Suicide spikes among allergy sufferers of pesky pollen

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Pollen. Just the word for allergy sufferers may spark a tickle in the nose, a tear in the eye, maybe even the start of a bumpy hive.

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And while seasonal allergies may make a person feel angry at the outside world, researchers suggested that the allergies may increase the risk of suicide among sufferers.

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A new study published in the Journal of Health Economics found that these deaths tend to spike on certain days — specifically, at times when the pollen outlook is moderate or worse.

The researchers our of Wayne State University analyzed more than a decade’s worth of daily pollen counts and suicide data from 34 U.S. metro areas, spanning from 2006 to 2018.

They found that suicide deaths rose by 5.5% on days with moderate pollen levels compared to days with low to no pollen.

“At the highest pollen levels, we observed up to a 7.4% increase in suicides,” Shooshan Danagoulian, lead author of the study, said in a press release.

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She noted: “What’s particularly concerning is that individuals with a known mental health condition or treatment history had an even greater increase — 8.6% — on high-pollen days.”

Itchy eyes and runny noses may seem like minor inconveniences but given how that can affect sleep, strain concentration and make an individual feel generally miserable and moody are all known risk factors for suicide.

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The research team also analyzed Google Trends data, where they noted spikes in searches for allergy symptoms and depressive thoughts on high-pollen days.

The evidence backed up the idea that aside from allergies impacting physical health, they can also pile on to those already struggling with their mental well-being.

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The scientists also looked at how the climate change is intensifying and drawing out pollen seasons, meaning that what is now seasonal could develop into a year-round risk, even estimating that by the end of the century, the number of suicides linked to pollen could more than double.

“This is an overlooked cost of climate change,” Danagoulian explained.

“We often focus on environmental damages, but here we see clear evidence that climate change may also worsen mental health outcomes in ways that haven’t been fully considered.”

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She acknowledge that the risks are preventable, and seasonal allergies can easily be treated with safe, inexpensive and widely available options such as antihistamines, nasal sprays and allergy testing.

“Small, accessible health interventions could have lifesaving impacts,” Danagoulian said.

“If managing allergies helps reduce suicide risk even slightly, it represents a meaningful step in addressing one of the most pressing public health crises of our time.”

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