Anxiety Attacks
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) or social phobia is another cause of excessively sweaty feet. While some may argue that hyperhidrosis causes anxiety, some studies revealed that anxiety, depression, and attention deficit disorder (ADD) could cause excessive sweating. The relationship between the two isn’t as clear-cut as we may want it to be. Still, it is part of the increased physiological arousal associated with anxiety and mental disorders.
Sweating has long been established as a genetic and evolutionary bodily response to anxiety and mental distress. It supposedly helps the body cool down after heating up due to increased heart rate induced by anxiety, stress, fear, and feelings of imminent danger. While it may seem like a typical response thanks to the sympathetic nervous system and its propensity for a fight-flight-freeze reply, it is more commonly observed among those with anxiety disorders (general or social) and mental health problems than those from the general population. In some cases, the sweat doesn’t burn away the body heat or stop the fight or flight response resulting in indefinite sweating or “excess perspiration,” which we now know as the medical condition called hyperhidrosis.
