Psychological Effects of Hormonal Imbalance

Hormonal imbalance, anxiety, stress, and depression pretty much go hand in hand. One of the first few signs of hormonal imbalance is depression and excessive fatigue. You will be surprised by how many people there are who thought they were facing a mental breakdown, while in reality it was an imbalance of their hormones!

So yes, it is true that hormonal imbalance can lead to quite a bit of psychological issues. Have you been having too many mood swings? Do you feel like you are sinking into depression? Maybe it’s time to get your hormonal levels checked.

Studies show that many patients have been incorrectly diagnosed and were labeled as bipolar when in actuality all they had was a hormone dis-imbalance. This is why before getting a psych evaluation, you first need to make sure whether or not it is your hormones working up your moods and not your brain. Here is all the information you need to find out what you may be suffering from.

Hormonal Imbalance and Mental Health

Your first experience of hormonal imbalance and mental health issues you may have faced were when you experienced puberty. Be it a girl about to get her period or a boy with fluctuating levels of testosterone, all of them went through phases of anger, anxiety, depression, brain fog, and rapid mood swings.

The stage of puberty is a clear indication of how strong a hold hormone alteration has on our mind. If the hormonal levels are constantly changing, they will lead to different sets of feelings. The same happens with patients of thyroid problems, PCOS, adrenal problems, and issues with sex hormones. Research clearly shows that when some kind of hormonal imbalance occurs, people are exposed to various kinds of feelings and thoughts, almost all of them negative.

Thyroid Problems

Some of the symptoms of an overactive thyroid gland that causes hyperthyroidism are, anxiety, panic attacks, moodiness, depression, and insomnia. Similarly, those who have an under functioning thyroid gland giving way to hypothyroidism suffer from anxiety, mood swings, depression, fatigue, and stress.

Many patients believe that they are suffering from some kind of mental disease like panic disorder or borderline personality disorder, while all the time it was their thyroid that was functioning improperly. Due to the rise in thyroid issues, more doctors are now prescribing thyroid tests even if people come to them seeking help for their depression, anxiety, fatigue and mood swings.

It is also important to remember that thyroid problems can arise at a time when hormones are in fluctuation like at the onset of puberty or menopause, during or after pregnancy, and also while going through andropause (menopause for the men!) takes place. This is why it becomes essential for your doctor to  check your thyroid levels before immediately prescribing anti-depressants.

Adrenal Problems

Adrenal hormones can also lead to the overproduction of the  stress hormone cortisol and adrenaline. This means you will become prone to feelings of irritability, sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, and jitteriness. This is the result of excessive stress hormone presence in your body.

If on the other hand, the same hormone goes too low, it can result in feelings of fatigue, moodiness, sluggishness, and a dull achy brain…aka “brain fog”. If the hormone levels keep going up and down, the result is a mix of feelings, which for most patients, is a sure giveaway to mental breakdown.

But this is all because of the imbalance of stress hormones. Therefore, get this checked before taking any depression or mental illness medication.

Sex Hormones

Progesterone and estrogen among women, and testosterone among males, are the sex hormones that not only prepare your bodies for fertility, but also have a significant impact on the mind.

Ever heard of the disease PCOS? It takes place when male hormones increase among females and cysts are formed in the ovaries. This leads to irregular menstrual cycle, hair loss, excessive production of facial hair, weight gain, and depression.

When the levels of sex hormones are going up and down, they  can lead to many negative psychological effects. Menopause, puberty, and andropause are all examples of how sex hormones can lead to depression and anxiety issues.

Likewise, you can see that most women who are pregnant are happy? Why? Because their body is producing large quantities of estrogen that help in mood elevation and feelings of happiness. The instant delivery happens and the levels surge back down, depression can set in.  It can take a while to come out a postpartum depressive episode.

All the above mentioned examples make it clear that if the hormones are not in balance as they should be, your mind will not be as stable as it could be.  It will be affected and will give way to moodiness, irritability, stress, anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. This is the reason why you need to consult an endocrinologist to find out whether or not your hormones are present in the right quantity in your body.

Some Alternate Options

Research shows that by correcting your diet and lifestyle, you can keep hormones in balance. What you eat also has a significant impact on the way your hormones are produced. If you consume food items that have been manufactured using too many growth hormones, a hormonal imbalance can occur within your body.  You may be a candidate for The DNA Uprint where one part identifies what foods you should eliminate from your diet.  Call Health Solutions Plus for a customized solution to your health problem, 716-773-4707.

Similarly, if you don’t work out, or if your lifestyle is very sedentary, hormones will be affected. In turn, this have an influence on your mind. Obesity and thyroid issues may occur and have the potential to make you feel low all the time.

It is essential to improve your diet and lifestyle. Likewise if symptoms of depression and anxiety persist, see a doctor immediately and get yourself diagnosed accurately.

References

• https://www.holtorfmed.com/hormones-mental-health/
• http://karenrothnutrition.com/physical-and-emotional-effects-of-hormone-imbalance/
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/attention-please/201310/hormone-imbalance-not-bipolar-disorder