09/09/2025
🌟 Major Neurotransmitters & Mood Effects
1. Serotonin (“the stabilizer”)
Role: Regulates mood, sleep, appetite, and overall sense of well-being.
Low levels → linked to depression, anxiety, irritability.
Balanced levels → feelings of calm, happiness, emotional stability.
2. Dopamine (“the reward chemical”)
Role: Motivation, pleasure, reward, focus.
Low levels → lack of motivation, fatigue, anhedonia (difficulty feeling pleasure), ADHD, depression.
High levels → impulsivity, mania, addiction risk.
3. Norepinephrine (noradrenaline, “the alertness chemical”)
Role: Energy, attention, stress response.
Low levels → fatigue, low concentration, poor mood.
High levels → anxiety, hypervigilance, stress, agitation.
4. GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid, “the calming chemical”)
Role: Reduces brain activity, promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety.
Low levels → anxiety, restlessness, insomnia.
Balanced levels → calm, relaxation, ability to handle stress.
🧠 Big Picture
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Depression: often involves low serotonin, dopamine, and/or norepinephrine.
Anxiety: is linked to low GABA and serotonin, sometimes high norepinephrine.
Addiction: hijacks dopamine’s reward pathway.
Stress: alters norepinephrine and cortisol, impacting mood regulation.
