There is no evidence that IBD is caused by psychological issues, though they can influence how you experience IBD. Prolonged tension, stress and anxiety is not beneficial for any chronic condition, including IBD. Just like with high blood pressure, heart disease, and asthma, being stressed out can bring on or make symptoms worse.

Some people confuse IBD with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), which has been called spastic colitis or spastic colon in the past. IBS is caused by a disturbance of function of the colon, and does not involve inflammation in the intestines like with IBD. The cause of IBS is also poorly understood, and in some cases emotional factors can contribute to symptoms.