In the United States and Europe, allergies are a leading cause of chronic disease. Allergies were studied by German and Swiss researchers to see if they were linked to mental health issues like depression or anxiety. In the International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, their findings have been published.
A total of 1,782 people from the Augsburg region of Germany took part in the research, with an average age of 61. Type 1 allergy cases that were self-reported were tallied. Allergic reactions of type 1 occur as soon as the allergen is encountered.
According to the type of allergy, participants were divided into four groups: those with no allergies; people with seasonal allergies, such as pollen; those who have persistent allergies, such as animal dander; those who are allergic to food and insects.
A total of 27.4 percent of the group was allergic to something. Persistent allergy sufferers made up 7.7% of participants, seasonal allergy sufferers made up 6.1%, and the remaining 13.6% fell into the last category.
Anxiety, depression, and stress were used as indicators of mental health in the survey. These findings suggest that seasonal allergies are more commonly associated with people who suffer from generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), while no such association could be drawn for those with persistent allergies who suffered from depression instead, finding
The link between allergies and symptoms of anxiety and depression needs further investigation.
In spite of these limitations, the study found that young children are underrepresented in the study, as well as those with self-reported allergies rather than those diagnosed by a doctor. Researchers, on the other hand, are eager to conduct their own tests using the blood samples they have on hand.
According to the study, seasonal allergies and anxiety are linked, and practitioners should have been aware of this when working with patients with these conditions.
