Don’t think sneezing and allergies are only affecting your breathing because research points to mental health issues, too.

Climate change can lead to mental health effects on well-being through physical alterations. These can manifest in ways, such as injuries and fatalities that can take a toll on health, and respiratory ailments like allergies and asthma that may exacerbate conditions like depression and anxiety.

Even people in the U.S. who have never been personally affected by a climate disaster are feeling climate anxiety, a powerful emotion of fear, sadness, and dread about the future of a warming planet. 56% of people in the U.S. who took part in an APA poll in 2020 said that climate change is the most important problem the world is facing right now. Every day, nearly half of young people (18–34) experience the stress of climate change.

Many adults (68%) say they have at least some “eco-anxiety,” which is any worry or stress about climate change and its effects. This suggests that worrying about climate change may be affecting their mental health.

Allergies, typically seen as conditions triggered by the system's reactions to specific substances, can have a big impact on mental health. People with allergies might face challenges, such as increased stress, anxiety, sadness, and a decrease in quality of life. The ongoing discomfort, sleep disturbances, and social limitations from reactions can worsen existing health problems and lead to new ones.

Stress, which often occurs when dealing with allergy symptoms, can further activate the system, causing inflammation and making allergy symptoms worse—a cycle that can affect mental well-being. Long-term stress has been associated with issues like anxiety disorders, mood swings, and even cognitive decline.

It’s common for people with allergies to feel anxious, worrying about having reactions in certain places. They need to always be on guard against allergens. The possibility of reactions can trigger hypervigilance and panic attacks, affecting their mental well-being.

Depression is also an issue for those dealing with allergies. The ongoing nature of conditions and their restrictions on life can lead to feelings of despair, loneliness, and low self-worth. Did we ever think that climate change could have such an overwriting effect on our mental health?

Also, depression has been seen as potentially being caused by inflammation, which would be allergy-related. Moreover, allergies affecting sleep quality and energy levels can worsen symptoms, creating a cycle to overcome because they can affect not only the quality of sleep and the quantity but also the next day's activities and even creativity and motivation.

Climate change has also altered plant seasonal activities, leading to an increase in pollen production. This is attributed to worsening pollen's properties. Altering plant growth patterns results in changes to the composition of pollen produced, exacerbating its impact on health.

The results of a study that looked at 26,565 people with hay fever from 2002 to 2013 are the first national-scale analysis of the link between changes in plant growth caused by climate change and hay fever in this group of US adults representing the entire country. They show a direct link between the timing of flowering and climate-related allergic diseases. What can we expect in the future?

With temperature changes, the pollen season is expected to start up to 40 days earlier and last 19 days longer in the United States. The pollen released each year will also rise by 16 to 40 percent.

Therefore, it is advisable that anyone with respiratory disorders and allergies to plants and pollen exercise caution and receive treatment and help from their healthcare professionals. According to recent studies, the situation is not expected to improve, and, as we can see, it is going to become a bit more challenging in terms of the number of days and the earlier onset of plant-related activities.

Mental health is important and must be considered within this treatment regimen.