Why we need to talk about food allergies and mental health
Posted: 27th April 2022 | Posted by Costa
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.