Recently researchers have peeled back a relationship between allergies and our mental health. It started when a pediatrician noticed a pattern in her patients with allergies—even though they were young, many of them were already having anxiety, panic attacks, and other mental health problems. Expanding to a study on adults, there’s a very strong relationship between having allergies and having anxiety and other mental health problems.
In most studies, researchers are quick to remind you that there’s a chicken and the egg problem—it’s correlation, not causation—but in this instance, the pattern strongly goes one way. Mental health problems aren’t triggering allergies (or not much), but allergies sure bring a lot of anxiety and more!
The “why” is a little more complex. A big piece of it is that it’s a natural reaction to being sick, and allergies are comparable to having a chronic cold (and not being able to breath is also a reliable trigger for anxiety!). It’s also likely that the immune system not functioning properly, inflammation, and other more complex processes are having an effect on the brain.
What can you do if you have allergies? Two things—tackle symptoms, and support your mind.
Getting it so you can breathe is a big part of living with allergies. While there are medications that may or may not work or you, you can also physically tackle the problem with a sinus rinse (use purified water and a couple drops colloidal silver in your neti pot to flush mucus and trapped allergens). If you have deep congestion that often triggers secondary illnesses (infections, colds, pneumonia) go deeper with a sinus flood and clear out your entire nasal passage.
Support your brain with healthy habits—a daily walk, meditation, therapy—and supplements like colloidal gold and D.S.A. MGRx which naturally supports the brain against depression, stress, and anxiety.
Knowing is half the battle–once we know about something, we can take action. Support your mind and body.
