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Anxiety and High Blood Pressure: What’s the Link?

Anxiety and high blood pressure are two conditions that might share symptoms. High blood pressure can cause anxiety, and anxiety can cause high blood pressure. Learn more about the connection between anxiety and high blood pressure in the next paragraphs, as well as how to treat both illnesses.


By We Level Up FL Treatment Center | Editor Yamilla Francese | Clinically Reviewed By Lauren Barry, LMFT, MCAP, QS, Director of Quality Assurance | Editorial Policy | Research Policy | Last Updated: February 15, 2023

Anxiety And Blood Pressure: Anxiety High Blood Pressure

Can Anxiety Raise Blood Pressure? Anxiety and high blood pressure are two conditions that might share symptoms. High blood pressure can cause anxiety, and anxiety can cause high blood pressure.

Can Anxiety Make Your Blood Pressure Go Up? Anxiety, according to the American Psychological Association (APA), is characterized as tension or worry. Physical manifestations like as perspiration and an elevated heart rate have been linked to it. The APA adds that anxiousness may make someone’s blood pressure rise.

Hypertension, or persistently high blood pressure, can also make a person apprehensive about their health and the future. Anxiety can also be brought on by severe hypertension.

Learn more about the connection between anxiety and high blood pressure in the next paragraphs, as well as how to treat both illnesses.

Can Anxiety Cause High Blood Pressure? Does Anxiety Cause High Blood Pressure? Blood Pressure And Anxiety

Does Anxiety Raise Blood Pressure? The body’s natural reaction to stress is anxiety. Before an exam or while anticipating crucial news, a person might experience anxiety.

Does Anxiety Increase Blood Pressure? When stress hormones are released, it happens. These hormones cause blood vessel constriction and an increase in heart rate. Both of these modifications have the potential to raise someone’s blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure From Anxiety: According to a review from 2015, persons who experience extreme anxiety are more likely to develop hypertension than those who experience less anxiety. Researchers have concluded that individuals with hypertension should pay special attention to the early diagnosis and treatment of anxiety.

Can Anxiety Cause Blood Pressure To Rise? Anxiety Causing High Blood Pressure: Anxiety Increase Blood Pressure

Will Anxiety Cause High Blood Pressure? Can Anxiety Increase Blood Pressure? Blood pressure spikes brought on by anxiety often last only a short time and go away after the anxiety passes. However, chronically high levels of worry can harm the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels in the same way that chronically high blood pressure might.

Can Anxiety Raise Your Blood Pressure? Long-term hormone changes brought on by anxiety may lead to an increase in fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area. Additionally, anxiety can cause people to alter their behavior patterns, such as stress eating, which may unintentionally exacerbate hypertension.

Can Anxiety Affect Blood Pressure? Some anti-anxiety drugs might also raise blood pressure. Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), which are used to treat anxiety disorders, have been shown in 2017 research to raise blood pressure.

Anxiety and high blood pressure are two conditions that might share symptoms. High blood pressure can cause anxiety, and anxiety can cause high blood pressure.
Anxiety Causes High Blood Pressure: Anxiety and high blood pressure (High Blood Pressure Anxiety) are two conditions that might share symptoms. High blood pressure can cause anxiety, and anxiety can cause high blood pressure.

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Anxiety Fact Sheet

Anxiety Overview

Your brain and behavior are both impacted by the condition of addiction. Substance addiction makes it unable to resist the impulse to use the drug, regardless of how harmful it may be. The sooner you receive treatment for drug addiction, the better your chances are of avoiding some of the disease’s more serious side effects.


Anxiety Symptoms

Behavioral: hypervigilance, irritability, or restlessness.

Cognitive: lack of concentration, racing thoughts, or unwanted thoughts.

Whole body: fatigue or sweating

Also common:  anxiety, excessive worry, angor animi, fear, insomnia, nausea, palpitations, or trembling

Anxiety Treatment

  • Support group: A place where those pursuing the same disease or objective, such as weight loss or depression, can receive counseling and exchange experiences.
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy: A conversation treatment that aimed to change the negative attitudes, actions, and feelings connected to psychiatric discomfort.
  • Counseling psychology: A subfield of psychology that handles issues with the self that are connected to work, school, family, and social life.
  • Anger management: To reduce destructive emotional outbursts, practice mindfulness, coping skills, and trigger avoidance.
  • Psychoeducation: Mental health education that also helps individuals feel supported, validated, and empowered
  • Family therapy: psychological counseling that improves family communication and conflict resolution.

Anxiety Statistics

It’s critical to understand the distinction between anxiety and depression. Anxiety, in its most basic form, is an excessive feeling of worry, whereas depression, in its most basic form, is an excessive feeling of worthlessness and hopelessness. It is conceivable for someone to experience depression and anxiety simultaneously.


