Feeling blue? Can’t seem to find the energy to get out bed? Having trouble focusing on anything? You may assume its depression. But what if it is not? What if your symptoms are due to something else—something that antidepressants won’t help? For example, did you know that hormonal imbalances have symptoms of depression? To understand hormonal imbalances; causes and treatment, Emmanuel Nyampatsi, a private counsellor and psychotherapist at Health Bridge Rwanda, explains that hormonal imbalances occur when there is too much or too little of a hormone in the bloodstream. Hormones are important for regulating most major bodily processes. These chemical messengers play a major role in controlling bodily functions such as metabolism and appetite, heart rate, sleep cycles, reproductive cycles and sexual function, general growth and development, mood and stress levels and body temperature. “Everyone will experience natural periods of hormonal imbalance or fluctuations at particular points in their life. But hormonal imbalances can also occur when the endocrine glands are not functioning properly. “Hormonal imbalances can also be caused by chronic or extreme stress, diabetes, poor diet, obesity among other health and lifestyle problems,” he says. Biologically, Nyampatsi explains, no one is more likely to have hormonal imbalances than others. A misunderstanding is that pregnant women and women during their periods are likely to have hormonal issues, but it depends on their lifestyle and how individuals react to some situations. Can hormonal imbalance be controlled or treated? Nyampatsi says that hormonal imbalance is always an after-effect of a health problem. Controlling or preventing it roots from one’s lifestyle and health condition. Depression and chronic diseases are one the major causes of hormonal imbalance. The best way to prevent or treat hormonal imbalance is to ensure a healthy and stress-free lifestyle. “There are medical subscriptions given to people experiencing constant hormonal imbalances. They are, however, not very reliable until the main cause of the problem is solved,” he explains. “When the imbalances are caused by depression, the best way to treat them is long-term counselling. Chronic depression is likely to cause hormonal issues,” he explains. There are no natural remedies that have been consistently proven in clinical studies to treat hormonal imbalances and their causes, aside from lifestyle changes. One of the highly recommended natural ways to balance hormones is to consume enough protein and less refined sugars, engage the body through physical exercise and learn to manage stress.
