Someone asked me if the tummy bug she was suddenly struck down with would be the cause of the anxiety that was lurking again.
Yes, absolutely a stomach bug or any other physical ailment can bring you back down again and the anxiety will flare up / cause a setback / blip.
This can happen with any sort of illness when you're recovering from anxiety. It lowers your resistance, makes you tired and as your body is already recovering from anxiety its bound to make you feel out of sorts.
Its temporary.
Try and accept that this is just a setback / blip and its because you're not physically well (stomach bug). Your body is just having a wobble. Treat yourself gently, relax towards any underlying anxiety that might be looming, don't fight it but just let it happen if it wants to, and just remind yourself that this is just your body responding to the stomach bug.
Its always your reaction to anxiety that is key. To recoil / fight it just means you're adding anxiety to it and it makes it important again, so by relaxing towards it and letting it be there / giving it no attention means it will ease off. Treat anxiety like a naughty child ..... it might shout and demand your attention, but if you ignore it and carry on it'll become bored and realise its not affecting you and will ease off. You're re-educating your body / telling it to unlearn this. Over time the anxiety will stop coming.
The body is a delicate machine and all sorts will upset the rhythm whilst you're recovering at the moment. The physical and mental well being work in harmony. If one if out of kilter, so too will the other (remember how low you can feel when you have a simple cold) It won't always be like this because once you've fully recovered then things like a stomach bug, flu etc etc won't bring the anxiety back as its doing now.