Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — perception of stress

  By Nina Silberstain, BA The COVID-19 pandemic has only magnified what we already know: Working in health care can be stressful. A survey conducted by Mental Health America between June-September 2020 of 1,119 health care workers found that 93% were experiencing stress in addition to anxiety, frustration, exhaustion, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed. (1) Why Is Self-Care So Hard? Without a doubt, a large part of taking care of yourself is managing your stress levels. People attracted to the world of health care are often empathetic and caregivers by nature. Providing care can be rewarding but at the same time it...

Stress is not just a feeling — it triggers a cascade of neurochemical signals that activate the HPA axis. This article explores how neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and norepinephrine interact with the stress response, and why mood disorders such as anxiety and depression are so closely linked to HPA axis dysfunction.