Boost Endorphins to Combat Depression & Anxiety

When we’re battling depression, anxiety, PTSD, or chronic fatigue, we often hear the same advice: sleep more, reduce stress, try therapy, consider medication. Sometimes those steps help a lot. Sometimes they help a little. And sometimes we still feel like our system can’t “settle,” no matter how hard we try.

One possible missing piece is endorphins, our body’s built-in pain and stress relievers. When endorphin activity is low, it can blend into mental health symptoms so well that we assume it’s “just us.” This post is educational, not a diagnosis. We’ll cover what endorphins do, signs that may fit an endorphin deficiency pattern, why it’s tricky to confirm, what LDN is, and how our psychiatric nurse practitioners at Intrepid Mental Wellness can help to build a safe, realistic plan.

Endorphins explained in simple terms, and what “endorphin deficiency” can look like

Endorphins are chemicals our brain and body release to help us handle pain, stress, and effort. If we’ve ever felt calmer after laughing, lighter after a good workout, or strangely okay after finishing a hard task, we’ve felt endorphins at work. They don’t erase problems, but they can soften the edges.

Here’s a simple way to think about it: endorphins are like shock absorbers on a car. They don’t stop bumps from happening, but they help the ride feel less harsh. When endorphin activity is low, everyday stressors can feel louder, and physical discomfort can feel harder to ignore.

Endorphins also connect to:

• Reward and motivation (helping us feel a sense of “that was worth it”)

• Bonding and safety (helping us feel soothed by connection)

• Stress buffering (helping us come down after a spike of stress)

• Pain control (helping us tolerate physical pain)

“Endorphin deficiency” isn’t always a formal medical diagnosis. It’s often a useful way to describe a pattern: we’re not getting the normal internal “relief signal” we expect from rest, movement, laughter, connection, or accomplishment. That pattern can show up alongside depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic fatigue, and chronic pain.

If we want a deeper overview of how LDN is thought to interact with the endorphin system, we can also read: Understanding LDN treatment

Common symptoms that can overlap with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic fatigue

Low endorphin activity can look like mental health symptoms, physical symptoms, or both. We might notice:

• Low mood, or feeling emotionally flat

• Low motivation, even for things we used to like

• More body pain, tenderness, or frequent “aches”

• Poor stress tolerance (small problems feel huge)

• Irritability, especially late afternoon or evening

• Trouble sleeping, or waking unrefreshed

• Brain fog, slower thinking, or word-finding issues

• Feeling “wired but tired”

• Stronger cravings for quick comfort (sugar, alcohol, scrolling, impulsive spending)

Trauma and chronic stress can add another layer. When our nervous system stays in survival mode for too long, it can change how we process threat and relief. It’s like our internal alarm is sensitive, and our internal calm switch is sticky. If this resonates, this article may help us put words to it: How trauma impacts the nervous system

A practical next step is tracking patterns for two weeks, without judging ourselves. We’re just collecting clues.

What we track: Morning, Afternoon, and Evening Mood - (0 to 10)Anxiety, (0 to 10), Pain (0 to 10), Energy (0 to 10), Sleep quality (0 to 10).

Why it’s hard to spot, and why testing is not always straightforward

Endorphins rise and fall throughout the day. They change with sleep, exercise, stress, and even social connection. Because of that, we don’t usually “test endorphins” in a typical clinic visit in a way that gives clear answers. A single lab value wouldn’t capture the whole story anyway.

It’s also hard because many look-alikes can mimic an endorphin deficiency pattern. With a clinician, we may need to rule out or address:

• Thyroid problems

• Anemia or low iron (or sometimes iron overload)

• Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders

• Vitamin deficiencies (like vitamin D or B12)

• Medication side effects

• Substance use, including alcohol

• Perimenopause and hormonal shifts

• Chronic pain conditions and inflammatory illness

Safety matters here. If we’re having suicidal thoughts, severe depression, mania symptoms, or withdrawal symptoms from substances, we should seek urgent help right away (988 in the US, or local emergency services). No blog post should be the place we try to white-knuckle through a crisis.

How low endorphins may affect mental health symptoms day to day

When our endorphin system isn’t doing its usual job, mental health symptoms can feel heavier. Not because endorphins are the only cause, they aren’t, but because they influence how we experience discomfort and reward.

Day to day, low endorphin activity may mean:

• Stress hits harder and lasts longer

• Pain feels more intrusive, which can increase anxiety

• Pleasure is muted, which can look like depression

• Effort feels expensive, so we do less, and then feel worse about it

This is one reason we can end up stuck in a loop. We don’t move much because we feel awful. We feel awful because we don’t move much, connect much, or get the “small wins” that help the brain release relief chemicals.

Stress, trauma, and the “alarm system” that gets stuck on

With PTSD and chronic anxiety, our body can learn to stay on guard. Sleep gets lighter. Muscles stay tense. Digestion gets touchy. We may scan rooms, replay conversations, or brace for the next bad thing.

