Emotional Roller Coasters
How Hormones Help Shape Our Ups and Downs
I never liked roller coasters.
The first time I rode one was with my Mom. I don’t remember how old I was, but apparently tall enough to meet the height requirement. She advised me to scream on the way down the hills or risk ‘losing’ my breath. Aside from the (horrifyingly) sheer incline of the near-perpendicular slopes, losing my breath didn’t sound fun either.
Mind you, this was the '60s and an old-style wooden coaster (like the one pictured above) that would make today’s aficionados giggle. With my eyes screwed shut, I listened with terror to my mother’s screams as we made our way up and down the assorted hills. I was confused why someone would shriek as if being chased by a bear and then say it was great fun, as Mom did when we disembarked. It was my first and last roller coaster ride.
Unfortunately, hormones cause many ups and downs, which create an emotional rollercoaster that we can’t easily avoid or escape from.
I’ve been writing about positive thinking and how and why it happens more easily in some brains than others. For the most part, I had a ‘happy brain’ until puberty hit. That began a long period when I didn’t have much to feel positive about.
It’s typical to feel awkward and unsure of yourself at that age. It’s a period of tremendous physical, emotional, and hormonal change. But without the proper information, it can take a darker turn. I know because it happened to me.
The only guidance I received as an adolescent was about menstruation, and this precarious age requires so much more. Mom wasn’t comfortable discussing topics of a delicate nature, so I was left to draw my own conclusions. These came from the misinformation readily traded amongst other ill-informed teenagers. Coupled with some difficult events that occurred during this time, adolescence was a disaster.
And let’s not forget the other emotional rollercoaster: menopause. It wasn’t much fun, either. Under the best circumstances, navigating a second ‘change of life’ is tough. Throw in an assortment of adult problems (divorce, job responsibilities, care of aging parents), and it’s made even worse.
Nevertheless, it’s interesting to learn how the brain reacts to various stimuli and what role hormones play.
This amazing knowledge might have helped me back then. I think my appreciation for the human body would have been more fully realized, and who knows? Maybe I would’ve taken better care of it.
Key parts of the brain:
Prefrontal Cortex - One of the last places in the brain to mature, the prefrontal cortex is considered the “personality center” and the cortical region that makes us uniquely human. It’s where we process moment-to-moment input from our surroundings, compare it to past experiences, and then react to them.1
Pituitary Gland - Your pituitary gland is a small, pea-sized endocrine gland located at the base of your brain below your hypothalamus. It releases several important hormones and controls the function of many other endocrine system glands.2
Amygdala - Similar to the hippocampus, the amygdala is a paired structure, with one located in each hemisphere of the brain. It is part of the limbic system, a neural network that mediates many aspects of emotion and memory. Although the amygdala was considered involved primarily in fear and other emotions related to unpleasant stimuli, it is now known to be involved in positive emotions elicited by rewarding stimuli.3
Brain stem - Your brainstem is the stalk-like part at the base of your brain. It connects the rest of your brain to your spinal cord. You need this tissue to perform most bodily functions. In fact, ten of the twelve nerves that originate from your brain are contained within your brainstem.4
Hypothalamus - The hypothalamus comprises three regions that perform vital functions like hormone release, appetite control, and body temperature regulation. You can keep your hypothalamus healthy with diet, exercise, and sleep.5
Cerebellum - The cerebellum (Latin for “little brain”) is a major hindbrain structure near the brainstem. It is most directly involved in coordinating voluntary movements and is also responsible for several functions, including motor skills such as balance, coordination, and posture. 6
Hippocampus - This is a part of the brain found in the inner folds of the temporal lobe. Its main functions involve human learning and memory.7
Neurotransmitters
Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins are all neurotransmitters that play important roles in our emotional state. The short video below (1 minute 16 seconds) summarizes what a neurotransmitter is:
Neurotransmitters assist the brain in understanding, evaluating, and communicating what you're experiencing. They have specific jobs—each is activated in a certain way, signaling particular emotions and stimulating specific brain areas.
Dopamine, the ‘feel-good’ hormone, is associated with pleasurable sensations, learning, and memory.
Serotonin regulates mood, sleep, appetite, digestion, learning, and memory.
Oxytocin is essential for childbirth, breastfeeding, and a strong parent-child bond while promoting trust and empathy.
Endorphins are the body’s natural pain relievers produced in response to stress. The levels increase with reward-producing activities like eating, working out, and sex.
It’s easy to see why a shortage of these hormones could alter our moods and outlooks on life. Most are activated and maintained by a healthy diet, regular exercise, time in nature, and adequate sleep.
But did you know that self-image also plays an important role? Feeling good about oneself and employing self-care measures also help increase the ‘happy hormones’ in our brains. Music, spending time with loved ones, and showing affection to others also positively affect our mood.
Every man, if he so desires, becomes the sculptor of his own brain. ~Santiago Ramon y Cajal
During the toughest years of my life, the latter two things kept me sane. The holidays, birthdays, and summers at the lake were wonderful times spent with family. Taking the kids on outings and cuddling in bed watching their favorite cartoons gave me all the incentive to keep fighting the good fight. Is it any wonder that the awful memories have all but disappeared from my memory today?
When I first left the marriage, I wondered if I’d ever find myself again and feel peace. Two decades is a long time to be miserable, and the pain only gets worse. But, in about one week’s time, I started to feel ‘normal’ again. I felt better about myself and my decisions and believed a brighter future was possible.
My advice to anyone facing similar circumstances and feeling like there’s no way out:
Change is possible, but it must begin with you. The crucial first step is to get out of a toxic environment. The self-care measures mentioned above can keep positive hormones flowing while getting to know the person that you thought you knew best.
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Great article. 😊
Wow!! We shared much of the same experiences in our past. Adolescence was sheer hell. I was fine until puberty - my mother didn't talk about 'anything' of a delicate nature, so I was essentially left on my own; that, and to talk to the family doctor who was a freak, I was convinced.
By the time menopause hit I was already figuring out how to get through it, I researched and found a nurse practitioner who prescribed and experimented with my research, we got through it together.
I talk about hormones and neurotransmitters all the time, people think I'm nuts. But all the hell I went through during the changes of life most people breeze through (or so it seems, that, or they never let on how miserable it really is) I'm acutely aware of even the slightest of changes and pivot accordingly.
Information back then would have made me a different person, of this I'm certain. Luckily the ending is the same, and I kept my sunny disposition in spite it.