The Chemistry of Mental Illness- A Medical Crises of Teens and Young Adults

I was watching PBS news the other day, There was a segment on the current crises of mental illness of teenagers and young adults. Today, it is high time to talk about it. During my teenage years in the Philippines, the subject of mental illness is a taboo subject during family conversations or gathering. A family associated with mental illness is not socially acceptable and a subject of gossips in the community. Today, the attitude has improved, but not as widely discussed as high blood pressure, diabetes, or dermatitis. Mental Illness is a disease that can be treated and should be talked about. Just the other day, I learned that after July 15, a new 3-digit (988) crises line will be available nationally for suicide prevention besides the old 911 for emergency needs. 

Here's a brief and simple summary of the basic chemistry involved when a person is mentally ill. The detail source is listed at the bottom of this page  

" The brain itself depends on chemicals known as neurotransmitters to function properly. In brain chemistry, when there is too much or too little of one or more chemicals on a prolonged basis, this can affect a person’s mental health.

Happiness, sadness, excitement, euphoria, and even fear are emotions that are triggered and maintained by chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the brain’s way of communicating with the body’s nerve cells. When there isn’t enough or there is too much of one kind of neurotransmitter present, it can lead to what are called ‘bad nerves’.

The chief neurotransmitters produced by the brain are:

Dopamine

• Dopamine is the chemical in the brain that is associated with the pleasure and reward centers of the brain. High amounts of dopamine lead to feelings of pleasure or euphoria.

Serotonin

• Serotonin is the chemical associated with rest and sleep. However, it’s also associated with your moods, sexual arousal and even hunger.

Glutamate

• Glutamate is associated with learning, memory and feelings of excitement.

Norepinephrine

• Norepinephrine acts as both a neurotransmitter as well as a hormone. Norepinephrine is a stress-responsive chemical that creates the “fight or flight” response when we are feeling stressed out. Low levels of it can cause ADHD and depression.

Antidepressant medications help millions of Americans fight depression by correcting the chemical imbalances in their brains to some degree.  

However, these medications don’t work for some people. Sometimes the chemical imbalance might not be severe enough to necessitate prescription medication.

That’s why we might suggest other ways of correcting this chemical imbalance. Exercise can have a profound effect on dopamine levels in the brain when they are performed on a regular basis. The pleasure and reward centers of the brain are stimulated from strenuous exercise, and the effects can be amazing for mental health.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to expedite the brain’s use of chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. When levels of these two chemicals are increased, feelings of depression and fatigue begin to lessen ". Besides Fish Oil supplements these are good sources of omega-3-fatty acids for the Brain and Heart.

• Fish and other seafood (especially cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines)
• Nuts and seeds (such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts)
• Plant oils (such as flaxseed oil, soybean oil, and canola oil)

For details read:

https://southsidemedical.net/how-brain-chemistry-affects-mental-health/

Meanwhile enjoy this photo of my new pets-Batman & Robin