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About Chemical Imbalance in the Brain

Chemical imbalance in the brain is believed to cause emotional distress. It can cause anxiety, depression and ADHD (attention deficit disorder). The exact link has not been found, but many clinical studies and medical observations identified chemical inconsistencies that report symptoms related to these disorders. It is often difficult to diagnose, manage and identify the causes for chemical imbalances in the brain.

  1. Disorders

    • Some of the disorders that are thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain are---attention deficit disorder, bipolar disorder, panic, anxiety, phobias, post-traumatic-stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, learning disabilities and dementia.

    Causes

    • Chemical imbalances are thought to be caused by a reduced availability of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. GABA and acetylcholine, which are neurotransmitters in the brain, can also cause chemical imbalances. Unfortunately, there are no conclusive answers to what causes chemical imbalances in the brain. Many studies have been done---but the outcomes are rarely consistent.

    Behavior

    • Hormones, neurotransmitters, and amino acids are produced, released and absorbed as a result of what occurs in the brain. The flight or fight syndrome causes a chemical release that will give us the extra energy to either stay and fight or run away. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals released in the brain when this happens.

    Diagnosis

    • It is often difficult to diagnose chemical imbalances in the brain. Tests can be run to identify some disorders, but usually a course of questions that are identifiers are used to find commonalities in the symptoms of many patients.

    Management

    • Prescription medication is often used to treat chemical imbalances that are tied to emotional disorders. Some chemical imbalances in the brain can be managed by identifying thought patterns and what triggers them. Apply positive thinking patterns and behaviors. Once you understand that some of these disorders can be controlled by using breathing exercises and altering your perceptions of what may occur, you will be able to take control of some of the outcomes. For example, if you suffer from anxiety and you know you are going to be in a stressful situation, take some time before you enter into it to do some deep breathing and other relaxation techniques.

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