Depression Symptoms And Hormone Imbalance
Depression symptoms which are both physical and mental in nature can be present when there are hormone imbalances in the body.
Estrogen and progesterone work together in the female body. They balance one another. If there is an excess of estrogen present, then there is either too much estrogen being produced or too little progesterone available to balance it.
Too much estrogen causes symptoms of agitation and depression. Restlessness also occurs as well as insomnia. Estrogen dominence is even considered to be a mildly toxic state and patients describe a feeling of wanting to “jump out of their skin”.
When caffeine or chemicals like aspartame are added to this condition it becomes worse. Mood is affected and so, clearly, the hormone imbalance causes depression symptoms.
Hormones are naturally occurring and circulate throughout the body in the bloodstream. They help to insure that cells and organs function properly.
Stress hormones in particular can cause depression symptoms. There is a connection between stress and depression. If you become unable to cope with stresses in your life, stress hormones will accumulate and cause symptoms which lead to depression.
Both serotonin and norepinephrine are responsible for enhancing mood. When someone is depressed and has a hormone imbalance, they will usually have low levels of these neurotransmitters. Low serotonin levels can be a cause of depression, but it can also be a symptom. Minimizing stress can lead to increased levels of serotonin.
Stress can be a trigger for hormone imbalance. When you experience stress your body sees it as a threat to its well being and the “fight or flight” response kicks in. So your body will either try to fight back with improved performance of the cells and organs, or it will try to protect itself by avoiding the threat that it senses.
The body will try to protect itself from stress by suppressing the appetite or sex drive, delivering energy to major muscles and boosting levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline or cortisol. If this reaction to stress lasts longer than it should, a hormone imbalance will occur and depression symptoms will appear.
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