Neurotransmitters create and reflect your feelings, moods, thoughts, and behaviors. This powerful group of chemicals in the brain is responsible for physiological and psychological changes in how you experience your life. All behavior has a corresponding chemical pattern in the brain. There are more than a dozen neurotransmitters. Two of them - serotonin and dopamine - play a crucial role in orchestrating your behaviors, thoughts, emotions, and experiences and are commonly out of balance. Serotonin Serotonin is considered the feel good, inner peace, well-being neurotransmitter. Optimal serotonin levels are required for all positive affective states and all balanced emotional conditions. It's rare that your serotonin levels would be too high. When your serotonin levels are low however, you may lapse into a cycle of struggle and hopelessness. Here are ten signs that you serotonin levels are too low: 1. You become reclusive and avoid situations that make you anxious. 2. You believe that you are too weak to handle the strain of conflict and challenge. You feel driven to avoid all conflict and challenge and are fearful of starting new ventures or taking calculated risks. 3. You feel overwhelmed, resentful, and victimized by your circumstances. 4. You have a tendency toward compulsive behaviors, perfectionism, and withdrawal. You worry a lot and see most things in a negative way. You may be extremely vigilant and overly controlling. 5. You are impulsive, have a short attention span, feel blocked and scattered, and easily fly off the handle. 6. You crave sweets and carbohydrates and tend to overeat (especially comfort foods). You tend to eat more in the afternoon or evening. 7. You are compelled to clean and organize things around you. Once you start cleaning you may get "sucked" into the activity and find it hard to stop. 8. You are prone to heat intolerance, panic, phobias, fibromyalgia, and TMJ. 9. You are a night owl, and you often experience insomnia. 10. You feel depressed, hopeless and that you lack personal power. You may feel sad and cry a lot. Dopamine Dopamine is your excitatory neurotransmitter. When your dopamine levels are balanced, you experience heightened states of alertness and awareness. When your dopamine levels are too high, you may be caught in distorted perceptions of reality, dangerous risk taking, and increased aggression. Here are ten signs that your dopamine levels are too high: 1. You have an excessively demanding sex drive. 2. You are an information and news junky. 3. You feel trapped when you do not have something risky and exciting to do. You may engage in dangerous risk taking. 4. You fear being alone and having nothing to do. You cannot tolerate relaxation or calm. Peace and quite bore you. 5. You are prone to violence and aggression. You may deliberately create conflict to get a thrill. 6. You feel a lack intimacy and you do not want to make deep connections with others. 7. You are a junk food junkie. 8. You feel insecure, paranoid and try to control your environment in overt and destructive ways. 9. You are chronically stressed, frustrated, and anxious. You are a workaholic, are driven by success, and burned out. 10. You are overly competitive and determined to win at all costs. You are demanding and lack the trust of those around you. When your dopamine levels are too low you lack a vital and strong inner force. Here are 10 signs that your dopamine levels are too low: 1. You lack energy and stamina. 2. You have no drive or motivation. 3. You are not able to concentrate. 4. You lack focus. 5. You are not able to move memories into long term storage. 6. You become depressed and lack the ability to orient toward the future. It will be all you can do to get through the day. 7. You have trouble thinking and keeping your thoughts organized. 8. You are not creative. 9. You are not able to pay attention. 10. You have no adventuresome spirit. You want to avoid making any changes in your life. Your behaviors and your experience affect your neurotransmitter profile and your neurotransmitter profile affects your behaviors and your experience. By picking up on the yellow flags that tell you when your brain chemistry is out of balance you can take specific steps to put your self back "at choice" and in charge again. Optimizing you brain chemistry and neurotransmitter profile can produce phenomenal results in improving your well-being, achieving your dreams, and living the successful, healthy and integrated life you deserve. Copyright (c) 2008 Mary Ann Copson
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