6.8 million

GAD affects 6.8 million adults or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment.

Source: National Institute on Mental Health

10.3 %

19 million adults experience specific phobias, making it the most common anxiety disorder in America.  

Source: ADAA2020

17.3 million

Major depressive disorder affects approximately 17.3 million American adults or about 7.1% of the U.S. population aged 18 and older.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health


Stress results in anxiety. Stress results in the release of hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. The "fight-or-flight" reaction, which gets the body ready to run away or face the perceived threat, is brought on by these hormones.
Anxiety And Blood Pressure Fluctuation: Stress results in anxiety. Stress results in the release of hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. The “fight-or-flight” reaction, which gets the body ready to run away or face the perceived threat, is brought on by these hormones.

Can Stress And Anxiety Cause High Blood Pressure? Does Anxiety Affect Blood Pressure?

High Blood Pressure Or Anxiety? Stress results in anxiety. Stress results in the release of hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. The “fight-or-flight” reaction, which gets the body ready to run away or face the perceived threat, is brought on by these hormones.

A person may become more likely to: as a result of fight-or-flight hormones:

  • Heart rate
  • Blood pressure
  • Muscular strength

After dealing with their stress, a person’s biological systems ought to resume normal operation. Long-term stress, however, can lead to a variety of health issues, including:

  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach pain
  • Weight gain
  • Weakened immune system
  • Depression
  • Lack of sleep
  • Fatigue
  • Inability to make decisions
  • Memory issues
  • Increase in fats in the blood

Can High Blood Pressure Cause Anxiety? Does High Blood Pressure Cause Anxiety

Some people have emotions of anxiousness when they have high blood pressure. A hypertensive individual could be concerned about their present and future health.

Additionally, anxiety or panic attacks may result from hypertension symptoms. Hypertension signs and symptoms include:

  • Vision changes
  • Headaches
  • Irregular heart rhythm
  • Buzzing in the ears

Anxiety and High Blood Pressure: Anxiety can also be brought on by severe hypertension. Extreme anxiety can cause symptoms like headaches and shortness of breath, so anyone experiencing these symptoms should get help right once.

Anxiety and High Blood Pressure: It might be challenging to tell the difference between anxiety and variations in blood pressure. Typically, hypertension does not manifest any symptoms. This indicates that it’s critical for a person to periodically have their blood pressure checked by a doctor.

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Can Anxiety Cause Low Blood Pressure? Anxiety Low Blood Pressure Fast Heart Rate

Anxiety And Low Blood Pressure: Low Blood Pressure Anxiety

Does Anxiety Cause Low Blood Pressure? There isn’t any proof right now that anxiety decreases someone’s blood pressure. However, a person may experience anxiety or worry if their blood pressure is low.

Low blood pressure symptoms can resemble anxiety symptoms. Anxiety and low blood pressure both have the following symptoms:

  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Nausea
  • Fainting
  • Difficulty concentrating

What is High Blood Pressure? Anxiety Blood Pressure

Anxiety and High Blood Pressure: When blood pressure levels are increased, high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, develops. The brain, heart, kidneys, and eyes are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of chronically high blood pressure, which can also harm other parts of the body as well.

Two types of hypertension are categorized:

  • First-degree hypertension. This type of hypertension is the most prevalent type and occurs without a known trigger. The development of primary hypertension is frequently attributed to genetic, environmental, or lifestyle factors.
  • Secondary Hypertension. This type of hypertension typically has another underlying illness as its cause, which is widely known. Conditions that impact the kidneys, heart, or thyroid are frequently to blame for secondary hypertension.

Anxiety and High Blood Pressure: It’s interesting to note that anxiety can also result in white-coat hypertension, a sort of elevated blood pressure. This typically takes place when your blood pressure is generally normal but increases because of medical anxiety in a medical environment, like a doctor’s office.

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How Can I Lower My Blood Pressure From Anxiety? Treating the underlying anxiety condition may help lower your blood pressure if you experience frequent high blood pressure episodes that are anxiety-related. The following treatments are potential aids:

Anxiety and High Blood Pressure: Psychotherapy

For the majority of anxiety disorders, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard of care. CBT methods can assist in addressing and altering unhelpful thoughts, feelings, and actions that fuel anxiety.

According to studies, CBT can be just as successful in treating anxiety problems as medication.

Depending on the nature and severity of the anxiety illness, other treatment modalities may also be taken into account.

For instance, while trauma-focused treatment and interactive therapies like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) might be beneficial for illnesses like PTSD, exposure therapy is successful for treating specific phobias.

