What Causes Autoimmune Disease? Understanding the Triggers and Supporting Your Mental Health

If you’re living with an autoimmune disease, you might have wondered, "Why is my immune system turning against me?" The answer is usually a mix of factors, from genetics to lifestyle choices, and even stress. But what’s often overlooked is the way our mental health plays a role in managing, and sometimes even triggering, autoimmune conditions.

Genetics and Your Immune System

Many autoimmune conditions tend to run in families. If your parents or siblings have one, your chances of developing one are higher, but that doesn’t mean it’s set in stone. Genes might load the gun, but other things—like environment or stress—can pull the trigger.

Environmental and Lifestyle Factors

Some of the most common triggers include:

• Infections: Sometimes, a simple cold or viral infection can overstimulate your immune system, pushing it into overdrive. In certain cases, infections can set off a lifelong autoimmune response.

• Toxins and Chemicals: Exposure to harmful substances in the environment can also nudge your immune system into malfunctioning. Think pollution, chemicals in household products, or even certain medications.

• Diet: What you eat can affect your immune system. Highly processed foods, excess sugars, or poor gut health can ramp up inflammation, making autoimmune flares worse. On the flip side, adopting an anti-inflammatory diet (I am a BIG advocate for the Autoimmune Protocol AIP diet by the way!) or making small, mindful changes to your eating habits can help calm your immune system.

But there’s another important piece of the puzzle—mental health—which has a bigger influence on autoimmune conditions than many people realize. Think if it like two cogs working together. Our mental and physical health work together like a finely tuned machine. When one cog in the machine starts to degrade or break down, then this affects the other. And this is why the often overlooked mental health side of autoimmune disease must be a key part in your healing moving forwards, both physically and mentally.

The Mental Health-Autoimmune Connection

Living with an autoimmune disease can take a toll emotionally. Constantly managing symptoms, flare-ups, and the unpredictability of your condition can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, or even depression. But here’s the key: mental health isn’t just a response to autoimmune disease—it can actually affect the immune system itself.

When you’re stressed, your body releases certain hormones that can spike inflammation, worsening autoimmune symptoms. It’s a bit like adding fuel to the fire. This is why taking care of your mental health is just as important as managing physical symptoms.

How Therapy Can Help

As a psychotherapist specializing in autoimmune health, I see firsthand how much addressing emotional well-being can improve the overall management of autoimmune diseases. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness practices, and even EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can help you reduce stress, change unhelpful thinking patterns, and feel more in control of your condition.

For example, learning how to manage daily stressors with mindfulness or relaxation techniques can significantly reduce the severity of flare-ups. When the mind is calm, the body often follows.

A Whole-Person Approach to Health

Your mind and body are deeply connected, so why should treatment be separate? When we treat both the emotional and physical aspects of autoimmune disease, we can reduce inflammation, boost resilience, and make you feel better all around. Through my work as "The Autoimmune Therapist" and AIP Certified Coach, I combine psychotherapy techniques with practical, everyday strategies for living well with an autoimmune condition. Together, we can break the cycle of stress and flare-ups, helping you reclaim control over your health.

If this resonates with you, know that you’re not alone, and there are ways to ease both the physical and emotional challenges of living with an autoimmune disease. Why not check out the Free Stressbuster Toolkit to start your journey to mental wellness and living WELL despite autoimnmunity .