain axis.5 In essence, the bacteria in the human gut play a role in how our central nervous system (CNS), enteric nervous system (ENS), and autonomic nervous system (ANS) function.
The body’s stress response is tied to the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA), and the bacteria in our gut can impact how we react to stressful situations. Interestingly, bacteria in the gut have the ability to activate stress circuits in the body.5
We won’t get too technical in this article, but rest assured, there is a bounty of scientific evidence to demonstrate that the mind-body connection in adolescents is impactful.
Signs of Stress-Related Nausea in Adolescents
Identifying emotional health and physical symptoms is critical in treating stress-related nausea in adolescents. By recognizing anxiety symptoms early, parents have the chance to get their teens the appropriate treatment for the underlying cause of the nausea for lasting results.
The biggest sign to look for is excess stress. When teens are under too much stress, physical changes can occur. Similar to what we discussed with the gut-brain axis, stress has an impact on the CNS, ENS, and ANS, meaning that hormones and neurotransmitters can be out of balance.5
Let’s look at some of the common stressors teens are often faced with at this time in their lives.
Common Stressors for Teens
It’s important to note that not all stress is bad. There are positive stressors present in teenagers’ lives that motivate them to do their best and live up to their potential. On the other hand, negative stressors cause more harm than good. Sometimes it is difficult to separate the positive and negative stressors in a teen’s life because even too much of a positive stressor can impact someone negatively.
For the purpose of this article, we’ll look at common negative stressors that were identified in the current research as the most salient for teens:6
- Parent separation or parental conflict – Even if a child’s parents are still together, when there is a lot of conflict between parents in the home, it becomes a source of stress. This doesn’t mean that the parents are to blame, but some teens internalize their feelings about this conflict rather than talking about it and processing it in a healthy way.
- Physical health issues – Chronic health conditions that affect day-to-day living and functioning are certainly negative stressors for teens. Likewise, if a family member or peer is experiencing serious physical health issues, it can take an emotional toll on a teen.
- Academic difficulties – When a student is performing poorly in school and doesn’t know how to improve, the stress of not meeting others’ expectations can take a toll on them emotionally. On the other hand, students who are high achievers and place a lot of pressure on themselves to always do better in school can suffer from increased stress.
- Concerns about the future – Adolescence is a time of change. Even though change can be good, when teens worry excessively about their future, the stress can become unbearable. Whether they are thinking about college, getting a job, or upcoming social events–these concerns are a source of negative stress.
- Bullying or being teased by peers – Bullying remains a concern for children and teens. Both in-person and cyberbullying have a negative impact on emotional wellbeing because they are negative stressors.
- Romantic issues – When dating and romantic relationships become the focus of a teen’s life, there is an increased chance of conflict and disappointment. While romantic relationships are supposed to be positive experiences, when they end badly, they become a significant source of negative stress.
As a parent, it’s important to be on the lookout for these negative stressors in your child’s life, especially if it’s clear that they are starting to impact your child’s functioning. If you’re concerned, it’s better to be safe than sorry – reach out to a treatment center for guidance and support.
Coping Strategies for Nausea Related to Stress
If your teen is reporting chronic nausea and increased stress, it may be time to look for coping strategies they can implement. Coping strategies for nausea related to stress and anxiety include self-compassion, emotion regulation, and mindfulness exercises.7,8
Self-Compassion and Managing Stomach Issues
When people focus on treating themselves kindly and reducing negative judgments about themselves, they are practicing self-compassion. Unfortunately, this doesn’t come naturally to a lot of people, especially teens with anxiety.
If your teen is experiencing stomach issues that are tied to anxiety and stress, practicing self-compassion can help. Research shows that purposefully practicing self-compassion can reduce self-judgment and improve adaptive behaviors for coping with stress.7
Emotion Regulation Support for Teens
When we practice monitoring, evaluating, and changing extreme emotional reactions, this is known as emotion regulation.8 Emotion regulation skills can positively impact teens’ stress responses and decrease nausea that is tied to anxiety.
One way to provide emotion regulation support for teens is to model positive behavior in the home. When parents practice mindfulness or awareness of the present moment, they encourage teens to regulate their emotions in a more positive way.8
Relaxation Techniques for Teens
Learning how to relax can be challenging, but there are structured mindfulness-based skills that teens can incorporate into their daily lives that can help. For example, engaging in guided imagery, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation all help decrease physical symptoms of anxiety, including chronic nausea.8
Trying out multiple coping strategies is the key to managing stomach issues in teens when they are directly tied to anxiety and stress.
Mission Prep: Helping Teens Manage Anxiety and Stress
At Mission Prep, we want to help you help your teen acknowledge when nausea is one of the signs of an underlying mental health issue. With the proper therapy for stress-related symptoms and parental support for anxious teens, it is possible to overcome teen nausea and anxiety.
We offer different teen anxiety treatment options, including residential treatment programs as well as CBT for teens with anxiety.
Don’t worry if it seems like the amount of information is overwhelming – if you need help, just call us today, and we can answer any questions you have and set you and your teen up with the right therapy for stress-related symptoms.
References
- Haug, T. T., Mykletun, A., & Dahl, A. A. (2002). The prevalence of nausea in the community: psychological, social and somatic factors. General Hospital Psychiatry, 24(2), 81–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0163-8343(01)00184-0
- Shelby, G. D., Shirkey, K. C., Sherman, A. L., Beck, J. E., Haman, K., Shears, A. R., Horst, S. N., Smith, C. A., Garber, J., & Walker, L. S. (2013). Functional abdominal pain in childhood and long-term vulnerability to anxiety disorders. PEDIATRICS, 132(3), 475–482. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-2191
- Dufton, L. M., Dunn, M. J., & Compas, B. E. (2008). Anxiety and Somatic Complaints in Children with Recurrent Abdominal Pain and Anxiety Disorders. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 34(2), 176–186. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsn064
- Waters, A. M., Schilpzand, E., Bell, C., Walker, L. S., & Baber, K. (2012). Functional Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children with Anxiety Disorders. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 41(1), 151–163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-012-9657-0
- Foster, J. A., & Neufeld, K. M. (2013). Gut–brain axis: how the microbiome influences anxiety and depression. Trends in Neurosciences, 36(5), 305–312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2013.01.005
- Núñez-Regueiro, F., & Núñez-Regueiro, S. (2021). Identifying Salient Stressors of Adolescence: A Systematic Review and Content analysis. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50(12), 2533–2556. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01492-2
- Al-Refae, M., Al-Refae, A., Munroe, M., Sardella, N. A., & Ferrari, M. (2021). A Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Mobile Intervention (SERENE) for depression, anxiety, and stress: promoting adaptive emotional regulation and wisdom. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648087
- Yan, J. J., Schoppe-Sullivan, S., Wu, Q., & Han, Z. R. (2021). Associations from Parental Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation to Child Emotion Regulation Through Parenting: the Moderating Role of Coparenting in Chinese families. Mindfulness, 12(6), 1513–1523. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01619-3
