Is ongoing nervous system activation contributing more to symptoms than the mould exposure itself?

Over the past few years, awareness around mould exposure and conditions such as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) has increased significantly. For many people, this education has been validating and empowering. However, we are also seeing a growing number of individuals who are living in a near constant state of fear around their environment, unsure whether everyday surroundings are actively harming them.

In clinic, an important and often overlooked question we ask is this: Is current, meaningful mould exposure the primary driver of symptoms, or is ongoing nervous system activation now playing a larger role?

This distinction matters far more than many people realise.

Not all mould exposure is the same

There is a crucial difference between living or working in a significantly water damaged building and encountering small, localised areas of mould that are common in many homes.

Examples of low level, localised mould can include:

• Minor mould growth behind curtains or large pieces of furniture placed close to an external wall

• Small amounts of mould on window sealant due to condensation

• Occasional mould in bathrooms with poor ventilation

These scenarios are not equivalent to living in a chronically damp, water damaged property with hidden mould growth, ongoing leaks, or structural issues. Yet once someone becomes aware of the potential health impacts of mould, these very different situations are often perceived as equally dangerous.

This is completely understandable, but it can be dangerous.

When awareness turns into fear

Education is important. Many people have been unwell for years because mould exposure was missed, minimised, or dismissed. However, education without nuance can unintentionally create harm.

We increasingly see individuals who:

• Feel unsafe in their own homes

• Constantly scan their environment for threats

• Avoid normal daily activities due to fear of exposure

• Feel overwhelmed by the idea that their surroundings are “toxic”

This state of hypervigilance keeps the nervous system locked into a chronic fight or flight response. Ironically, this can perpetuate symptoms even when current mould exposure is minimal or no longer clinically relevant.

The nervous system, immunity, and symptom persistence

The nervous system and immune system are deeply interconnected. When the body perceives ongoing threat, whether physical or psychological, it prioritises survival over repair.

Chronic nervous system activation can:

• Amplify inflammatory signalling

• Increase mast cell activation

• Worsen fatigue, pain, and brain fog

• Impair detoxification pathways

• Reduce tolerance to foods, supplements, and environmental stimuli

In this state, even small stressors can provoke significant symptoms. This does not mean symptoms are imagined. It means the system is sensitised.

For some individuals, the original trigger may well have been mould exposure. However, over time, the dominant driver of symptoms may shift towards nervous system dysregulation rather than ongoing toxic load.

A more balanced and therapeutic approach to mould exposure and symptoms

In practice, it is neither realistic nor necessary for most people to avoid every possible source of mould.

Of course, there are exceptions. Some individuals do require strict avoidance due to confirmed, ongoing exposure or severe reactivity. However, a rigid, fear fuelled approach is not appropriate or healthy for everyone.

Our approach focuses on:

• Identifying whether there is evidence of meaningful current exposure

• Addressing what can be sensibly remediated or removed

• Supporting detoxification pathways appropriately

• Regulating immune and mast cell activity in the context of mast cell activation syndrome.

• Actively calming and stabilising the nervous system

The goal is not to live in a perfect environment, which does not exist, but to ensure you are not living in a severely water damaged space while helping your body become more resilient and tolerant.

Your home should feel safe

Your home needs to be a place where your body can rest, repair, and heal.

When someone no longer feels safe in their own home, the nervous system does not stand down. This ongoing sense of threat can become a significant barrier to recovery, regardless of what supplements, binders, or protocols are used.

If every small sign of mould is interpreted as danger, the body remains stuck in a physiological stress response.

This distinction matters. Without it, well intentioned awareness can fuel fear, reinforce nervous system dysregulation, and perpetuate symptoms in a way that is deeply distressing and often misunderstood.

Bringing context, not minimisation

A balanced approach does not mean dismissing mould as a potential contributor. It means placing it in proper context. We are not telling you that your symptoms are in your head. Unlike many, we understand the impact of mould exposure on our health. We get it.

At The Autoimmune Clinic, our role as practitioners supporting many individuals with mould related illness is to help you understand:

• What exposures are likely to be clinically relevant

• What requires action and what does not

• Where your focus is best placed right now

• How to support both your physiology and your sense of safety

Healing rarely happens through avoidance alone. It happens when the body feels supported, regulated, and no longer under constant threat.

If you feel stuck in fear around your environment, or unsure whether mould exposure is still the main driver of your symptoms, this is something we explore carefully and compassionately in clinic.

You do not need to navigate this alone.

The Autoimmune Clinic Team.

For more information about mould related illness and CIRS, visit our webpage here.