Understanding the Correlation Between Allergies and Depression
Untreated allergies can make you miserable. Between the coughing, sneezing, itching, and watery eyes, you may feel like a completely different person during allergy season.
Or, perhaps your allergies aren’t seasonal and your symptoms aren’t anything like those of hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Maybe you are allergic to certain foods, animals, or other specific substances, and your allergies make it more difficult for you to sleep, breathe, concentrate, exercise, and perform other normal functions.
In either case, allergies can have adverse effects on your mood and has been linked to feelings of sadness and mental sluggishness.
How Allergies Can Make You Depressed
To be clear, there is no apparent, causal relationship between allergies and depression. However, people who live with persistent allergy symptoms are more likely to have a difficult time meeting the demands of their day-to-day life and may feel general gloomy and lethargic as a result.
Sleep is one of the primary factors in this equation. Allergies often make it more difficult to experience continuous, restful, deep sleep. As a result, many people with allergies are likely to experience negative mood changes. While this doesn’t necessarily mean people with allergy-related melancholy are suffering from clinical depression, it does merit our attention.
How Do I Know if My Depression Is Allergy-Related?
If your allergies are what is making you feel sad or lethargic, allergy treatment may be the best course of action for dealing with your depression. However, if there are other emotional or psychological factors at play, getting rid of your allergy symptoms won’t deal with the root cause of your struggle.
The best way to figure out the right course of action is to identify the factors that are contributing to your depression. You can do so by talking to your doctor about your allergies and your feelings of depression, as well consulting with a psychiatrist.
Behavioral Health Assessment in Chico
Our team at Therapeutic Solutions offers behavioral health assessments to people in Northern California. Even if you are unsure whether or not your depression symptoms are linked to allergies, we can help you evaluate your mental health and all potential treatment options. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with someone who can help.
Take your life and your mood back into your own hands. Call Therapeutic Solutions today at (530) 899-3150 to speak to one of our kind, knowledgeable team members.
