Why we need to talk about food allergies and mental health

27th April 2022

Why we need to talk about food allergies and mental health

When we talk about allergies, there’s obviously a huge focus on physical health. Symptoms that make people feel unwell, off balance, or that potentially put them in a life-threatening position. Because that’s how we mostly see allergies in our lives. News stories about anaphylaxis or how to avoid pollen.

But that’s only part of the story. There’s not as much focus as there needs to be on the mental health of people with severely limiting conditions, such as food allergies. They can easily take a heavy toll on a person. And we wouldn’t blame anyone who feels that way.

Food allergies and mental health

This isn’t an unknown phenomenon. There have been studies into this effect on people with allergies. Now, this isn’t to say that allergies lead to the development of serious mental health problems. More that people with an allergy are likely to experience higher bouts of anxiety or distress.

In children 8 to 16 years of age, those with food allergies were more likely to cope in an anxious manner. They also had higher separation-induced panic when their parents weren’t around. While it wasn’t diagnosed as a full anxiety disorder, having an allergy led to legitimate fear.

For teenagers, there was an increase in symptoms of depression. In one study, there was also a high occurrence of bullying. 24% of food-allergic teens had been harassed by their peers, with 21% reporting the bullying came from teachers and staff.

What can be done?

Thankfully, it feels like we’re seeing some change in the public perception of allergies. With too many news stories of young people dying due to preventable reactions, we finally saw Natasha’s Law come into effect last year. This makes it a requirement for food providers to put a full ingredient list on all pre-packaged food for sale.

Beyond that, we need more education in schools. We saw that bullying can be a problem for kids with allergies. There was a story in 2019 of a boy who died at school after classmates threw cheese at him. To those without serious food allergies, it seems like a harmless joke. After all, it’s just cheese. But we know that’s not the case. We need these stories to be taught across classrooms to show the devastating impacts of not taking it seriously.

This wouldn’t fix everything, nor would it stop those feelings of anxiety or depression, but it would do something to alleviate those fears. Any way we can ease that burden is worth it. So let’s make mental health a part of the conversation when it comes to allergies.

If you ever have any concerns about your allergies – food-related or otherwise – talk to an allergy professional. They’ll know the best course of action, and help you live as stress-free a life as possible. To get in touch with one of our specialists, you can reach out on 02031 433 449.

The link between food allergies and mental health

8th July 2020

The link between food allergies and mental health

We’ve dedicated thousands of words to talk about the risks of food allergies, both to adults and children. Multiple posts about the physical effects of a food allergy, how to avoid a reaction, and how to manage anaphylactic shock. But something we’ve never really talked about is how a food allergy can affect your mental health.

No matter how safe you keep yourself, the anxiety about your food allergy never goes aware. So let’s talk about mental health in you and your children, and how you can stay on top of it.

Mental health and food allergies

There are many concerning statistics around food allergies. Just look at some of them:

• 60% of people admitted food allergies affect food preparation.
• 34% reported food allergies affected their child’s school attendance.
• 50% of parents or caregivers admitted it affected their family activities.
• 58% said it affected their child’s ability to play at a friend’s house.
• 59% of parents said it affected any school trips.

As you can see, food allergies are constantly getting in the way of life. It’s something people can’t forget about. So it’s no surprise that 41% of people reported that food allergies had a significant impact on their mental health.

It can leave someone with a never-ending feeling of anxiety, maybe even leading to depression. Any physical symptoms, such as hives, can also play on the mind as it’s a painful reminder of your condition. Is it any surprise that, over time, it chips away at a person’s confidence? It’s not something any parent wants to see in their child.

What can you do?

It’s important to keep an open line of communication. Talk to your child about their allergy and let them know it’s something they can always talk about. Show them it doesn’t have to be just their burden.

It might be worth talking to an allergy specialist to see if they can refer you to someone trained to handle anxiety in allergy patients. They can teach you the methods you need to cope with anxiety.

In the meantime, do what you can to educate your child about their allergy and involve them in the cooking process so they can see what goes into their food. Show them their food allergy isn’t something to be feared, just something to be aware of. It won’t always be easy, but it can save lives.

We are dedicated to providing the best service to anyone with a food allergy or any other allergy they may have. If you have questions about a potential allergy, please contact us on 02031 433 449 or visit our website.

The one thing everyone needs to know about allergies

20th November 2019

The one thing everyone needs to know about allergies

There’s a lot to learn about allergies. There are different types, different reactions, and sometimes we’re not allergic just intolerant. As research develops, there continues to be more and more to learn about allergies, including new treatments, budding insight into the causes, and research towards potential cures. 

