I do not think you will find mold illness anxiety in the DSM, but it is real, and is not a happy or healthy place to be hanging out...ask me how I know.
Outside of financial distress associated with your home, I do not think there is another issue or potential issue that can cause the anxiety and depression as thinking that your home is making you and your family sick from hidden mold. Your home is supposed to be your sanctuary and for most it is the biggest financial investment made in a lifetime. Imagine finding your dream home, signing a 30-year commitment to buy this dream home, then waking up every day thinking it is responsible for your chronic illness, or your child's chronic illness...how could it betray you like that? But it can, or at least you will think it can.
It can happen to anyone, it happened to me, and I do mold work for a living. I was living in Jacksonville, FL on the north side of town, up by a scenic marshy area. My oldest son was maybe two at the time and shortly after we moved into our lovely home, he started getting recurrent ear infections. Then my second son was born, and he got a few ear infections. My wife and I investigated all possible options, food allergies, environmental allergies, I was convinced that there must be something in the house causing the uncontrolled allergies and illness. But how could that be? I had checked the home thoroughly, checked every wall cavity, every plumbing penetration, and all I found was a small plumbing leak and about 6 square inches of mold. It got so bad at one point, I decided we would stay at a hotel until I figured it out...that didn't actually last long because of the financial obstacles. Long story short, we moved away (not because of the anxiety, but because of a job change) and the ear infections stopped. So, what was causing the ear infections? I still do not know for sure. Could it have been mold inside the home? Maybe, but not likely given the amount of digging that I did. Now looking back, I think it was actually mold outside of the home. See, those lovely marshy areas area also full of bacteria and mold decaying all of that organic matter, that is what causes that unique smell of the marsh.
I tell this story mainly to let you know that I understand and can empathize with your anxiety, especially if you have come to a place where you believe your house is making you or your family sick. This is part of why drives me now to provide good, honest, and ethical mold related services because I know the relief that can come with getting answers or at least eliminating possibilities. Feel like you need to chat with someone about it, reach out, I'm always happy to chat.
Your mold friend, Jeffrey
In Florida or South Georgia, here are links to my consulting business webpages
Orlando Mold Consulting
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