High Blood Pressure And Anxiety: Treating the underlying anxiety condition may help lower your blood pressure if you experience frequent high blood pressure episodes that are anxiety-related.
High Blood Pressure And Anxiety: Treating the underlying anxiety condition may help lower your blood pressure if you experience frequent high blood pressure episodes that are anxiety-related.

Anxiety And High Blood Pressure Medication: Blood Pressure Medication For Anxiety

Anxiety and High Blood Pressure: The most popular drugs for anxiety disorders are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs function by boosting serotonin uptake in the brain, which can lessen the signs and symptoms of anxiety.

The evidence indicates that psychotherapy and SSRIs work best together.

Benzodiazepines may occasionally be given to treat anxiety symptoms transiently. However, because of their high level of addiction, they are typically only prescribed for short-term use.

Blood Pressure Medications That Cause Anxiety

Blood pressure meds may have negative side effects, just like any other medication. Many mood changes are moderate and transient, but some, including depression and anxiety, are more concerning. Blood pressure medications, however, may not increase the risk of depression, despite what doctors have long believed. A recent study found that certainly appears to be connected to a lower risk.

Best Blood Pressure Medicine For Anxiety: Blood Pressure Meds For AnxietyBlood Pressure Medicine For Anxiety

Propranolol lowers your heart rate and facilitates simpler blood circulation throughout your body. It can help with the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as shaking and perspiration, and is typically taken for high blood pressure and other cardiac conditions.

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The definition of dual diagnosis (also referred to as co-occurring disorders) can differ between institutions. However, it is generally described as the specific treatment of someone who has been diagnosed with a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder at the same time. Treating dual-diagnosis clients is a critical aspect of our inpatient treatment experience because co-occurring disorders are strongly correlated with instances of substance abuse.

Creating a treatment plan that addresses the physical aspects of withdrawal, the psychological connection with drug use, and managing underlying mental health disorders is part of setting clients up for success.  A thorough mental health analysis identifies possibilities for treatment.  Meeting with mental health counselors and medical care providers means access to behavioral therapy and medication treatment. At our dual diagnosis treatment center, We Level Up can implement the highest quality of care. 

We recognize the fragile complexities of how mental and substance abuse disorders can influence others and sometimes result in a vicious cycle of addiction.  That’s why we offer specialized treatment in dual-diagnosis cases to provide the most excellent chance of true healing and long-lasting recovery.

It can be challenging to accept that you may be living with a mental illness, but once it is properly diagnosed and treated, treating the presenting case of substance abuse can be magnitudes easier. Only a properly trained medical professional can diagnose these underlying conditions.  If you believe you are suffering from a disorder alongside addiction, we urge you to seek a qualified treatment center to begin your journey to recovery. Call We Level Up today.

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Anxiety and High Blood Pressure FAQs

  1. Can Anxiety Cause High Diastolic Blood Pressure?

    There isn’t enough evidence to say that anxiety causes rises in systolic blood pressure. However, for some people, anxiety may cause an increase in diastolic blood pressure.

  2. How Much Does Anxiety Raise Blood Pressure? How Much Can Anxiety Raise Blood Pressure?

    Anxiety can elevate blood pressure by 10 points or more.

  3. Can High Blood Pressure Cause Anxiety Attacks? Anxiety Attack Blood Pressure

    Some people have emotions of anxiousness when they have high blood pressure. Those who have hypertension may be concerned about their future and health. Anxiety or panic attacks can occasionally be brought on by the signs and symptoms of hypertension, which include headaches, blurred vision, and shortness of breath.

  4. What is High Blood Pressure Before Surgery Anxiety?

    It is common to experience some nervousness prior to surgery. and this will make your blood pressure rise. The procedure can go ahead as long as there are no other medical justifications for it. Before the procedure, you might want to request some calming medication from the anesthetic staff member.

  5. What is Perimenopause High Blood Pressure Anxiety?

    Changes and symptoms associated with menopause might cause additional stress and anxiety. The emotional stress associated with mood swings, disturbed sleep owing to night sweats, and frustration with weight gain can all contribute to a woman’s physical changes by raising her blood pressure.

  6. What is High Systolic Blood Pressure Anxiety?

    When you are concerned, your heart rate increases, and is more likely to pump blood to your body’s vital organs in the event of a fight or flight situation. Your systolic pressure is raised, though, as a result of the elevated cardiac output.

  7. Does Anxiety Medication Lower Blood Pressure? Anxiety And Blood Pressure Medication

    Some drugs used to treat anxiety and other mental health issues can also make you tense up. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are among these drugs (SNRIs).

  8. Can Anxiety Pills Lower Blood Pressure?

    Treatments for anxiety may help lower general anxiety levels, which may help prevent blood pressure increases.

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