So, I have been really scouring the internet lately looking around at various health sites and it occurred to me…I wonder if Rye’s behavior that landed us in the psychiatrist’s office could be the result of hormone imbalances.
I know when researching I found that hypothyroidism can cause psychosis that is often mistaken as having a psychiatric basis when in fact it is hormonal and once fixed with hormone treatment the psychosis disappears, as noted here.
Also, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis are hormonally based and they are very real but most women that experience this go on to have no permanent psychiatric diagnosis once their hormones re-balance. In addition, many women have problems with their monthly hormone surges and can display very erratic behavior as a result of these imbalances.
So, why not growing teens?
Rye is a big kid. He is currently 12 years old and is already the size of many grown men. He currently wears a men’s size 11 shoe. Height projectors anticipate him being between 6′4″ and 6′5″ when fully grown. He obviously has a lot of growth hormones pumping right now. He also has puberty hormones pumping. I wonder if the surge of these hormones could have created the perfect storm that resulted in erratic behavior and ultimately psychosis. Some people are naturally much more sensitive to changes in hormone imbalances than others.
It seems like it could be possible.
When looking back through all of my resources, even in the book “The Bipolar Child”, it gives a long list of of possible causes of bipolar-like behavior including thyroid issues, brain tumors and frontal lobe epilepsy that should be ruled out before giving the bipolar diagnosis.
But does anyone ever really do this? I have never had one doctor ever suggest ruling anything out before giving a diagnosis of ADHD or bipolar.
I’m going to look into it.
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Yes, do this. My daughter’s hormones were completely off—enormously high levels, have the thyroid checked, and do an MRI if you think it’s necessary. I did do all of those things, find a doctor willing to do that, right now the best thing is less meds the better, otherwise there cannot be a decision made of whether it’s the person or the meds.
My daughter, at age 17 demanded hormonal testing and questioned the meds, and fired her doctor when he wouldn’t listen to her, and her concerns about Zyprexa use.
Hormones are a culprit more than a psychiatrist will ever admit to, because remember their treatment model is based on meds only, simple as that. Find a neuro-psychologist, or an endo-doc, and a therapist if your son wants one.
Abstract
http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/4/377
Thanks Stephany. The wheels are in motion on this one.
Rye already does talk therapy for an hour twice a month so I can put a check by that one. And I can’t underscore how helpful that is either. One should never underestimate the power of talking it out.
I’m telling you, puberty just completely screws up the male brain! Having experienced this four times now, it is my anecdotal belief that its worse in the male of the species than the female.
Hi
I agree. My bipolar began around 11 when puberty began and I began having hallucinations and freaking out the kids in school and being really down. My parents refused to get my any help and didnt get a diagnosis till I messed up my hormones again at 23 with a hormonal implant in my arm which once again caused psychosis. Luckily, childbirth and pregnancy doesnt do it.
Its really good youre so supportive. Im 27 and my parents have only now just begun to be supportive of me. A few boyfriends have had to deal with incidents like the one in the car after the hospital and though Ive only been on medication a few times in my life and most of the time I just have to be really careful – it weas good to read you being so patient.