what you are suffering is known as HPA axis disregulation, doctors don't diagnose it as it because they weren't taught it at med school, its a relatively newly recognised condition and is in the research stage.
more info : Most of us as im sure you are aware know that using anabolic steroids (alcohol;dugs and high levels of stress also cause disruption of the HPA axis through similar mechanisms, but i will use anabolic steroids in this article for example) worsens your psychology problems by disrupting your HPA axis . Most people believe that the reduction in testosterone is to blame , but this is only a very small part of the problem. Rather the major cause is due to the disregulation of the stress response within the HPA axis. Most of us know that anabolic steroids prevents cortisol from binding to its receptor sites. Although this is great for muscle building it is terrible for our stress respone system as cortisol is an integral part of this system and is ultimately used to de-activate our stress response.
You see it works like this ,once we are placed under stress the hypothalamus in our brain sectretes CRH Corticotropin Releasing Hormone(or Factor) this in turn stimulates the pituitary to release ACTH Adrenocorticotropic Releasing Hormone which in turn stimulates the realease of Cortisol from the adrenal glands. The blood cortisol level then rises , until it reaches a certain level at which point it deactivates the secretion of CRF thus completing the Negative feedback loop . Whilst taking anabolic steroids cortisol is prevented from completing the cycle ,as such the CRH remains activated. This would explain the "on cycle" anxiety as CRH is pro-inflammatory (anxiety can be described as a pro-infammatory reaction), whereas cortisol (which is being prevented from doing its job) is anti-inflammatory .This is the reason why they they give people with asthma a corticosteroid inhaler , (asthma like anxiety is a pro-inflammatory reaction which can actually be brought on by anxiety which would explain the connection) to complete the loop, which to me is like pouring fuel on the fire due to the subsequent immunosuppression but thats another story altogether.
Post cycle the cortisol is allowed to bind to its receptor sites, but the build up of CRH and ACTH results in the dreaded cortisol backlash .It can damage the hypothalamus (ironically the system that controls it) causing atrophy and dampening its response to cortisol ie The disregulation of the HPA axis as the dampend response of the hypothalamus results in constantly activated CRH and subsequent high levels cortisol . The CRH is responsible for the anxiety and the cortisol is responsible for depression (as it interupts the synthesis of serotonin) . This would explain why you are either anxious or depressed ie. either the cortisol is inhibiting the hypothalamus or it is pumping out too much anxiety causing CRH. ie your HPA axis is either over-activated or underactivated, and why everything seems to slow down when you are depressed or speed up when you are anxious.
This is where psychiatrists can't see the forest for the trees :
They know that a lack of serotonin is responsible for depression , which is why they prescribe you a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI's) {prozac,zoloft,paxil etc} to increase the amount of serotonin in your brain. However, this is where they make a crucial mistake as serotonin is a STIMULATORY neurotransmitter which stimulates the release of CRH thus aggravating the disregulation. Ironically SSRI's are the drug of choice amongst psychiatrists (who believe a disrupted HPA axis is the culprit) as clinical trials have shown it can regulate the HPA axis but this is only after four weeks, my conjecture is that it does this by tricking the mind into a false sense of tranquility through elevated serotonin levels . People ive met (and i also know from experience) on SSRI's become completely numbed out , they have no emotions whatsoever whether it be up or down . Pyschiatrists see this a succesful treatment no longer are their patients depressed ,and who really cares if they are not happy either ,right?
Wrong, take the time to educate yourself learn how the brain works and how it might be affecting your health [Long term disregulation of the HPA axis compromises the immune system which could lead to more serious illnesses further down the line ]. For example the neurotransmitter GABA (unfortunately, oral GABA wont help as it does not cross the blood brain barrier) and certain opiods (such as endorphins) play an inhibitory role on CRH , and there are various drugs available that block cortisol . Through such manipulation you may be able to re-regulate your HPA axis , but i wouldn't suggest attempting it without the advice of a "QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL"
From www.headinjurylaw.com :
"SSRIs are only effective in 2/3rds of depressed patients. Researchers are actively seeking alternatives for the 1/3rd who do not respond. The May-June issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Research discussed a new drug now in Phase II FDA trials which offers some hope to these people. The drug works by dampening the stress response. It blocks the action of CRF (corticotropin releasing factor) in the brain. CRF is what tells the pituitary gland to secrete ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) which stimulates the release of sress hormones like cortisol. People who suffer from anxiety, and some depressed patients, become highly stressed in response to small irritations and disappointments of life, because their brains produce an excessive amount of cortisol. Wylie Vale, Phd is the neuroendocrinologist at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies who has done the pioneering work on these compounds during the past 20 years"
more info : Most of us as im sure you are aware know that using anabolic steroids (alcohol;dugs and high levels of stress also cause disruption of the HPA axis through similar mechanisms, but i will use anabolic steroids in this article for example) worsens your psychology problems by disrupting your HPA axis . Most people believe that the reduction in testosterone is to blame , but this is only a very small part of the problem. Rather the major cause is due to the disregulation of the stress response within the HPA axis. Most of us know that anabolic steroids prevents cortisol from binding to its receptor sites. Although this is great for muscle building it is terrible for our stress respone system as cortisol is an integral part of this system and is ultimately used to de-activate our stress response.
