Medicine:Butterflies in the stomach
 | This medicine needs to be updated. Please update this medicine to reflect recent events or newly available information. (February 2026) |
| Butterflies in the stomach | |
|---|---|
| Other names |
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| Symptoms |
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| Usual onset | Acute (during stress or excitement) |
| Duration | Transient |
| Causes |
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| Diagnostic method | Clinical assessment |
| Differential diagnosis |
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| Prevention | Stress management |
| Treatment |
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| Frequency | Very common |
Butterflies in the stomach is the physical sensation in humans of a "fluttery" feeling in the stomach, caused by a reduction of blood flow to the organ.[1] This is as a result of the release of adrenaline and norepinephrine in the fight-or-flight response, which causes increased heart rate and blood pressure, consequently sending more blood to the muscles.[2]
Physiology
When the brain perceives a stressful or emotionally significant situation, the sympathetic nervous system activates the fight-or-flight response, prompting the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol into the bloodstream.[3] These hormones increase heart rate and redirect blood away from the digestive system toward the muscles and heart, causing the blood vessels surrounding the stomach and intestines to constrict.[3] The resulting reduction in blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract, combined with irregular contractions of the gut muscles as normal peristalsis is disrupted, produces the characteristic fluttering sensation.[3]
Etymology
The phrase "butterflies in the stomach" first appeared in the 1908 novel The House of Prayer by American author Florence Converse, where a character is described as experiencing a feeling "as if he had a butterfly in his stomach."[4][5] The idiom has been in widespread use for over a century to describe the unsettling sensation associated with a stressful or thrilling situation.[5]
In culture
Butterflies in the stomach are usually linked in culture and language to the sentiment of love and romantic passion to a desired other. One may feel butterflies in the stomach prior to meeting or confronting a love interest due to high levels of emotion and anxiety, as hormones like adrenaline (and sometimes cortisol) may be released in such situations.[6]
It can also be a symptom of social anxiety disorder. This feeling is usually experienced before doing something important or stressful.[7][8]
See also
References
- ↑ "Why Do You Feel Butterflies in Your Stomach?". Discovery. August 1, 2019. https://www.discovery.com/science/Butterflies-in-Your-Stomach.
- ↑ Bennett, Howard (May 10, 2010). "Why do you get butterflies in your stomach?". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/09/AR2010050902953.html. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Why Do You Feel Butterflies in Your Stomach?" (in en). Discovery. https://www.discovery.com/science/Butterflies-in-Your-Stomach.
- ↑ Tréguer, Pascal (2021-03-22). "'butterflies in one's stomach': meaning and origin" (in en-GB). https://wordhistories.net/2021/03/22/butterflies-stomach/.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lai, Tzu-Ting; Liou, Chia-Wei; Tsai, Yu-Hsuan; Lin, Yuan-Yuan; Wu, Wei-Li (2023-11-28). "Butterflies in the gut: the interplay between intestinal microbiota and stress". Journal of Biomedical Science 30 (1): 92. doi:10.1186/s12929-023-00984-6. ISSN 1423-0127. PMID 38012609.
- ↑ Pasricha, Trisha (2023-02-14). "Why Do I Feel Butterflies in My Stomach When I'm on a Date?" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/14/well/live/butterflies-stomach-love.html.
- ↑ Pharmacotherapy Handbook, 9th edition by J. Dipiro., CHAPTER 66: Anxiety Disorders, Page: 675
- ↑ "Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) - Symptoms and causes" (in en). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/social-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353561.
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