According toAnxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)Anxiety disorders affect more than 40 million adults in the United States each year. Anxiety can cause a wide range of physical symptoms, including an increase in blood pressure.
Although anxiety is not associated with chronic high blood pressure, both short-term and chronic anxiety can cause your blood pressure to rise.
In this article, we will explore the link between anxiety and high blood pressure and the treatment options for both.
Happy fear
When you start to feel anxious because of astressfulsituation enters your bodyFight or flightfashion. This happens because of the activation of your sympathetic nervous system. During fight-or-flight mode, your adrenaline and cortisol levels rise, both of which can lead to a rise in blood pressure.
Although stress and anxiety can cause high blood pressure, this is only temporary and levels usually return to normal once you calm down.
High bloodpressureor hypertension is a chronic condition that occurs when blood pressure is elevated. Chronic high blood pressure can be quite dangerous and cause significant damage to the body, especially to the brain, heart, kidneys and eyes.
Hypertension is classified into two categories:
- Primary hypertension.This type of hypertension occurs in the absence of a specific trigger and is the most common type of hypertension. Primary hypertension is often thought to arise due to genetic, environmental, or lifestyle causes.
- Secondary hypertension.The cause of this type of hypertension is well known and is often another underlying condition. Secondary hypertension is often caused by conditions that affect the kidneys, heart, or thyroid.
Interestingly enough, anxiety can also cause a form of high blood pressure commonly called high blood pressurewhite coat hypertension. This type occurs when your blood pressure is normally normal, but rises in a medical setting, such as a doctor's office, due to medical anxiety.
Fear is a natural response to a perceived threat and is something we all experience from time to time. When you feel anxious and your fight-or-flight response is triggered, it is possibleexperience:
- nervousness
- restlessness
- panic or fear
- rapid pulse
- to sweat
- breathing problems
- chestpain
- hyperventilation
- shakes or vibrates
- twitching
- chills or hot flashes
- numbness or tingling
- weakness or fatigue
- nausea or vomiting
- diarrhea
- poor concentration
- depersonalization or derealization
In some people, chronic anxiety is due to an underlying anxiety disorder and not just environmental factors. Anxiety disorders include:
- generalized anxiety
- Anxiety Disorder
- specific phobias
- obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Just as anxiety can temporarily cause high blood pressure, high blood pressure can sometimes cause anxiety.
Some for examplesymptomsof high blood pressure are similar to those caused by anxiety, such as:
- shortness of breath
- dizziness
- chestpain
- changes in vision
Experiencing these symptoms or other symptoms of high blood pressure can lead to an increase in anxiety.
Additionally, having a chronic condition like high blood pressure can cause depression and anxiety. Actually
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If you have regular episodes of high blood pressure caused by anxiety, treating the underlying anxiety disorder can help get your blood pressure back to a healthier level.
Treatment options that may help include:
psychotherapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)is the gold standard treatment for most anxiety disorders. CBT techniques can help address and change problematic thoughts, feelings and behaviors that contribute to anxiety.
Depending on the type and severity of the anxiety disorder, other treatment methods may also be considered. For example,exposure-therapieis effective for treating specific phobias, while trauma-focused therapy and interactive therapy such asEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)can be useful for conditions such as PTSD.
Medicine
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)is the most commonly prescribed drug for anxiety disorders. SSRIs work by increasing the uptake of serotonin in the brain, which can reduce symptoms of anxiety.
According to
In some cases,benzodiazepinescan be prescribed to relieve anxiety symptoms in the short term. But they are highly addictive and are generally only prescribed for short-term use.
Other things
Although psychotherapy and medication are effective methods of treating anxiety disorders,lifestyle changesare also important.
Make sure you get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet and exercise your body. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga and massage can also help.
Things you can do to feel less anxious
Whether you have an anxiety disorder or not, everyone can benefit from reducing their daily anxiety levels. Here are some changes you can make in your daily life to lower your anxiety levels:
- Get enough sleep.Sleep is very important for overall health and getting enough sleep can make a big difference in daily anxiety levels. Most people need seven to nine hours of sleep every night, so make sure you aim for this.
- Eat a balanced diet.Eating nutritious foods can help support both your physical and mental well-being. Whenever possible, try to fill your plate with whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.
- Move your body.It's important to move your body, whether it's strength training at the gym or taking a walk around the block. Daily exercise and exercise can help increase your endorphins and reduce stress levels.
- Oefen mindfulness.Mindfulness is the practice of bringing your awareness to the present moment, which is incredibly important when you experience anxiety.Meditationis a great mindfulness practice for reducing daily stress and anxiety.
Did this help?
Drugs used to treat anxiety can help reduce overall anxiety levels, which can reduce blood pressure spikes. However, some anxiety treatment options can also cause an increase in blood pressure.
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If you have high blood pressure and have recently started taking anxiety medication, monitor any changes in your blood pressure level. This can help your doctor determine if any adjustments to your medications are needed.
TherapyHigh blood pressure usually involves making a handful of diet and lifestyle changes. This includes increasing physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting sodium and increasing intake of whole foods.
If diet and lifestyle changes aren't enough to lower your blood pressure naturally, sure
- beta blockers(which is also prescribed to reduce symptoms of anxiety)
- diuretic
- ACE-remmers
- angiotensin II-receptor blocker
- calcium channel blocker
- alpha-2 agonists
If you have high blood pressure and it is causing an increase in your anxiety, treating the high blood pressure can help reduce your anxiety symptoms.
Although anxiety cannot cause chronic hypertension, there is a clear link between anxiety and blood pressure. Anxiety leads to a natural increase in blood pressure due to the fight-or-flight response, and high blood pressure can sometimes lead to an increase in anxiety as well.
If you're experiencing symptoms of anxiety or high blood pressure that are affecting your daily life, talk to your doctor about what treatments might work for you.
