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Asked by imamidget to Amy, Craig, Laura, Partha, Saffron on 22 Jun 2015. This question was also asked by Ames00100, kaitlinnnn & aliceeee & b.
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Amy Cameron answered on 22 Jun 2015:
There is little scientific evidence to link hormones and mood but there seems to be some association in my opinion. For example, during our teens when we are having surges in hormones and our body is trying to cope with this and our brains make sense of it all. These hormone changes result in new feelings that can make us very emotional, angry and/or sexually aroused. If we develop an illness due to too much or too little of certain hormones this can make us feel unwell and may cause us to become depressed. For example, if you produce too much thyroid hormone (known as hyperthyroidism) you can have symptoms such as overheating, increased appetite, tiredness, achy muscles and mood changes to name a few. There are many examples. Why hormones may affect your behaviour is more difficult to explain. If you feel constantly unwell due to a hormone imbalance – this can impact you mentally. It is not the hormones themselves causing the depression but constantly having to cope with the illness caused by it.
The decisions we make i.e. your behaviour may change as a result of a condition such as type 1 diabetes. In this condition you have to have regular injections of insulin and monitor your blood glucose. You will probably have to alter the way you conduct your life to maintain as healthy a life as possible. For example, when taking exercise being aware that you may become hypoglycaemic (low blood sugar) and act accordingly to reduce risk of that. Not smoke, drink modestly and be aware of your diet.
I hope this answers your question!?
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Laura Wales answered on 22 Jun 2015:
Hormones have an effect on the nervous system, sensory perception, the glands and development. In a sense, hormones control everything we do from how we think and act, to the way we cope with stressful situations. That’s quite a lot to be going on! Sometimes the body isn’t quite sure what’s going when there are changes in hormone levels and the body can react in different ways – as Amy mentioned, this can include becoming angry, irritable or emotional. For example, a woman may feel emotional just before a period because of feeling bloated, stomach cramp, etc.
Another example is the “fight or flight” response. When we see of perceive danger or a threat, adrenaline and cortisol are released. They speed up heart rate, slow digestion, shunt blood flow to major muscle groups and change various autonomic nervous functions, giving the body a burst of energy and strength.
It’s called the “fight or flight” response because it gives the body the ability to physically fight or run from danger. However, it’s now activated in situations where fighting or running is not appropriate (eg. When you’re having a stressful day at school/work or when you’re stuck in traffic).
Also, some research has shown that taking anabolic steroids can cause irritability and aggression, depending on the type of steroid and of course different people can react in different ways.
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Saffron Whitehead answered on 23 Jun 2015:
Good answers. I will add two more examples. Depression is associated with higher levels of the stress homone cortisol and the normal daily rhythm of hormone release is lost. Also exercise releases endorphins and this can give you a high after exercise. There are lots more but don’t forget hormones act on the brain so it is not surprising they can alter mood and behaviour
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