Blood pressure and mental health

High blood pressure is a health challenge that involves not only physical but also psychological aspects. Even a patients expectations or the doctors visit alone can change blood pressure readings or influence how well a treatment works (placebos, white coat hypertension). The interaction between the mind and high blood pressure is therefore a fascinating field. It shows how psychological states influence the development, course, and management of high blood pressure and vice versa.

The role of mental health

The psychosomatic aspects of high blood pressure look at how thoughts and feelings can affect our body. Many people know that stress can be an important cause of high blood pressure. But stress is often caused by mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, or eating disorders. If someone suffers from these issues, they may later develop high blood pressure. The current ESH guidelines list depression as a risk factor for high blood pressure in certain groups of people.

Panic attacks are also significantly more common in people with high blood pressure, occurring in up to 39%. A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear, often accompanied by a racing heart, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Whether panic attacks lead to high blood pressure or the other way around is still unclear. One hypothesis is the "labeling effect": the diagnosis or treatment of high blood pressure can trigger anxiety in some people. That anxiety could then lead to panic attacks. It can also happen that people with high blood pressure who suffer from panic attacks stop taking their blood pressure medication. This may be because they mistakenly interpret the signs of panic as side effects of the drugs. Therefore, its important to properly recognize and treat panic in people with high blood pressure.

Everyday emotions

Not only stress but other emotions are an important part of daily life. Studies have shown that strong negative emotions like anger can raise blood pressure. By contrast, positive emotions (for example calmness, serenity) can lower it. Its important to recognize your own feelings accurately so you can manage them well.

Sometimes people dont notice their feelings at all or cant express them well. This is called alexithymia. It makes communication between your inner world and your body more difficult. Alexithymia occurs more often in people with high blood pressure, with rates between 16% and 55%. This "emotional blindness" can mean a lot of tension and stress for those affected. That suggests alexithymia may contribute to the development and persistence of high blood pressure.

How personality affects blood pressure

A persons personality also plays a special role in high blood pressure. Certain personality traits can make someone more likely to take risks for example to smoke. They can also influence how a person copes with illness, for instance whether they take their medication or how they handle stress. Traits such as strong ambition, impatience, aggressiveness, and a tendency to suppress stress reactions and anger are repeatedly observed in many people with high blood pressure.

On the other hand, a high level of compassion can be associated with lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure. It may even help protect people with a family history of high blood pressure.

Psychological approaches to coping

When managing high blood pressure, its important to include a persons mental state. This includes relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation (Jacobson) and meditation. These can be calming and reduce stress.

However, relaxation exercises help little when there are major anxieties and burdens. In psychotherapy people learn to better recognize, understand, and deal with their feelings. For example, behavioral therapies aimed at changing lifestyle have proven to be very effective.

So when it comes to high blood pressure, its important to understand that the mind plays a big role. The relationship between our emotional life and our physical health is complex. A comprehensive approach that includes not only medical treatment but also our feelings can help manage high blood pressure better. If you have concerns about your mental health, its advisable to seek professional help.

Sources:

This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands monitor their blood pressure every day. Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 01/2026).

Author Hanna Kolonovits (MSc) is a psychologist (University of Vienna) with clinical practice experience in Austria and Spain and is currently in specialist training to become a clinical psychologist. Her solid academic training and international clinical experience ensure scientifically grounded, trustworthy recommendations for mental health.