can anxiety cause high blood pressure?

Yes it can ..most definitely. You are sending your body into the fight mode..and part of this is a surge of blood rushing through you...heart pumping faster so you can address your fear. Just know.. fear is in the mind and that is you just relax into the anxiety..don't try to think on it ..it will pass. Breathing into your belly , then exhaling through your nose will help as well as focus on something else. I am also a nurse. Who has dealt with anxiety and panick attacks.