Excessive Sweating, Anxiety and Depression: What Studies Show

Primary hyperhidrosis is heavy sweating, typically in specific areas such as the underarms, hands and feet, without another illness behind it.¹ Studies suggest it often travels with anxiety and low mood.

How common the overlap is

A study of 2,017 dermatology patients in Vancouver and Shanghai screened everyone for anxiety and depression:²

	Heavy sweating	No heavy sweating
Anxiety	21.3%2	7.5%2
Depression	27.2%2	9.7%2

The worse the sweating, the more common anxiety and depression were, and the link held after accounting for demographic factors and other skin conditions.²

A 2025 review of 15 studies with over 50,000 people who sweat heavily found higher odds of anxiety and depression, and more social anxiety and body image distress, than in people without it.³ One of its authors reported funding from drug companies.³

Not every study agrees

A German study found that people with heavy sweating as a group didn’t score higher for anxiety, depression or social fear, though their quality of life was lower.¹ Only the subgroup who sought injections had raised social fear scores.¹ So the burden may be heaviest in those whose sweating is severe enough to seek treatment.

Does treating the sweat help mood?

In that German study, people retested 2 to 4 weeks after Botox injections had marked improvement in anxiety, low mood, social fear and quality of life.¹ There was no comparison group, so some of that may be relief at doing something.

Which comes first?

These studies can’t say. Either way, both deserve attention.

What to do

1. Treat the sweating. Clinical-strength antiperspirant, prescription options and injections all exist; see underarm sweat treatment questions and sweaty palms.
2. Mention your mood. If worry or low mood is part of the picture, say so at the same visit.
3. Know the nerve-sweat link; see why you sweat when nervous.

If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 in the US, or your local emergency number.

Try: “I sweat through my shirts most days, and I’ve started avoiding meetings and dates because of it. Can we talk about treatment for the sweating and how it’s affecting my mood?”

Arms Up covers this in Chapter 10, “Hot Under Pressure,” in sections called “The Nerves Answer” and “The Step-Up Ladder.” Its Fresh Log tracks where and when you sweat, so you can show a clinician the pattern and climb the treatment ladder one step at a time. See the book.