After adjusting for age, sex, race, and other factors, the researchers found that severe depression and anxiety more than doubled a nonsmoker's risk of developing asthma. Nobody knows exactly why asthma seems to thrive on psychological distress. Both anxiety and depression disturb the body's normal balance of hormones and brain chemicals, and this disruption might somehow set the stage for the disease. Once a person has asthma, feelings of sadness or distress can cause subtle physiological changes that may help fuel attacks. The Extraterrestrial to a group of children with asthma.
Depression can also contribute to the likelihood of asthma attacks by hampering the immune system.
People suffering from emotional distress often have trouble fending off the viruses that cause bronchitis and other respiratory infections. Once such an infection takes hold, it can inflame the airways and trigger a severe attack. Finally, depression may take a toll by sapping people's ability to care for themselves. Asthma patients who feel helpless might not see the point of monitoring their breathing and taking medication. Although the possibility hasn't been fully studied, Wedner and other experts are certain that treatment for depression can improve an asthma patient's breathing as well as his or her outlook.