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Is Depression Linked to Severe Allergies?

There are a number of studies that suggest there is a relationship between allergies and depression.

  1. Depression

    • Symptoms of depression include persistent sad thoughts, inability to feel pleasure, and potential suicide. Suicide rates and depression peak during the spring and fall.

    Allergies

    • Allergic reactions occur when the body reacts to an outside substance that it perceives as threat to its well-being. Common allergies occur with weeds, grass, pollen, and some types of food. Allergic reactions also peak during the spring and fall.

    Identification

    • The U.S. National Institute of Health indicated in recent study that worsening depression and admission to hospitals for treatment of depression all peak in the spring.

      The study began with the supposition that there is a link between allergies and depression related to the data on the seasonal occurrences.

    Links in Children

    • A study by the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that children that have internalized, depressive psychiatric disorders are more likely to suffer from allergies. The study focused on young people who had a history of depression and suffered from allergic disorders, including asthma, hay fever, hives and eczema.

    Expert Insight

    • Dr. Mauricio Infante and colleagues from University of Wisconsin, in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry concluded that allergic disorders may be associated, specifically with "pure" internalizing disorders, in children with psychiatric illness.

    Considerations

    • There is clinical evidence of a relationship between depression and allergies. Intervention that deals with both issues, particularly if the occurrences coincide seasonally, can be considered.

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