Anxiety Can Be Contagious: What Research Shows and How To Overcome It

The Science Behind “Emotional Contagion”

Human brains are wired for connection. Mirror neurons, first discovered in the 1990s, fire when we observe someone else’s emotions or actions, almost as if we are experiencing them ourselves. This explains why watching someone yawn makes us yawn, or why a friend’s laughter is so hard to resist.

But the same system can also make us absorb negative emotional states. Studies from the University of California, San Francisco, show that people who spend time around anxious individuals may mimic their body language, breathing patterns, or even cortisol levels without being aware of it. Over time, this “secondhand anxiety” can build up, affecting mood and performance.

Where We See It Most

At Home: Children often pick up on parents’ stress. A 2013 study from the University of Notre Dame found that kids exposed to high parental anxiety were more likely to show heightened stress responses themselves.

At Work: Offices with pressure-driven cultures tend to see anxiety spread like wildfire. One employee’s panic over deadlines can easily pull the whole team into a cycle of worry.

On Social Media: Doomscrolling doesn’t just give you information. It immerses you in a collective anxious mood, reinforced by constant exposure to people’s fears, outrage, or uncertainty.

Why Some People “Catch” Anxiety More Easily

Not everyone is equally vulnerable. Empathetic people, or those already under pressure, are more likely to internalize someone else’s anxious signals. Personality traits also play a role. For example, those who are highly sensitive or naturally attuned to others’ emotions may feel anxiety more intensely in group settings.

Even physical closeness matters. Research shows that sitting next to a visibly stressed person can elevate your own heart rate and stress hormones.

Can You Protect Yourself From Emotional Secondhand Smoke?

Awareness: Notice when your mood suddenly shifts around certain people. Naming the feeling helps you separate it from your own state.

Boundaries: It is okay to step away from someone spiraling into panic, especially if you are already stretched thin.

Breathing and Grounding: Simple practices like slow breathing or grounding exercises can reset your nervous system in real time.

Choose Your Inputs: Limit time with negative news feeds or constant panic updates on social media.

Anchor With Calm: Surround yourself with steady influences. Just as anxiety spreads, so does calm.

The Bigger Picture

Calling anxiety “contagious” doesn’t mean we should isolate from each other. Instead, it points to the power of human connection. If stress can pass between people, so can calm, reassurance, and hope. Leaders, parents, and even friends hold a quiet responsibility to be mindful of the emotional energy they spread.

At the end of the day, anxiety may behave like emotional secondhand smoke, but so does resilience. And just like choosing fresh air over smoke-filled rooms, we can consciously choose environments and relationships that make us steadier rather than shakier.