Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsThe Anatomy of the Adrenal GlandsHow the Adrenal Glands WorkThe Stress ResponseRelated DisordersDiagnosisTreatment for Adrenal Gland ProblemsHow to Cope With Overactive Adrenal Glands

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

The Anatomy of the Adrenal Glands

How the Adrenal Glands Work

The Stress Response

Related Disorders

Diagnosis

Treatment for Adrenal Gland Problems

How to Cope With Overactive Adrenal Glands

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Adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands or “kidney hats”) are triangle-shaped endocrine glands located on top of the kidneys. These glands release hormones that can have an effect on a variety of body processes, including regulating metabolism, supporting the immune system, and even managingstress responses.

At a GlanceThe adrenal glands are important in the body’s stress response, including thefight-or-flight reaction. While some stress prepares the body to take action, too much can result in feelings of anxiety andchronic stress, which can take a serious toll on a person’s physical and mental well-being.This article discusses the role that the adrenal glands play in mental health. It explores how these glands work, their impact on the body’s stress response, and their effect on mental health.

At a Glance

The adrenal glands are important in the body’s stress response, including thefight-or-flight reaction. While some stress prepares the body to take action, too much can result in feelings of anxiety andchronic stress, which can take a serious toll on a person’s physical and mental well-being.This article discusses the role that the adrenal glands play in mental health. It explores how these glands work, their impact on the body’s stress response, and their effect on mental health.

The adrenal glands are important in the body’s stress response, including thefight-or-flight reaction. While some stress prepares the body to take action, too much can result in feelings of anxiety andchronic stress, which can take a serious toll on a person’s physical and mental well-being.

This article discusses the role that the adrenal glands play in mental health. It explores how these glands work, their impact on the body’s stress response, and their effect on mental health.

The adrenal glands are part of the body’sendocrine system, which is composed of a system of glands that release chemical messengers called hormones. These hormones are carried through the bloodstream to specific tissues and organs.

The word “adrenal” comes from the Latinadmeaning “near” andrenesmeaning “kidney.”

Adrenal glands are made of two main parts:

Cortisol

Cortisolis a naturally occurring steroid hormone that plays a role in a variety of body functions. Often called “the stress hormone,” cortisol is best known for its role in the body’s stress response and is also involved in the regulation of the following functions and more:

What Is Stress?

Aldosterone

Aldosterone plays an important role in regulating blood pressure as well as the body’s sodium and potassium levels. It sends signals to the kidneys to absorb sodium and release potassium through urine, regulating both blood pressure and electrolyte levels in the body.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

DHEA is a naturally occurring steroid hormone that converts into a range of hormones, including androgens and estrogens, the male and female sex hormones.

Epinephrine and Norepinephrine

The hormonesepinephrine(adrenaline) andnorepinephrine(noradrenaline) are released during the body’s stress response. They help to cause that “adrenaline rush” you have probably felt when you’re scared.

RecapThe adrenal glands produce hormones such as cortisol, aldosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These hormones help control a variety of important functions in the body, including stress and anxiety.

Recap

The adrenal glands produce hormones such as cortisol, aldosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These hormones help control a variety of important functions in the body, including stress and anxiety.

Catecholamines in the Stress Response

Adrenal Glands and the Stress Response

During times of acute stress, this response can help people respond as they need to to stay safe. However, long-term chronic stress can cause this response to be activated for aprolonged period of time.

The long-term activation of the adrenal glands causes too much exposure to stress hormones, including cortisol. This can disrupt the body and increase the risk for a variety of health problems, such as:

RecapExcessive production of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline in response to long-term stress can contribute to health problems including anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, and other complications.

Excessive production of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline in response to long-term stress can contribute to health problems including anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, and other complications.

How Your Endocrine System Affects Your Mental Health

Adrenal Gland Disorders

In addition to the effects of chronic stress, certain health conditions can also cause problems with the adrenal glands. When the adrenal glands produce too much or too little of a hormone, illness can result.

If there’s a disorder in the pituitary gland, which signals to the adrenal glands when to make certain hormones like cortisol and aldosterone, the functioning of the adrenal glands can also be impaired.

Different types of adrenal disorders include:

If your symptoms do not appear to be related to an adrenal gland disorder, a healthcare provider might suggest that your symptoms are related to excessive or chronic stress.

