https://pixabay.com/users/mariolayaquerevalu-6636134/
.
.
My daughter has a psychology degree, a great resource. She notices the change in me lately and has recommended going to a psychologist, checking my dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine levels.
I agree. My chronic pain has escalated the last two years and other systems may not be producing enough neurotransmitters.
Clinical depression does not fit me well.
So being stuck, I am researching ways to break free..
Three important Neurotransmitters
Dopamine
Dopamine (DA) is often referred to as the “pleasure chemical” because it is released when mammals receive a reward in response to their behavior; that reward could be food, drugs, or sex. It is one of the most extensively studied neurochemicals, mainly because it plays such diverse roles in human behavior and cognition.
DA is involved with motivation, decision-making, movement, reward processing, attention, working memory, and learning. But it isn’t just a pleasure chemical. New work suggests DA also plays an important role in Parkinson’s disease, addiction, schizophrenia, and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
Serotonin
Serotonin (5HT), sometimes called the “calming chemical,” is best known for its mood modulating effects. A lack of 5HT has been linked to depression and related neuropsychiatric disorders. But 5HT is farther reaching, and has also been implicated in helping to manage appetite, sleep, memory, and, most recently, decision-making behaviors.
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine (NE) is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter. Some refer to it as noradrenalin. It has been linked to mood, arousal, vigilance, memory, and stress. Newer research has focused on its role in both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Parkinson’s disease.
.
.
PTSD - A Way Out.com 