You may develop stress-induced urticaria (hives) if you are experiencing a lot of stress. Stress can also trigger skin conditions like eczema, which causes itchy rashes. Your body releases a hormone called cortisol in response to emotional stress. Cortisol may also cause your body to release histamine, a chemical that triggers skin reactions like hives and a rash.1
Everyone experiences stress, and stress-induced hives and rashes may be more common than you think. Not only can stress exacerbate skin conditions, but emotional distress can also lower the threshold for itchiness. Severe stress can make you feel itchiness more intensely.2