There are a variety of treatments for adrenal gland disorder, depending on your specific diagnosis, including:

Because chronic stress is a significant contributor to many health problems,healthcare providers may advise treatments that target stress levels. Such strategies may help ease the body’s stress response and minimize its damage to health and well-being. Treatment strategies that target stress include:

Under normal circumstances, the body’srelaxation responseeventually kicks in to return to the same state it was in before the fight-or-flight response was triggered. While chronic stress and anxiety might keep you in a heightened state of alert, there are strategies that you can use to ease stress and induce a relaxation response.

These techniques can not only provide quick relief when the adrenal glands release stress hormones, but they can also help people developgreater resilienceto long-term stress.

RecapFinding ways to cope with stress can help induce a relaxation response and minimize the impact of excess stress. Mind-body techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, and meditation can ease stress now and in the future.

Finding ways to cope with stress can help induce a relaxation response and minimize the impact of excess stress. Mind-body techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, and meditation can ease stress now and in the future.

Summary

The adrenal glands play an important role in many body functions, including the stress response. Excessive stress can lead to prolonged activation of adrenal glands, and long-term exposure to the stress hormones that this gland produces can have serious detrimental effects on both physical and mental health.

If you have concerning symptoms, talk to a healthcare provider. They can determine whether you might have an underlying condition such as an adrenal disorder. There are also strategies you can use to help get stress under control and induce a relaxation response that will ease anxiety and calm feelings of stress.

How to Relax Your Body and Mind

7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Neunzig J, Bernhardt R.Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) stimulates the first step in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones.PLoS One. 2014;9(2):e89727. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0089727Gordan R, Gwathmey JK, Xie LH.Autonomic and endocrine control of cardiovascular function.World J Cardiol.2015;7(4):204-14. doi:10.4330/wjc.v7.i4.204American Psychological Association.Stress effects on the body.Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Adrenal gland disorders.National Institutes of Health.What are the treatments for adrenal gland disorders?. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Nerurkar A, Bitton A, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Yeh G.When physicians counsel about stress: Results of a national study.JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173(1):76-77. doi:10.1001/2013.jamainternmed.480Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, et al.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults.Front Psychol.2017;8:874. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874

7 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Neunzig J, Bernhardt R.Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) stimulates the first step in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones.PLoS One. 2014;9(2):e89727. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0089727Gordan R, Gwathmey JK, Xie LH.Autonomic and endocrine control of cardiovascular function.World J Cardiol.2015;7(4):204-14. doi:10.4330/wjc.v7.i4.204American Psychological Association.Stress effects on the body.Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Adrenal gland disorders.National Institutes of Health.What are the treatments for adrenal gland disorders?. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Nerurkar A, Bitton A, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Yeh G.When physicians counsel about stress: Results of a national study.JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173(1):76-77. doi:10.1001/2013.jamainternmed.480Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, et al.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults.Front Psychol.2017;8:874. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Neunzig J, Bernhardt R.Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) stimulates the first step in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones.PLoS One. 2014;9(2):e89727. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0089727Gordan R, Gwathmey JK, Xie LH.Autonomic and endocrine control of cardiovascular function.World J Cardiol.2015;7(4):204-14. doi:10.4330/wjc.v7.i4.204American Psychological Association.Stress effects on the body.Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Adrenal gland disorders.National Institutes of Health.What are the treatments for adrenal gland disorders?. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Nerurkar A, Bitton A, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Yeh G.When physicians counsel about stress: Results of a national study.JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173(1):76-77. doi:10.1001/2013.jamainternmed.480Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, et al.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults.Front Psychol.2017;8:874. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874

Neunzig J, Bernhardt R.Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) stimulates the first step in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones.PLoS One. 2014;9(2):e89727. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0089727

Gordan R, Gwathmey JK, Xie LH.Autonomic and endocrine control of cardiovascular function.World J Cardiol.2015;7(4):204-14. doi:10.4330/wjc.v7.i4.204

American Psychological Association.Stress effects on the body.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Adrenal gland disorders.

National Institutes of Health.What are the treatments for adrenal gland disorders?. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Nerurkar A, Bitton A, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Yeh G.When physicians counsel about stress: Results of a national study.JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173(1):76-77. doi:10.1001/2013.jamainternmed.480

Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, et al.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults.Front Psychol.2017;8:874. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874

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