All across the world, the most prevalent mental health conditions are related to anxiety. That simple but daunting fact is enough to inspire anyone to learn more. This goes double for women. Why? Well, twice as many women struggle with anxiety. The reasons for this trend are numerous. But there’s a major factor to be explored.
Women are more affected than men by hormones. For one thing, their hormone levels shift every month. However, such normal fluidity can become problematic when it increases anxiety and thereby intensifies the effect of hormonal shifts. Understanding the intricate connection between women’s hormones and anxiety is an important step towards managing both factors.
What Kind of Hormones Are Involved?
Let’s start with a focus on what are literally called “stress” hormones. Two major examples are cortisol and adrenaline. They exist to help us deal with stress, risks, and threats. However, over time, the chronic presence of danger (real or perceived) can create imbalance. Cortisol and adrenaline can lower the presence of testosterone — a hormone that can cause anxiety if it’s not present in high enough quantities.
When a woman gets stuck in a state of high alert, she can also end up in a cycle of seemingly unexplainable physical symptoms along with, of course, high anxiety. This typically means dealing with outcomes that can hamper your daily functioning. For example:
- Self-isolation
- Chronic worrying
- Palpitations and increased heart rate
- Fatigue
- Loss of focus
- Tremors
- Sweating
- Sleep disturbances
- Irritability
- Higher risk of substance use
- Muscle aches and tension
- Feeling easily overwhelmed
- Hyper-vigilance
Other Hormones That Can Play a Role in Anxiety
- Testosterone: As mentioned above, inadequate testosterone levels create fertile ground for anxiety disorders.
- Estrogen and Progesterone: At the end of a monthly menstrual cycle, these two hormones temporarily decline and can thus cause anxiety.
- Serotonin: Designed to rise in response to low estrogen and progesterone levels, serotonin can be blocked by the chronic presence of stress hormones.
- Oxytocin: This hormone is a well-documented source of stress and anxiety relief.
Let’s Talk About the “Love Hormone”
Oxytocin is brilliantly constructed to counter bad energy, negative vibes, and the physical outcomes of hormone shifts. Fortunately, women can take simple steps that cause their bodies to produce more oxytocin, for example:
- Regular sleep patterns
- Daily exercise and physical activity (including gentle movements like yoga)
- Steady sleep routines
- Reducing consumption of caffeine and alcohol
- Stress management techniques
- Giving generously to others
- Giving or receiving a massage
- Listening to mellow music
- Having meaningful conversations with people you love and trust
All of the above are examples of actions that relax you in a variety of ways. It can be so empowering to realize and accept how you can make such choices at any time and experience immediate results. That said, anxiety can be a diagnosable mental health disorder, and it’s important to talk with a professional about your symptoms.
Create a Diverse Treatment Team
Hormonal imbalances can signal any number of underlying causes. Getting tested is advisable. At the same time, you’ll want to speak with a mental health practitioner. Too many anxious women face responses that are invalidating, for example: “It’s all in your head.” When you choose to connect with an experienced therapist, you position yourself to be heard and taken seriously.
While hormones likely play a role whenever a woman experiences relentless anxiety, there can be many other factors to consider. Your therapy sessions are where you can excavate your past history and present-day habits to discover links you never imagined. A therapy room is an ideal setting to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that are influencing your life. Contact my office today.
