Does boosting seratonin increase your emotions?

[beyondinfinity]

I recently had an anxiety breakdown. My whole body and mind was at the maximum, panic attacks agitation, intense worry etc. I started making changes in my life to fight the root causes like stress overload with work, taking better care and paying attention to myself and body with meditation, relaxation, yoga etc. In addition I started 5HTP and other amino acids and vitamins.

The strange thing is this, for so many years (over 5) I was like a robot. Very emotionless and just going to work every day and basically living. No social life, no relationships, and I never felt much of anything, like I never cried once in all that time or felt sad, I never really laughed much or looked happy either. I think people can see in my eyes this sadness.

Now all of a sudden I feel like all those emotions that I was repressing are resurfacing. I feel my sadness and I cry, I realize how lonely and isolated I have become. Why now all of a sudden? Did it require my body to have this breakdown in order to get back in touch with itself? Or is it the 5HTP or anything else I am taking that is causing this?

I'm not complaining, I feel more normal now than I ever did. Just curious if it is physical or psychological, or maybe both.

[jessed03]

Serotonin is hard to get a grip on, as too much is as detrimental to mood as too little.

If serotonin boosters are working for you, that could be an indication yours were low.

On the other hand, stress can be an emotion killer, as it screws up what would otherwise be perfectly adequate brain chemistry. For instance, when you have anxiety your brain will gobble up that serotonin, which is why people on this site often report to feeling numb and unable to find enjoyment, even though they have no history of depression.

Whether you feel better because you've increased yours, or simply allowed your brain to work efficiently again, it's hard to say. There's no accurate diagnostic test to check the before and after. :)

Just keep taking smart actions to reduce stress and keep depression at bay, and you should be golden. Why you'll be golden, no test can yet tell you. But, you usually learn a lot as time goes by, and through trial and error.