Growing research suggests that sex hormones and anxiety are linked, particularly for people with ovaries.
Here’s what to know about the complex connection.
Feeling a bit more anxious than usual?Welcome to the era of COVID-19.
(That data does not necessarily take into account therates of depression among transgender adultsor non-binary folks.)
For people with uteruses and ovaries, their reproductive hormones fluctuate throughout the month during their menstrual cycle.
Estrogen levelsincrease and peak at ovulation, or around day 14 of the cycle.
psychiatrist and president of the American Psychiatric Association’s Women’s Caucus
At that time, progesterone levels begin to rise up to 20-fold in preparation for a possible pregnancy.
Estrogen levels decline a bit right after ovulation then rise with progesterone.
If you dont become pregnant, both hormone levels plummet until just before your next period.
And the cycle restarts.
In people with uteruses, however, the fluctuations outlined above appear to be connected to mood changes.
Research suggests about 80 percent of womenexperience a mood or physical symptomin the last half of their menstrual cycles.
Heres Exactly How It Can Affect Your Poop
Hormones also fluctuate at other times in a persons life.
Estrogen and progesterone levels increase exponentially during pregnancy, then drop within hours of giving birth.
In theory, people with higher levels of estrogen essentially handle fear and anxious feelings better.
psychiatrist and president of the American Psychiatric Association’s Women’s Caucus
However,research suggeststhat for transgender people, hormone therapy may reduce rates of anxiety.)
Its not like estrogen gives you a superpower in ability to inhibit fear.
Its the absence of estrogen that feels like problematic, says Dr. Milad.
Everyone feels anxious to some extent, especially in this current climate.
But there are good treatments.
Addressing anxiety often starts with therapy.
Not everyone needs medication.
Psychiatrists can help with treatments that dont require meds.
I think the most important thing is knowledge, says Dr. Milad.
[People] need to understand the impact of their hormones on the ability to regulate fear.
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