Shingles and Postherpetic Neuralgia
Healthy Lifestyle Tips
Stress and depression have been linked to outbreaks of shingles in some,12,13 but not all,14 studies. 15 A small, preliminary study found that four children with shingles outbreaks, but who were otherwise healthy, all reported experiencing severe, chronic child abuse when the shingles first appeared.16 Among adults, how a stressful event is perceived appears to be more important than the event itself. In one study, people with shingles experienced the same kinds of life events in the year preceding the illness as did people without the condition; however, recent events perceived as stressful were significantly more common among people with shingles.