Luckily, we’ve covered a lot of these topics in our blog already, so you can take a look. But if there’s one thing we would want everyone to take away from us, it’s that allergies can kill. 

More than a runny nose

For those with potentially fatal allergies, it’s an everyday fact of life. But too many people, even those with their own allergies, don’t understand the extent of the danger. They disregard the severity of the condition even though we see it clearly in our everyday lives.

The news and social media are often full of stories about how allergies continue to affect young people’s lives. It can be such a problem it scares children from going to school as other children use allergies to taunt or threaten them, or simply have a disregard for anti-allergy policy in school. 

Allergy anxiety and bullying

One story told of a young girl whose classmates would regularly eat peanuts in class, despite the school’s anti-peanut policy. Classmates would pretend to pour peanuts on her, or throw them at her, to the point where thinking about turning up to school gave her severe anxiety. The teachers did nothing. 

Behaviour like this is often a result of a complete lack of understanding on how dangerous allergies really are. A child thinking they’re making a ‘funny’ joke in front of their friends could have resulted in the death of someone’s daughter. And this isn’t an isolated incident. 

Allergies are not a joke. They can cause life-altering reactions and even death, and they are only becoming more common. In the UK, around 10 people die from food-induced anaphylaxis alone, and there are around 1,500 asthma deaths. Many people who die or suffer ‘near miss’ reactions have no idea they are even at risk. It’s more important than ever for children, adults, and teachers to know the risks of allergies and enforce rules implemented to protect vulnerable children. 

We know allergies can have a devastating impact on children and families. It’s what drives us to hire the best consultants, and use cutting-edge research to provide the most advanced treatments and tests for our patients. To book an appointment with one of our consultants, call us on 0203 143 3449, or visit our website. 

Food allergies and anxiety

4th April 2018

Food allergies and anxiety

It may seem obvious that experiencing an allergic reaction is uncomfortable. Reactions cause harmful symptoms including rashes, rhinitis, and anaphylaxis, all of which can be painful. But having an allergy causes more than just physical pain. Allergies and anxiety go hand in hand.

A European survey of studies published in Chemical Immunology and Allergy found a strong link between food allergies and reduced “health-related quality of life”. This was defined in terms of social, dietary, and psychological factors. These are the less talked about experiences of living with an allergy, yet they are very common. Many people are left wondering how to cope with them.

Food allergies

Around 2 million people in the UK have a food allergy. This includes 5-8% of all children. Vice once published a story titled ‘How food allergies can ruin your life’. If this title is to be believed, that means 2 million people’s lives in the UK are at risk of being ruined by something out of their control. The term ‘ruin’ may be slightly extreme for some people with allergies. In some cases, food allergies can cause death, but for many, there are effective treatments and ways to keep allergies under control.

But, there are subtle ways that allergies can take their toll on your well-being. The constant vigilance required to prevent an allergic reaction is tiring for many. It takes control over where you go, when you go, who you go with, and removes spontaneity from your life. With everything you do, there is a constant worry. “What if I have a reaction?” “What if they mess up my order?”

These concerns are more than legitimate. People have died when restaurants have messed up an order and forgotten to remove an allergen from someone’s meal. Peanuts are incredibly common, especially in certain cuisines. There is a constant, rational fear that comes with having an allergy. A fear of life or death. This fear can lead to anxiety. You become anxious about travelling, trying new foods, going on public transport, or visiting places where there are lots of people whose actions may affect your allergy, yet are out of your control.

Feeling anxious

To complicate matters further, the symptoms of anxiety can be similar to those of an allergic reaction. If you have an allergy, you may panic because you suspect you have come into contact with an allergen. You could misinterpret the resultant symptoms of anxiety as an allergic reaction. This is dangerous in some cases through the maladministration of anti-anaphylactic drugs, but mostly it is highly distressing to experience.

So how do you stop the allergy-anxiety cycle? We should not allow allergies to ‘ruin’ anyone’s life. Varied treatments for anxiety exist but they depend on what is causing your anxiety and who you are. Some people may already have anxiety which is worsened by having allergies. For some, having severe allergies can cause anxiety to develop. Anxiety can also rear its head if you have a child with allergies.

If you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, it’s best to speak to your doctor who can talk you through your treatment options. These can include therapy, medication or calming techniques. Getting to the root cause of your anxiety will allow you to treat it for an improved level of social, physical and mental wellbeing.

To ease your mind, it’s a good idea to understand exactly what you are allergic to so that you can start to take the necessary steps to prevent future reactions. To arrange an allergy test, book an appointment with one of our consultants today.