Symptoms — depression and sadness

When is depression hormonal?

Nearly every woman will experience depression at some point in her life. In many cases these feelings are not true mood disorders, but instead are signs of an underlying imbalance that can be alleviated, naturally.

Unfortunately many conventional healthcare practitioners treat depression as an isolated problem and are quick to offer prescription antidepressants. The most popular antidepressants are SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), which work by artificially increasing the serotonin in your brain. At Women to Women we recognize that your body’s production of serotonin — and your resulting mood — depends on a dynamic balance among your body’s many hormones. That’s why it is no surprise to us that depression is a common symptom associated with so many forms of hormonal imbalance, from adrenal fatigue to menopause to thyroid dysfunction.

Once you understand the physical causes of your depression, you can often give your body the support it needs to overcome your feelings of sadness, without drugs. The most common imbalances related to depression are the following:

Adrenal fatigue. We often see depression in women who are burdened with high levels of constant stress, which results in adrenal fatigue. The adrenal glands help mobilize the body to deal with stress by producing cortisol. They are also responsible for producing DHEA, a precursor hormone that helps regulate mood and promotes healthy energy levels and sex drive. When the adrenals are chronically straining to maintain high cortisol levels in response to unremitting stress, DHEA production suffers, resulting in an impaired ability to respond effectively to stress while maintaining proper energy and mood. This imbalance results in depression, fatigue, loss of libido, sleep disturbances and weight gain.

Hypothyroidism. Many of our patients have subclinical or acute hypothyroidism, meaning the thyroid does not produce enough of its main hormone, thyroxine, or the liver doesn’t properly convert this hormone into its active form, thiiodothyronine. These issues can be a problem even when thyroid tests appear normal. The most common symptoms of suboptimal thyroid function are fatigue, depression, weight gain and hair loss.

Insulin resistance. Years of poor diet and eating too many refined carbohydrates and sugars cause the body to stop responding to insulin. As a result, your cells cannot absorb the glucose they need for energy and send signals to your brain to crave more carbohydrates and sugar. Satisfying that craving causes a short burst of serotonin, but when that burst wears off serotonin levels plunge. This explains why many women become addicted to sugar or carbs, while experiencing worsening depression.

Perimenopause and menopause. The hormonal shifts that occur during perimenopause and menopause often affect mood, in the form of mood swings, irritability, anxiety or depression. So-called “estrogen dominance” (really a deficiency of the mood-enhancing progesterone), can exacerbate symptoms of depression. In addition, perimenopausal women are more prone to problems with adrenal and thyroid function, as well as insulin resistance.

Natural relief for the causes of your depression

First and foremost, understand that the solution to your depression depends upon the severity of your symptoms. For women with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or women who may be harmful to themselves or others, an at-home approach is not enough. Every woman with depression should discuss her feelings with her healthcare provider or a mental health professional to make sure she gets the help and relief she needs.

But for women with hormonal depression — like those whose symptoms are related to stress and adrenal fatigue, subclinical hypothyroidism or perimenopause — a natural approach can bring relief.

The basic idea is to solve the underlying imbalances that are causing your depression — and encourage your body to produce more serotonin naturally — by giving your body the support it needs to make and balance its hormones. This support comes in the form of medical-grade nutritional supplements, dietary changes, exercise and phytotherapy. Moderate daily sun exposure also helps by eliminating vitamin D deficiencies (vitamin D can have a profound effect on the brain by supporting serotonin production). At the same time, try to reduce the demands you place on your body, especially sources of chronic stress.

We’ve had great success in relieving feelings of depression in women naturally. We know depression can be discouraging but the good news is — you can feel like yourself again!

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Original Publication Date: 12/16/2003
Last Modified: 08/16/2010