Can’t seem to find the energy to get off the couch?
did you know that hormonal imbalances can lead to many symptoms of depression?
Hormones are chemical messengers that can have a powerful influence on the brain and your mental well-being. When hormone levels are balanced, you tend to have stable moods and feel energetic, motivated, and mentally sharp. When hormone levels are out of whack, however, you may experience symptoms that are associated with psychiatric illnesses, such as depression. Symptoms can include:
• Sadness
• Anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Mood swings
• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Sleep disturbances
• Low libido
• Lack of motivation
• Trouble concentrating
When hormonal imbalances are behind your feelings of sadness and loss of energy, antidepressants won’t get your mind right. But if no one ever tests your hormone levels, you will never know that hormonal dysfunction could be contributing to your depressive symptoms.
For example, Serotonin deficiency has several symptoms, including low mood, low quality sleep and other symptoms including:
• Mood instability: Serotonin helps regulate mood. People who feel unusually irritable or down for no apparent reason may have low serotonin levels.
• Depression: Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anger, as well as chronic fatigue and thoughts of suicide, may indicate depression.
• Anxiety: Low serotonin levels may cause anxiety. Some people also develop obsessive-compulsive disorder. This is an anxiety disorder in which a person uses compulsive behavior, such as hand-washing, to deal with intrusive anxious thoughts.