"Sad In The Spring? Allergy-Mood Link Is Real" - Elizabeth Landau

Seasonal allergies, which affect about 36 million Americans, aren’t just an annoyance; many doctors agree that there is a real connection between allergies and mood. Research has shown that there is about a 50 percent increase in the risk for depression in a person suffering allergies. Children are more susceptible to vast swings in moods and behaviors related to allergies because their bodies are more sensitive. The bottom line is that people shouldn’t blame their allergies for deeper emotional issues, said Michael Silverman, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Even if some people have a direct mood response from allergies, that’s not always the best explanation for feeling down. "There's so much stigma associated with mood disturbance and anxiety that patients try to grab on to anything they can to explain what's going on," he said. "Allergies could be aggravating a problem in their lives they don't want to deal with."

• Michael Silverman, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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