Evidence Based
Updated on: 05.08.2025
7 min read
Highlights
Brain chemicals called neurotransmitters control everything in your body, from your mood and behavior to your breathing.
People know that neurotransmitters are connected to mental illnesses. Many neurotransmitters can change your mood, health, motivation, and mental health in general.
Some neurotransmitters help control mood and can even make depression and anxiety worse in some cases.
Antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs can change neurotransmitters in your brain, which can make you feel better and improve your mental health as a whole.
Chemical messengers called neurotransmitters are very important for almost all bodily functions. Nerves run all over your body, and neurotransmitters send and receive electrical signals all day and night to keep your body working.
Neurotransmitters do more than just keep your body working like a well-oiled machine. They can also change how you feel, how well you think, how well you handle stress, how well you sleep, how well you eat, and how well you act in social situations. You could get a mental health problem if your neurotransmitters aren’t in the right balance. The good news is that there is help available to help you feel better.
Connect with a licensed medical provider online for a comprehensive mental health assessment.
Book an appointmentHere is a brief overview of the process:
Neurotransmitters help your cells talk to each other. This is how your muscles move, your lungs fill with oxygen, you make a new memory, or you feel something.
More than 100 different kinds of neurotransmitters have been found, and more are being found all the time. These neurotransmitters are grouped into three main groups based on what they do. However, some, like dopamine and serotonin, can do different things depending on what is needed.
| Type | Function | Examples |
| Inhibitory Neurotransmitters | These ones calm you down because they make it less likely that the target cell will do something. | Serotonin and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) |
| Excitatory Neurotransmitters | These are the kinds that make your system work faster. They make it more likely for the receiving cell to do something. | Glutamate and acetylcholine |
| Modulatory Neurotransmitters | Several neurons can talk to these types at the same time, and they can also finetune the activity of other neurotransmitters. | Norepinephrine |
Neurotransmitters are important for mental health as well as many other bodily functions. They have been linked to a number of mental health problems. They can change how you feel and how you feel about your life in general. You may feel depressed, anxious, emotionally unstable, or stressed when one or more neurotransmitters are out of balance.
Researchers in psychiatry have discovered that neurotransmitters can change your mood in different ways. Serotonin, which is often called the “calming chemical,” can change how you feel. Serotonin levels that are too low can cause depression, while levels that are high enough can keep your mood stable. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that is most closely linked to rewarding behaviors, like enjoying food and sex. An imbalance in this neurotransmitter can make you feel less emotionally stable. Dopamine levels that are low in your body can change how you feel.
Persistent low mood and anxiety can be managed with professional support—connect with a medical provider within 24 hours.
Book an appointmentIt’s not easy to figure out if someone has a neurochemical imbalance, which means they have too much or too little of a neurotransmitter. There are no lab tests that can tell you what you have right now. A blood test from your doctor can tell you what your levels of serotonin, dopamine, or other neurotransmitters are, but it doesn’t tell you much. You might have enough of the neurotransmitter in your blood, but that doesn’t mean your brain has enough or that certain neurochemicals are being used well.
You will need to talk to your doctor for a while to get an accurate diagnosis of a neurochemical imbalance. They might also talk about your family’s and your own medical history. They might do tests to make sure you don’t have low vitamin levels or thyroid problems.
They will look at your mental health symptoms, whether they are caused by a possible neurotransmitter imbalance or not.
There are a number of ways to change the levels of neurotransmitters. Everyone is different, so you might have to try a few different things before you find one that works for you. Different kinds of medications are often used to treat mental health conditions, and talk therapy may also be needed.
These medicines change the levels of neurotransmitters in your brain. There are many different types of them, such as
It can also help to focus on things you can do yourself, like getting more sleep and exercising more, especially if you take medication at the same time. Some types of therapies and changes to your lifestyle are:
There is a link between neurotransmitters and mental health problems. The table below lists the most well-known neurotransmitters that are linked to these conditions and how their imbalances are usually treated.
| Neurotransmitter | Key Functions | Associated Conditions | Common Treatment Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serotonin | Regulates mood, appetite, sleep, and sexual function | Depression, anxiety, panic disorder | SSRIs, SNRIs |
| Glutamate | Supports learning, memory, and emotional regulation | Anxiety, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder | N-acetylcysteine (NAC), topiramate |
| Dopamine | Controls reward, motivation, pleasure, and focus | ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression | MAOIs, NRIs/NRDIs |
| Endorphins | Act as natural pain relievers and help reduce stress | Depression, anxiety, addiction, sleep issues, impulsivity | Exercise, massage therapy, antidepressants |
| Norepinephrine | Regulates alertness and the stress (fight-or-flight) response | Depression, anxiety, ADHD, memory and sleep disorders | SNRIs, NRIs/NRDIs |
| Epinephrine | Involved in the body’s immediate stress response | Anxiety, sleep disturbances | Treatment depends on underlying cause |
| Acetylcholine | Plays a key role in memory, learning, and cognition | Alzheimer’s disease | Cholinesterase inhibitors |
| GABA | Promotes calmness and helps regulate anxiety and mood | Anxiety, depression, insomnia, ADHD, schizophrenia, autism | Benzodiazepines |
There are many important molecules that the brain needs to work well. If your brain doesn’t make enough of them or doesn’t use them properly, it can lead to mental health problems like anxiety and depression. Scientists are still looking into the complicated links between neurotransmitters and mental health, but there is help available right now. To get personalized help and treatment, make an appointment with a licensed medical provider at Mental Root.
Many neurotransmitters are involved in mental health issues because they control mood, sleep, and behavior. Serotonin, dopamine, GABA, glutamate, norepinephrine, epinephrine, acetylcholine, and endorphins are some of the most common ones.
Serotonin and dopamine are the main neurotransmitters that are linked to anxiety and depression. Other chemicals, such as GABA, norepinephrine, and endorphins, can also affect mood, stress levels, and how well you can control your emotions.
Having balanced levels of neurotransmitters helps keep your mood stable, your sleep patterns healthy, your appetite normal, and your emotional health good. Imbalances can mess up how the brain works and make mental health problems like anxiety, depression, and mood disorders worse.
Depending on the imbalance, symptoms can be different, but they often include:
Personality disorders are complicated, but studies show that serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine (adrenaline) may be involved in controlling emotions, acting on impulse, and behaviors linked to these disorders.
Dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine are some of the brain chemicals that are out of balance in people with bipolar disorder. These changes may cause mood swings between episodes of depression and mania.
Yes, medications (like antidepressants), therapy, changes to your lifestyle, and ways to deal with stress can often help with neurotransmitter imbalances, but it depends on the person's condition and needs.
