NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — May is both peak seasonal allergy time and mental health awareness month and research shows the two may be linked.
Doctors said the more severe your allergy symptoms are, the more they see increased rates of depression and anxiety.
Researchers said this may be due to how inflammation chemicals impact the emotion centers of our brain.
They do not believe allergies can cause depression or anxiety, but the mixed signals can heighten any pre-existing feelings.
Allergy medicine can also make people feel foggy or drowsy, adding another layer of impact to your mental health.
Dr. Kara Wada with Ohio State University said it is important to keep this connection in mind to know how to take care of your overall health.
"I think it's important for us to realize the impact allergies can have on our quality of life, especially as that can impact our mental health as well," said Wada. "And so just bringing awareness to this connection, I think, is really important, so that we can address it, because whether it's our mental health or our allergy health, it's all our health."
Doctors suggest seeing an allergist to get the right medication for you.
