Serotonin. Serotonin is a brain chemical that, in the right quantities, helps you feel calm, confident, and patient.
When you have adequate levels of serotonin, you feel emotionally stable and calm and you'll also have noticeably higher levels of energy and focus. If you have low levels of serotonin, you're likely to experience the following symptoms: problem sleeping. feeling bad about yourself.
Serotonin Serotonin may be the most well-known neurotransmitter. Low levels of serotonin are linked to both anxiety and depression. Like most neurotransmitters, low or unbalanced serotonin levels can occur genetically/naturally, and can also be created by your emotions.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter, a chemical messenger in your brain. It slows down your brain by blocking specific signals in your central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord). GABA is known for producing a calming effect.
Too much GABA can cause an increase in anxiety, a shortness of breath, numbness around the mouth and tingling in the extremities. When you start taking GABA you might experience drowsiness or lightheadedness (so don't take it before driving), and in some individuals, skin hives or a rash may appear.
Serotonin. Serotonin is another hormone that affects mood, appetite and sleep. It is also a neurotransmitter, which means that it transmits messages between nerve cells. Fewer hours of sunlight means that less serotonin is produced. If you have SAD, your serotonin levels may be lower than average during the winter.
People with clinical depression often have increased levels of monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), an enzyme that breaks down key neurotransmitters, resulting in very low levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.
Treatment for Chemical Imbalances
Therapy may involve different treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), or family-focused therapy. Medications used to treat chemical imbalances include antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers.
The most common anti-anxiety medications are called benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are a group of medications that can help reduce anxiety and make it easier to sleep.
Anxiety happens when a part of the brain, the amygdala, senses trouble. When it senses threat, real or imagined, it surges the body with hormones (including cortisol, the stress hormone) and adrenaline to make the body strong, fast and powerful.
But researchers don't know exactly what causes anxiety disorders. They suspect a combination of factors plays a role: Chemical imbalance: Severe or long-lasting stress can change the chemical balance that controls your mood. Experiencing a lot of stress over a long period can lead to an anxiety disorder.
This may lead to impulsive behavior due to the role that dopamine plays in reward-seeking behavior. Dopamine and serotonin also have opposite effects on appetite. While serotonin suppresses it, low levels of dopamine can stimulate hunger. Serotonin also inhibits impulsive behavior.
Melatonin - a hormone released by the pineal gland - helps you feel sleepy once the lights go down.
What is the cause or basis of ADHD? It is an impulse disorder with genetic components that results from imbalances of neurotransmitters.
Research suggests that depression doesn't spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, and stressful life events.
Biologically, there may be a reason women cry more than men: Testosterone may inhibit crying, while the hormone prolactin (seen in higher levels in women) may promote it.
One of the hormones that can lead to anxiety and worry is your cortisol. Cortisol is your stress hormone and it serves an important job in your body. It's responsible for keeping your senses and reflexes, especially during fight or flight situations, at peak level.
Researchers have established that crying releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids, also known as endorphins. These feel-good chemicals help ease both physical and emotional pain.
Magnesium stimulates the activity of cerebral GABAergic systems by behaving as a modulator of GABA receptors, increasing their activity.
Some authors found one of the highest contents on GABA to be 414 nmol/g of dry weight in raw spinach, followed by Solanum tuberosum L. (that is, potato), Ipomoea batatas L. (that is, sweet potato), and Brassica oleracea L. (that is, cruciferous such as kale and broccoli).