Being sad isn’t something we commonly associate with allergies, although there are such things as having moods affected by allergies. When cytokines are released in the body in response to allergens, they can make a person feel sick or emulate flu-like symptoms which can contribute to depressed like feelings and behavior.

Kids Are More Sensitive

In a 2002 study, it was found that during times of increased ragweed pollen, patients reported significant fatigue and malaise. They also said they felt a change in their mood. Studies also show that allergies affect children with their schoolwork, and their performance suffers; this is the same for adults. Sleep interruptions and side effects of medication can contribute to work quality.

Children are more sensitive to the changes in their bodies and are more prone to tantrums and moodiness when their allergies are bothersome. Similar in adults, they too show moodiness and other symptoms to include heightened sadness during the spring. There isn’t any specific information that says individuals with allergies have depression; no more than it is the standard that depressed individuals have allergies. However, there is a correlation between heightened allergy reactions and overall mental and emotional wellbeing.

Allergy Sadness

If you are taking allergy medications, they can contribute to your overall state. Some such as Benadryl or Zyrtec can make allergy suffers sleepy, while other medicines function as a stimulant, like Sudafed. Both Sudafed and Claritin D contain a decongestant that produces symptoms of nervousness, anxiety, and sleeplessness. They are also hard on the heart and the overall nervous system.

Some people can cope with feeling down from their allergies, where others have a tough time feeling malaise and fatigue. A person may feel irritated at the fact that their bodies do not feel up to the regular daily tasks they usually accomplish. This alone can contribute to other mood changes when someone may need to work at a steady pace or perform at a certain level for their jobs.

Don’t Be Hard On Yourself

Aside from nose sprays and medications, sublingual therapy or allergy shots are the closest things to do to remedy allergies. In the meantime, taking precautions to avoid the allergens and combat them are all a person can do.

When you feel down, tired, or wiped out, ask for help with daily chores such as picking up the kids at school or running errands to the grocery store. If your children have frequent colds or sinus infections, it could be attributed to allergies especially if you notice more mood swings during periods of high pollen. If you or a family member notice mood shifts in relationship to fluctuations in allergy season, speak with your doctor and find out if you or your other family members would benefit from allergy testing and other allergy management protocols that work best for you. In the meantime don’t feel guilty if you need to slow down and rest if your allergies are flared as this is what your body needs.