Itchy Anxiety Rash: Treatment And Prevention

Have you ever woken up with a strange rash on your body and puzzled over what you touched, ate, or otherwise came in contact with? While there are many potential causes for skin conditions, you may be surprised to discover that some of them can be due to stress and/or anxiety.

Physiologically, symptoms of stress can present themselves as shaking, gastrointestinal issues, sweating, an elevated heart rate, sleeplessness, body aches, or a stress-induced rash.

Skin rash from anxiety

Stress rashes usually manifest as groups of red hives that resemble those of an allergic reaction. These bumps can be large or small and may be either brought on or exacerbated by stress. Those who live with an anxiety disorder or frequently experience stress may already be familiar with stress rashes. Many people who live with an anxiety disorder have learned to adjust their lives accordingly.

Often, professional support plays a vital role in getting to a healthier place where rashes caused by stress will not appear. If you frequently notice uncomfortable symptoms like a rash or hives or excessive worry, irritability, and rumination, you may be living with an anxiety disorder.

Keep reading to learn more about why you might get a stress rash and what to do if you notice one.

Skin rash or hives: Navigating a new skin condition

A skin rash is one of the less common physiological side effects of anxiety. Anxiety is usually associated with more frequently occurring symptoms like elevated heart rate, gastrointestinal issues, or muscle tension. But a stress rash can be an equally important symptom to look out for when you’re experiencing anxiety.

Stress rash can worsen dermatitis or other skin conditions

Hives can be a body’s response to stress or anxiety

Most often, rashes are your body’s immune system reacting to an infection or irritant, such as an allergen or a virus. But there are times when hives can appear as a response to stress and/or anxiety. Not everyone who has an anxiety disorder — even those who have severe cases — develops a skin rash, as everyone reacts to stress and anxiety differently.

Anxiety rashes are itchy bumps that appear anywhere on the body

Anxiety rashes often cause itchy skin in the form of raised welts that can appear anywhere on the body, including the arms, torso, and hands. They can come on as hives that appear sporadically or in larger groupings of bumps. In some cases, hives can last weeks and may even reappear after a while, but they usually go away on their own after a few days. Seek professional medical advice for an official diagnosis and treatment. 

Anxiety rash causes

Anxiety rashes are caused most often by persistent tension or stress. When additional stress or anxiety-inducing situations are added, existing physical problems can become exacerbated, or new problems, like stress rashes, can form. Even if you’ve lived with an anxiety disorder for a long time, new symptoms and issues can occur at any time.

This is because our body’s emotional well-being is directly tied to our physiological well-being. When one is compromised, the other is affected as well. The physical condition of your body can change depending on the amount of emotional stress or anxiety you’re experiencing at any given point. When you experience heightened anxiety — especially if those periods are prolonged — existing skin conditions can worsen, or new skin conditions, such as a rash, can appear.

Examples of stressful situations that can cause skin redness or inflammation

Skin irritations or red bumps can pop up during some key stressful periods, such as the holidays, exam season, or when you’re having relationship troubles. It can appear during a major life event, such as a wedding, divorce, or a death in the family. It can also pop up when you’re anticipating a stressful situation, such as public speaking or attending a big party.

It's hard to pinpoint when anxiety will lead to a stress rash since it can come about due to a variety of factors that everyone experiences differently. One person may not develop a rash until they’ve experienced a great deal of stress, while another may break out in a rash at the first flutter in the stomach. Having a rash isn't something to be embarrassed about, and you are not alone.

The effects of anxiety rashes

Even though rashes from anxiety are generally not serious conditions, they can be quite irritating, especially since their onset can be sudden and unexpected. While a rash may not seem like a big deal, it can have a deep emotional and physiological impact on the person living with it.

Emotional effects

Imagine you experience anxiety when speaking in public, and you have an upcoming presentation at work. If your stress and anxiety have caused you to break out in hives, the prospect of presenting in front of lots of people could seem even more daunting. A situation like that can cause further stress and exacerbate anxiety symptoms.

Some people have become so adept at masking anxiety that others wouldn’t even realize they struggle with it daily. But, when it manifests physically, hiding the anxiety becomes almost impossible and can damage the individual’s self-esteem and confidence.

Physiological effects

An anxiety rash is not life-threatening, but it can be itchy, painful, and distracting. Your skin may tingle, warm up, and become uncomfortable. A rash can last anywhere from a few minutes to several days.

Depending on their severity, stress hives might start to impact your daily life and activities. For example, skin irritation could cause physical discomfort when your skin brushes against your clothes during the day or while sleeping.

What you can do to treat an anxiety rash

If you know you’re prone to anxiety rashes in certain situations, you can possibly preemptively treat a flare-up of the condition. If you have more serious episodes of anxiety-induced rashes, you can talk to your doctor about a prescription for stronger anti-inflammatory medication. 

Treatment of anxiety rashes

The information in this article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have.

While preventing a rash is not always a possibility, there may be some situations where you can head off a rash-inducing episode before it occurs. If you find yourself in the middle of a situation that’s causing you anxiety, and you sense your body starting to react, try taking a break to reset and calm your mind through deep breathing and mindfulness exercises. It may not be possible given the situation (e.g., if you’re anxious about flying and you’re in the air), but even a minute or two may be enough to stave off a rash.

You can also try reducing the amount of daily stress you experience and support your general health by eating healthy, balanced meals. That way, your blood sugar is more likely to be in check throughout the day. Exercising is another excellent natural way to reduce anxiety, as it can help relieve stress by providing the body with endorphins, which are the feel-good messengers that boost your mood after a workout.

You don’t need to go out and run a marathon; walking a few times a week is a great place to start, but it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you get your body moving enough to have those endorphins kick in and give your muscles an opportunity to stay strong.

Mindfulness and meditation are also good activities to practice daily to help manage anxiety and unwanted stress and refocus your mind on positive, nonruminative thought patterns. If you’re able to train your mind to block anxiety-inducing thoughts, you could potentially have more control over your physiological reactions.

All of that said, one of the best and most successful ways of treating an anxiety disorder and its symptoms is to seek professional help from a therapist.

Seeking help with a stress rash or allergic reaction

How do you know whether a rash is caused by anxiety? If you experience a rash as a symptom, make sure to consult with your doctor to eliminate other potential causes. Hives and rashes that take other forms aren’t uncommon and can have various causes.

Anxiety can become even more disruptive when you add physical symptoms and discomfort to the existing emotional concerns, so it is important to get support. When seeking medical treatment for hives, the doctor may look at your rash and ask questions about their frequency, intensity, and effects, then see if it’s something that can be addressed medicinally. They may or may not refer you to a specialist, such as a dermatologist.

See a medical and mental health professional for itchy inflammation or anxiety rash

If you think that your itchy inflammation or rash could be related to stress or anxiety, make sure to mention that to your doctor. When this is the case, a good strategy often includes the involvement of both a medical professional and a mental health professional who can address any underlying condition or concern.

Therapy can help you discover the tools available to reduce daily stress and mitigate high-anxiety situations that may cause your body to react physically. For example, a therapist may help you learn to practice mindfulness. Researchers who reviewed over 200 studies found mindfulness-based therapy to be particularly effective in reducing stress and improving mental health. 

Benefits of online therapy

If you’re unable to or do not feel comfortable seeking help in person — or you simply prefer the convenience of not having to leave your home — consider looking into online therapy options. Numerous peer-reviewed studies have found online therapy to be effective, and it has additional advantages, such as the use of in-app messaging to contact your counselor when you need them.