Asthma Attack Risk May Be Higher in Adults With Anxiety or Depression, Study Suggests

New research done in the UK has revealed that adults with asthma who also deal with depression or anxiety run a much higher risk of having asthma attacks than those without mental health struggles. The numbers are hard to brush off. The study followed more than 873,000 adults with asthma for almost 1.6 million person-years. What they found was clear: people with depression or anxiety had way more asthma flare-ups.If you look at the stats, adults facing these mental health issues had 56 attacks per 1,000 person-years. Those without? Only 34. After crunching the numbers and factoring in other variables, the risk of an asthma attack jumped 46% for people with depression or anxiety. Separately, depression alone increased the risk by 34%, and anxiety by 20%.

Strangely, the study didn’t find this higher risk among people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. So, the link seems strongest for anxiety and depression.

How Mental Health and Asthma Feed Off Each Other

This isn’t the first time researchers have noticed a connection between mental health and breathing problems. People with asthma are already more likely to deal with anxiety or depression. When you’re caught in that double bind, you’re more likely to have trouble managing your asthma, face more flare-ups, and just feel worse overall. Scientists say emotional stress can make you extra sensitive to breathing problems. When you're anxious or feeling down, even a small wheeze feels bigger and scarier. Stress and depression also mess with your immune system. They crank up inflammation and make your airways more reactive, so flare-ups come on stronger and quicker.

Daily Habits and Behaviours Matter, Too

There’s also the human side of it. Depression and anxiety can make life feel like a slog, and that affects how people manage their asthma. Sticking to medication routines gets harder. You might put off using your inhaler or forget your maintenance meds. Avoiding triggers or getting help early? That can slip, too. It’s a vicious cycle—poor asthma control makes anxiety worse, and anxiety then sets you up for even more asthma trouble. Over time, this cycle can lead to more frequent or dangerous attacks.

What This Means for Patients and Doctors

Asthma care can’t just focus on the lungs. Doctors and nurses need to look out for mental health, especially if someone keeps having attacks or says their symptoms aren’t under control. Spotting depression or anxiety early can keep asthma from spiralling and might even keep people out of the ER. Adding in therapy, counselling, stress management, or lifestyle changes makes treatment stronger and helps people feel better in the long run.

Not All Mental Health Conditions Affect Asthma the Same Way

One thing that stands out: the study found no extra asthma risk for people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. That suggests depression and anxiety have a more direct effect on asthma. It’s worth noting this study was observational, so it can’t prove one causes the other, but the connection is strong—and lines up with what earlier research has found.

The Bottom Line: Mind and Body Go Hand in Hand

At the end of the day, this study drives home what doctors are starting to say more and more: you can’t separate asthma from mental health. For adults with asthma, depression and anxiety can quietly raise the risk of attacks—even if no one talks about it. Dealing with emotional health can make breathing easier, cut back on flare-ups, and just make life feel better. When everyone—patients, families, and healthcare providers—pays attention to both mind and body, asthma care works better and feels a lot more human.