“Blossoming is just a trigger”: do allergies have psychological causes?

Some believe that the number of allergy sufferers is on the rise because we have become better at detecting allergies. There are those who blame bad ecology, because before, when there were more green areas and fewer cars, there were not so many allergy sufferers. However, both of these options are most likely wrong.

“We react not to harmful substances in the air, but to the pollen of plants and trees,” emphasizes allergist-immunologist Yulia Bunina. “According to hygiene theory, it’s all about improving the infection situation in the civilized world. Due to the purity and availability of antiseptics, pregnant women and children do not have contact with neutral microbes.

Their immune systems can’t train properly and in a sense “goes crazy” – starts reacting to things they shouldn’t. That is, on safe pollen proteins. That is why in civilized countries the situation with allergies is worse than in others.”

Why do we suffer from allergies?

Until now, no one can say with absolute certainty why one person develops an allergy, while another does not. Despite the fact that we can be born in the same city, live in identical ecological conditions and take care of our health in the same way, the result is completely different.

Because of this, in particular, it is not known how to reduce the risk of developing allergies in an unborn child to zero. According to Yulia Bunina, the point is individual tolerance, the response of the human immune system to an irritant – everyone has a different answer.

“There is also the concept of an atopic march (a sequence of clinical manifestations of an allergy in a person who has a genetic predisposition. – ed.) – when a hypersensitive human body and its immune system are alert to all external allergens,” says the allergist.

“In this case, the child begins to suffer from atopic dermatitis in childhood. This is a chronic inflammation of the skin, which at preschool age can develop into other diseases – hay fever (seasonal allergies) and even bronchial asthma. Often, those who develop pollinosis had diathesis or food allergies as children,” she adds.

It turns out that the presence of allergies is a combination of external circumstances and internal features. So, you can breathe fresh air from birth, but have a genetic predisposition – and then allergies will not bypass you.

Seasonal allergies and psychosomatics

Since pollen protein causes seasonal allergies, according to Yulia Bunina, it is not psychotherapy that is needed to work with it, but immunotherapy: “A psychologist can help older children, adolescents and adults in case of atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma. But not in the case of pollinosis.

There is another point of view. Psychologist-psychosomatologist Ekaterina Kuzhel believes that any allergy has a psychosomatic origin – including an allergy to flowering.

“Our psyche and body are connected, so what happens to the psyche is always reflected in our bodily condition. So, flowering can only be a trigger that activates an allergic reaction of the body in the form of a runny nose, tearing, coughing and other symptoms. And the trigger is launched because the person could not realize and live at the level of the psyche a certain event, ”she explains.

“For example, five years ago, Lera learned some bad news. It could be parting with a loved one, the death of a loved one, being fired from work, or even a conflict with a girlfriend. The girl received this information, but she could not live it, that is, accept and let go.

And her subconscious at the same time recorded everything that was next to her at that moment: smells, pictures, sounds. At that stressful moment, Lera was standing next to a blooming lilac. Now, when she smells this smell, her triggers are activated, and the body gives an allergic reaction, ”says Ekaterina Kuzhel.

Why do seasonal allergy symptoms get worse?

It happens that over time, the body’s reaction to stimuli becomes stronger. From the point of view of psychology, an increase in stress levels can be of great importance here – it is believed that psychological stress can increase allergic symptoms. The psychosomatic approach to allergy provides another explanation for this process.

“A year ago, when the birch was blooming, the girl had a big fight with her husband. From that moment on, the issue remained unresolved, and they continued to clash,” says Ekaterina Kuzhel. “Due to the fact that relations with her husband have not returned to normal, during the flowering of birch, the girl experiences allergic attacks, which gradually become more serious.”

Thus, conflicts and relationships with people in general play a key role in understanding allergies as a psychosomatic phenomenon. Because of an event in the past, we can acquire an allergic reaction, and if we find ourselves in similar situations in the future or endow what happened with special significance, we will increase its symptoms.

Relieve allergies

Of course, the best option is to contact a specialist and work out your case with him. But you can try to alleviate your condition on your own. To do this, the psychosomatologist advises to take 4 steps.

1. Remember when the allergy first appeared. Think about what could have happened then, what relationship-related events took place. Give yourself two or three days to remember everything, and write them down.

2. Evaluate how you lived these events. Pay special attention to worrying moments. How traumatic were they? What did you feel? Write down what emotions you experienced, in what role were you – as a child or an adult?

What do you want from the situation? What did the people who were with you in the moment expect from you? All your feelings matter. If there is negativity left from that situation – anger, anger, resentment – you need to give yourself permission to throw it out.

For example, write down all thoughts and feelings on a piece of paper, and then tear it up. Or perform bodily practices by growling, shouting, dancing your experiences. Of course, you can cry them out.

3. Think about what you could learn from what happened. Write down what this event taught you. Specify how you would like to behave next time in a similar situation. And thank yourself and all the actors.

4. Relive this situation again. Imagine that you can go back in time and be in that traumatic moment. Live it differently, do what you really want to. But do not forget about “environmental friendliness” – your actions should be for the benefit of both yourself and others.

Naturally, a psychosomatic view of the problem does not eliminate the need to consult an allergist. And in any case, you should not refuse the medical support that the doctor will offer: in order to focus on thoughts about the causes of your allergies, you first need to feel physically well.