6. Mood Swings and Emotional Instability: A Rollercoaster You Didn’t Sign Up For
Imagine your mood shifting from ecstatic happiness to abject despair within the span of a few hours. Sounds dramatic, right? But that’s what life can look like when you’re grappling with Cushing’s syndrome.
You didn’t sign up for this emotional rollercoaster, yet here you are, seatbelt fastened, bracing for the next unexpected turn. This isn’t just an emotional toll—it can profoundly affect your relationships, career, and overall well-being.
It’s hard to believe that cortisol, often called the “stress hormone,” can wreak such havoc on your emotional state. But it does.
Cortisol imbalances can lead to erratic mood swings, from irritability to euphoria, and in some cases, even depression or anxiety. People often underestimate the power of hormones on emotional well-being.
After all, hormones are our body’s chemical messengers, instructing cells and organs on what to do. If those messages get mixed up, so do our emotions.
One of the worst aspects of this symptom is the stigma attached to emotional and mental health issues. Often, people with Cushing’s syndrome might be told that it’s all “in their head.”
Well, in a way, it is—because it’s hormonal. But dismissing it as such does a disservice to the severe medical origin of these mood swings. And let’s be clear: This isn’t a character flaw or a lack of emotional control; it’s a physiological response to excessive cortisol. (6)
