less likely to have mood or anxiety disorders than those whose allergies went untreated.
A small 2017 study found that kids with a food allergy were more likely to have anxiety or anxious behavior. Other studies have even identified a link between pollen allergies and an increased risk of suicide—a potential explanation for why suicides seem to rise in the spring. If the link is in fact real, allergies could be causing anxiety and other mood disorders in a few different ways.
For one, it’s stressful to be sick often, and people with allergies frequently feel like they have a bad cold. The experience of straining to breathe, or of coughing and wheezing, could simply make people feel anxious.
More studies need to be done to determine how, exactly, allergies might influence mental health. In the meantime, several researchers have explained that patients who suffer from both allergies and anxiety could benefit from understanding that the two might be connected.
Often, treating allergies can make someone’s depression and anxiety symptoms improve as well.
Jasmine Browley holds an MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, and has contributed to Ebony, Jet and MADE Magazine among others. So, clearly, she knows some stuff. Follow her digital journey @JasmineBrowley.