3 Nov 2025 • Adults newly diagnosed with alopecia areata (AA) had a nearly 4.5-fold higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders than matched controls (RR 4.49), according to a study.

Key Findings:

• 17.3% with AA experienced at least one psychiatric illness, compared to 3.9% of controls.
• Depression (RR 5.14), anxiety (RR 3.83), and insomnia and parasomnia (RR 3.80) were the most prevalent.
• Severe disorders such as psychosis (RR 6.38) and bipolar disorders/schizophrenia (RR 3.90) were also more prevalent, alongside substance abuse (RR 6.13) and suicidal outcomes (RR 5.62).
• Women showed greater vulnerability, especially to eating disorders (RR 6.85) and depression (RR 2.21).
• Anxiety, self-harm, and eating disorders all increased by more than 30% following the COVID-19 outbreak.

To alleviate the increased psychological burden in AA, researchers recommend routine mental health screening.

Source: Springer Nature | Read Full Story