Is Mold Exposure Making People Act Weird?

In response to the Atlantic’s recent article, “Why are People Acting so Weird,” we decided to add in a theory of our own. Fits of rage, difficulty communicating with others, and narcissistic abuse, we believe exposure to toxic mold is a compounding factor to the rise in mental health instability.

People are acting quite strange lately. Everyone by now is aware of the world famous slap. Will Smith, who was filmed initially laughing at the derogatory joke made by Chris Rock, had an immediate change of heart that resulted in a slap and an aggressive exchange of words.

Some people have been speculating that Will Smith just may be moldy since his home underwent a renovation after fire damage last September.

If you grew up in a moldy home, you may have noticed either you and/or people sharing that particular home with you, have been acting weird for a long time, maybe for as long as you remember. It’s easy to write off this strange behavior as abusive or narcissistic, and label perpetrators of these behaviors as villains.

But are they?

Do they really lack the ability to be kind, or is there something bubbling beneath the surface that is manipulating their actions and emotions?

You may already be familiar with the term, “mold rage.” Mold rage is used to describe angry and abusive behaviors often expressed by mold sick individuals.

Toxic mold, specifically Stachybotrys, can behave as a nerve agent, causing an anticholinergic response upon inhalation. This can cause people to exhibit signs of rage which may come off as emotional, verbal, and physical abuse towards others. People who suffer from mold rage are difficult to connect to and difficult to reason with. They become ruled by unmitigated anger and frustration that leads to a breakdown in communication with others.

People who suffer from mold rage are not inherently evil, although it may appear as if they are.

The reality is that they are physically unable to overcome the effects the toxic nerve agent has on their body.

Stachybotrys is an invisible enemy. Many people affected are not aware, or do not believe that they are affected, and this adds a difficult layer in healing from the exposure. You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.

Has the pandemic made mold rage worse? HELL YEAH.

With people being forced to spend more time in their homes, this may have increased their exposure to toxic molds, enhancing this effect.

Take a look at these shocking statistics that you may not know about:

• 14,000 people in the US experience a water damage emergency each day
• 98% of basements have had experienced flooding at some point
• Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States; climate change is exponentially increasing flood damage
• In Dave Asprey’s documentary, “Moldy,” building experts interviewed in the movie state that over 50% homes have mold damage. Some say it’s 70%. We believe this number is much higher
• In the 1940s, the building industry introduced gypsum drywall (sheetrock) into home building. Fungal species such as Stachybotrys and Chaetomium, to name a few, are already embedded in the materials before the panels reach retailers/building sites
• Homes contaminated with toxic mold such as Stachybotrys, causes idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage in infants, bone marrow suppression, immunotoxicity, cough, wheeze, bronchitis, asthma, chronic sinus infections, hypersensitivity reactions to fungal antigens, mycoses, protein synthesis inhibition; mucosal ulceration, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea; progressive anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, opportunistic infections, coagulopathy; sore throat; headache, malaise, dermatitis, intermittent focal alopecia; chest tightness and dyspnea; central nervous system manifestations include irritability, lightheadedness, sleeping difficulty, depression, anxiety, psychosis, concentration problems and mental fatigue, plus much more
• Check out our Facebook page for a huge collection of daily articles about mold complaints from tenants, homeowners, employees, and business owners globally

As water damage restoration practices often fall short in properly preventing mold growth, many people who’ve had a hidden leak or water intrusion event can be unknowingly exposed to toxic mold lurking inside their wall cavities, attics, basements, and subfloors.

People have reported an increase in mental health issues during the pandemic, which seems like an obvious response to a country being shut down, but it is also one of the first and most common symptoms of toxic mold exposure.

With people forced to spend more time indoors, their exposure to hidden mold easily could have increased, contributing to changes in behaviors and personalities.

If you’ve lived inside toxic mold, you’ve likely had emotionally challenging interactions with loved ones.

No person in mold is in a state of great emotional health when living inside neurotoxic poison. Toxic mold exposure can cause changes in the brain in the areas related to regulating emotions such as frustration and anger. Toxic mold exposure is also a contributor to symptoms of oxidative stress, which also affects brain function.

Are you living inside a water damaged building and suffering the emotional effects of exposure? Recognizing that your adverse mental health symptoms could be caused by toxic poisoning is helpful because the solution doesn’t involve drugs with harmful side effects and questioning your sanity and sanctity; the solution is to simply change your environment.

Think of it as a problem in your environment making you emotionally unhealthy, not an emotional health problem caused from within you.

If you know you are living in mold and suffering emotionally, it’s safe to assume that mold is indeed making you act weird.

Writers: Kealy Severson & Alicia Swamy, Exposing Mold Inc.