You see it works like this ,once we are placed under stress the hypothalamus in our brain sectretes CRH Corticotropin Releasing Hormone(or Factor) this in turn stimulates the pituitary to release ACTH Adrenocorticotropic Releasing Hormone which in turn stimulates the realease of Cortisol from the adrenal glands. The blood cortisol level then rises , until it reaches a certain level at which point it deactivates the secretion of CRF thus completing the Negative feedback loop . Whilst taking anabolic steroids cortisol is prevented from completing the cycle ,as such the CRH remains activated. This would explain the "on cycle" anxiety as CRH is pro-inflammatory (anxiety can be described as a pro-infammatory reaction), whereas cortisol (which is being prevented from doing its job) is anti-inflammatory .This is the reason why they they give people with asthma a corticosteroid inhaler , (asthma like anxiety is a pro-inflammatory reaction which can actually be brought on by anxiety which would explain the connection) to complete the loop, which to me is like pouring fuel on the fire due to the subsequent immunosuppression but thats another story altogether.
Post cycle the cortisol is allowed to bind to its receptor sites, but the build up of CRH and ACTH results in the dreaded cortisol backlash .It can damage the hypothalamus (ironically the system that controls it) causing atrophy and dampening its response to cortisol ie The disregulation of the HPA axis as the dampend response of the hypothalamus results in constantly activated CRH and subsequent high levels cortisol . The CRH is responsible for the anxiety and the cortisol is responsible for depression (as it interupts the synthesis of serotonin) . This would explain why you are either anxious or depressed ie. either the cortisol is inhibiting the hypothalamus or it is pumping out too much anxiety causing CRH. ie your HPA axis is either over-activated or underactivated, and why everything seems to slow down when you are depressed or speed up when you are anxious.
This is where psychiatrists can't see the forest for the trees :
They know that a lack of serotonin is responsible for depression , which is why they prescribe you a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI's) {prozac,zoloft,paxil etc} to increase the amount of serotonin in your brain. However, this is where they make a crucial mistake as serotonin is a STIMULATORY neurotransmitter which stimulates the release of CRH thus aggravating the disregulation. Ironically SSRI's are the drug of choice amongst psychiatrists (who believe a disrupted HPA axis is the culprit) as clinical trials have shown it can regulate the HPA axis but this is only after four weeks, my conjecture is that it does this by tricking the mind into a false sense of tranquility through elevated serotonin levels . People ive met (and i also know from experience) on SSRI's become completely numbed out , they have no emotions whatsoever whether it be up or down . Pyschiatrists see this a succesful treatment no longer are their patients depressed ,and who really cares if they are not happy either ,right?
Wrong, take the time to educate yourself learn how the brain works and how it might be affecting your health [Long term disregulation of the HPA axis compromises the immune system which could lead to more serious illnesses further down the line ]. For example the neurotransmitter GABA (unfortunately, oral GABA wont help as it does not cross the blood brain barrier) and certain opiods (such as endorphins) play an inhibitory role on CRH , and there are various drugs available that block cortisol . Through such manipulation you may be able to re-regulate your HPA axis , but i wouldn't suggest attempting it without the advice of a "QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL"
From www.headinjurylaw.com :
"SSRIs are only effective in 2/3rds of depressed patients. Researchers are actively seeking alternatives for the 1/3rd who do not respond. The May-June issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Research discussed a new drug now in Phase II FDA trials which offers some hope to these people. The drug works by dampening the stress response. It blocks the action of CRF (corticotropin releasing factor) in the brain. CRF is what tells the pituitary gland to secrete ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) which stimulates the release of sress hormones like cortisol. People who suffer from anxiety, and some depressed patients, become highly stressed in response to small irritations and disappointments of life, because their brains produce an excessive amount of cortisol. Wylie Vale, Phd is the neuroendocrinologist at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies who has done the pioneering work on these compounds during the past 20 years"