What is a Chemical Imbalance?

Chemical imbalances are health issues in which various essential vitamins and minerals are missing from the body, resulting in an improper production of various types of neurotransmitters. When an imbalance of this type takes place, the brain, the nerves, and the various organs of the body may not function within normal limits. Many health care experts from a wide range of disciplines believe that a chemical imbalance is the underlying cause for ailments like depression, anxiety, and other forms of mental disorders.

A chemical imbalance in the brain comes about when the body does not receive an adequate supply of nutrients, or is unable to absorb nutrients properly. When either of these conditions exist, the brain is unable to manufacture neurotransmitters that help trigger the nervous system to communicate efficiently with the various organs in the body. This leads to a general decline in function that can manifest itself in a number of ways, such as mood swings, a loss of appetite, thyroid problems, or the sudden increase in heart rate and a sense of being in danger.

In order to diagnose a chemical imbalance, many physicians will utilize samples of blood and other body fluids to determine which nutrients are currently lacking in significant amounts. Usually, other tests are used to make sure that there is no type of malignancy or other underlying health issue that is causing various organs to function improperly. If there is no apparent damage to the organs that can account for the health issues, but the blood tests show a lack of nutrients in the bloodstream, there is a good chance all the health woes are due to an imbalance.

Treating a chemical imbalance often requires a combination of several different approaches. In the event of a depression or anxiety chemical imbalance, prescription medications will be administered to either prompt the production of neurotransmitters or compensate for the lack of transmitters in some fashion. This helps to alleviate the chemical imbalance symptoms over time, allowing the physician and the patient to work toward a more permanent solution.

Long-term treatments often include lifestyle changes such as adjusting dietary habits to ensure the body receives adequate nutrition, daily exercise to promote the production of endorphins which help to elevate mood, and using supplements to infuse the body with nutrients that provide the building blocks for neurotransmitters in general. Therapy is also often helpful in treating the underlying cause of the imbalance, especially when stress is involved. Since prolonged periods of stress can undermine the body’s ability to absorb nutrients properly, learning to minimize or more effectively deal with stress is imperative to the recovery process.

Correcting a chemical imbalance is a task that is not accomplished overnight. Depending on the severity of the situation, it may take months or even years to restore the individual to an equitable state of health. Fortunately, modern medicine has made it possible to employ methods that were unheard of a few decades ago, bringing relief to many people who would have suffered with an undetected and therefore untreated imbalance for many years.