New Delhi: Living with an autoimmune disease could almost double the chance of having mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, a new study from the University of Edinburgh published in the journal BMJ Mental Health suggests. The researchers think this might be because of long-term inflammation in the body, which is common in autoimmune diseases. While earlier studies hinted at this link, they often involved small groups, making their results less reliable. This study looked at data from more than 1.5 million people across the UK, making it one of the largest studies to examine this connection.
The research focused on six autoimmune conditions: rheumatoid arthritis, Graves’ disease, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis. It compared people with these diseases to those without, looking at mental health diagnoses. The study found that 29% of people with an autoimmune disease had been diagnosed with a mental health condition, compared to 18% without these diseases. For depression, 25.5% of those with autoimmune conditions reported the illness, while just over 15% of the general population did. Anxiety affected just over 21% of people with autoimmune diseases, compared to 12.5% without. Even bipolar disorder, which is less common, was nearly twice as likely in people with autoimmune diseases—just under 1% versus 0.5%.
The risk was especially high among women. Thirty-two percent of women with autoimmune diseases reported having a mental health disorder, compared with 21% of men. The researchers said this difference might be due to hormones, chromosomes, or immune system factors, but the exact reasons are still unclear.
Overall, the study found that having an autoimmune disease raised the risk of a mental health condition by between 87% and 97%, even after taking into account age, income, and family history of mental illness. However, the researchers noted some limitations. The data does not show whether autoimmune diseases cause mental health problems or the other way around, and the study did not include direct measures of inflammation.
Study researchers said, “This analysis of a large national dataset suggests that chronic exposure to systemic inflammation may be linked to a greater risk for affective disorder.” They also recommended more research to explore how factors like chronic pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and social isolation might connect autoimmune diseases and mental health.
The researchers suggest regular mental health screening for people with autoimmune diseases, especially women, to help find and treat mental health issues early. This study highlights how important it is to recognize the close link between physical illnesses like autoimmune disorders and mental health so better care can be provided for those affected.