High Anxiety Symptoms, Information Overload, Dopamine, and Cortisol

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How modern stress, hormones, and brain chemistry interact

High anxiety is more than “feeling stressed.” It is a whole-body condition involving the brain, hormones, and nervous system. In today’s always-connected world, information overload, combined with shifts in dopamine and cortisol, can push anxiety from manageable to overwhelming—especially when underlying hormone imbalances are present.

This article explains how anxiety shows up, why information overload worsens it, and how dopamine and cortisol drive the cycle.

What High Anxiety Feels Like

High anxiety often affects mind, body, and behavior at the same time, disrupting daily life and pushing people toward avoidance, overthinking, or perfectionism.

Mental & Emotional Symptoms

  • Excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday situations

  • Feeling constantly “on edge,” tense, or restless

  • Irritability, emotional sensitivity, or tearfulness

  • Difficulty concentrating or “mind going blank”

  • A sense of impending danger, panic, or doom

  • Overthinking worst-case scenarios

  • Fear of making mistakes or being judged (common in social anxiety)

Physical Symptoms

  • Racing heart, palpitations, or pounding heartbeat

  • Sweating, trembling, or shaking

  • Shortness of breath or rapid breathing (hyperventilation)

  • Fatigue, weakness, or feeling drained

  • Headaches, muscle tension, jaw clenching

  • Stomach pain, nausea, bloating, or digestive issues

  • Dizziness, lightheadedness, dry mouth, pins and needles

Behavioral Changes

  • Trouble falling or staying asleep

  • Avoiding people, places, or situations that trigger anxiety

  • Compulsive behaviors (constant checking, reassurance seeking)

  • Difficulty relaxing or enjoying leisure time

  • Perfectionism and excessive self-criticism (often called high-functioning anxiety)

Information Overload: A Hidden Anxiety Trigger

Modern life exposes the brain to constant sensory and cognitive input—notifications, news, social media, emails, noise, and visual stimulation.

When the brain receives more information than it can process:

  • The nervous system shifts into fight-or-flight mode

  • The body interprets overload as danger

  • Stress hormones surge, even without a real threat

This creates:

  • Racing thoughts

  • Poor focus and decision fatigue

  • Heightened irritability

  • A constant sense of urgency or panic

Over time, information overload keeps the brain in chronic hyperarousal, which fuels anxiety and exhaustion.

Cortisol: The Stress Hormone Behind Anxiety

Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands in response to stress. In short bursts, it’s helpful. When stress is constant, cortisol stays elevated.

Effects of chronically high cortisol:

  • Increased anxiety and panic symptoms

  • Restlessness and irritability

  • Sleep disruption (especially waking at night)

  • Blood sugar instability and weight gain

  • Suppression of testosterone and other hormones

  • Digestive problems and muscle tension

Information overload, emotional stress, and lack of recovery keep cortisol high, trapping the body in survival mode.

Dopamine: Motivation, Focus, and Anxiety

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in motivation, reward, focus, and emotional regulation.

How dopamine links to anxiety:

  • Chronic stress and high cortisol disrupt dopamine signaling

  • Constant stimulation (scrolling, alerts, multitasking) causes dopamine spikes followed by crashes

  • Low or dysregulated dopamine contributes to:

    • Racing thoughts

    • Poor concentration

    • Mental fatigue

    • Reduced motivation

    • Increased anxiety and restlessness

This explains why anxious people often feel overstimulated yet unmotivated at the same time.

Hormonal Anxiety in Men: A Key Piece of the Puzzle

In men, high anxiety is often amplified by hormone imbalances, particularly:

Key Hormones Involved

  • Low Testosterone (Low T):
    Strongly linked to anxiety, irritability, low mood, poor concentration, low motivation, reduced libido, and sleep problems.

  • Cortisol:
    Chronic stress raises cortisol, which suppresses testosterone and worsens anxiety.

  • Thyroid Hormones:
    Both overactive (hyperthyroid) and underactive (hypothyroid) states can cause anxiety, nervousness, mood swings, and fatigue.

  • Growth Hormone:
    Deficiency in adults can contribute to anxiety and depression.

Common Symptoms of Hormone-Linked Anxiety

  • Mental: persistent anxiety, panic, brain fog, irritability, depression

  • Physical: fatigue, sleep issues, racing heart, digestive problems, muscle aches

  • Sexual: low libido, erectile dysfunction (often linked to low testosterone)

  • Metabolic: weight gain, increased blood sugar, low energy

The Anxiety Feedback Loop

  1. Information overload overstimulates the brain

  2. Cortisol rises, activating fight-or-flight

  3. Dopamine becomes dysregulated, impairing focus and mood

  4. Anxiety symptoms intensify

  5. Poor sleep and chronic stress worsen hormone balance

  6. The cycle repeats

Without intervention, this loop can become chronic.

What You Can Do

1. Get Medical Evaluation

Consult a healthcare provider (GP or endocrinologist) for testing, especially if anxiety is persistent or worsening.
Common tests include:

  • Morning fasting testosterone

  • Cortisol

  • Thyroid panel (TSH, T3, T4)

  • Other pituitary or metabolic markers if needed

2. Address Information Overload

  • Limit news and social media consumption

  • Reduce multitasking

  • Create quiet, low-stimulation periods during the day

  • Avoid screens before bedtime

3. Regulate Stress and Cortisol

  • Prioritize consistent, quality sleep

  • Practice mindfulness, deep breathing, or meditation

  • Engage in regular low-to-moderate exercise (walking, resistance training, yoga)

4. Support Brain Chemistry

  • Eat a balanced diet with adequate protein, healthy fats, and micronutrients

  • Avoid excessive caffeine and sugar

  • Consider supplements only under medical guidance

5. Consider Therapy or Treatment

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, or counseling can help retrain the stress response

  • If indicated, medical treatments such as hormone therapy or medication may be appropriate

Final Thought

High anxiety is not just “in your head.” It reflects a complex interaction between information overload, dopamine dysregulation, cortisol overload, and hormonal balance. Understanding this connection can be empowering—because when the root causes are addressed, anxiety becomes far more manageable.

If symptoms are interfering with daily life, seeking professional evaluation is not a weakness—it’s a crucial step toward restoring balance in both mind and body.

References:

Anxiety Disorders: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9536-anxiety-disorders

Stress management

© 2025-2030 Sieglinde W. Alexander. All writings by Sieglinde W. Alexander have a fife year copy right. Library of Congress Card Number: LCN 00-192742 ISBN: 0-9703195-0-9 


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