When that alarm system stays on, our baseline stress level rises. Higher baseline stress can worsen insomnia and pain. Poor sleep and pain lower resilience. Lower resilience makes anxiety and low mood more likely. It’s a self-feeding cycle.

In this situation, we don’t need someone to tell us to “calm down.” We need a plan that respects how our nervous system is behaving, and then helps it come down step by step.

Chronic fatigue, brain fog, and the drain of always pushing through

Chronic fatigue can feel like living with a low battery that never charges past 20%. When our energy is limited, the first things to go are often the things that support endorphins: movement, social time, sunlight, and enjoyable hobbies. Then our world shrinks, and symptoms often get worse.

We can talk with a clinician about gentle supports that fit our real life, not an ideal life:

• Pacing and graded activity, starting smaller than we think we should

• Light exposure in the morning (even 5 to 10 minutes)

• Hydration and electrolytes when appropriate

• Protein at breakfast to reduce energy crashes

• Therapy skills for stress regulation (CBT, trauma-focused work, grounding)

• A consistent sleep routine (wake time matters more than bedtime)

If fatigue is a major part of our picture, it may help to review a root-cause approach like: Holistic chronic fatigue solutions

LDN for endorphins: what it is, how it may help, and what to know before starting

LDN is short for Low Dose Naltrexone. Naltrexone has been used at higher doses for opioid and alcohol use disorders. At much lower doses, it’s used in a different way, and for many concerns it’s considered off-label. That means it’s legally prescribed, but not specifically FDA-approved for every condition people use it for.

In simple terms, the leading theory is this: LDN briefly blocks opioid receptors, then releases. That short block may lead the body to “rebound” by making more endorphins. LDN is also being studied for its effect on certain inflammatory signals, which can matter because inflammation can affect mood, sleep, and pain sensitivity.

Results vary. Some people notice clearer mood, better sleep, less pain, or more stable energy over time. Others feel little change. We also don’t stop other psychiatric meds on our own. LDN is something we consider as part of a full plan with a licensed prescriber.

For a focused read on how LDN may relate to depression, anxiety, and sleep, we can reference: LDN for depression, anxiety, and sleep

Who may be a good fit, and who should be cautious

LDN may be considered when we have mental health symptoms plus body-based symptoms, especially if standard approaches only partly help. Examples include:

• Depression or anxiety with chronic pain

• Chronic fatigue with brain fog

• Trauma-related symptoms with significant body tension or pain

• Patterns that suggest inflammation may be involved

There are also clear situations where we need caution or a different plan:

• Current opioid pain medications (LDN can trigger withdrawal and block pain control)

• Active opioid use disorder, unless managed in specialized care

• Certain liver problems

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding

• Upcoming surgery or likely need for opioid pain control (planning matters)

We also want to share every medication, supplement, and over-the-counter product we take. Supplements can still interact with prescriptions.

What starting LDN can feel like: timeline, dosing basics, and side effects to track

LDN is often started low and increased slowly. We can’t give personal dosing online, but we can say that slow changes are common because the goal is tolerability and steady progress, not a quick jolt.

In the first days or weeks, some people report:

• Vivid dreams or sleep changes

• Headache

• Nausea or stomach upset

• Temporary shifts in anxiety or mood

Many side effects are temporary. If they’re not, prescribers often adjust timing or dose.

A simple plan is to track a few data points weekly for 6 to 8 weeks:

• Sleep quality and dreams

• Mood and anxiety

• Pain level

• Energy and brain fog

• GI changes (nausea, constipation, appetite)

That tracking turns a vague experience into useful information, and it helps us make smarter adjustments.

How our psychiatric nurse practitioners at Intrepid Mental Wellness can help

When we’re dealing with complicated symptoms, we usually don’t need more willpower. We need structure, good medical thinking, and follow-through. At Intrepid Mental Wellness, our psychiatric nurse practitioners build a plan that fits the whole picture, including mental health symptoms, body symptoms, and daily functioning.

What we cover in an evaluation, so we do not miss the real root causes

A solid evaluation is how we avoid chasing the wrong “fix.” We typically cover:

• Our symptom story (mood, anxiety, PTSD symptoms, fatigue, pain)

• Sleep patterns (insomnia, waking, nightmares, unrefreshing sleep)

• Medical history and family history

• Trauma history, at our pace and comfort level

• Current meds and supplements (plus past med trials and reactions)

• Alcohol and other substances, without shame, just facts

• Labs or referrals that may be helpful (thyroid, iron, vitamin D, B12, sleep evaluation)

We also screen for bipolar disorder and safety concerns, because those change medication choices. Success isn’t perfection. We aim for measurable change: better sleep, fewer panic days, more steady energy, improved functioning, and more good hours in the week.

How we monitor progress once LDN (or another plan) is started

Once we start a plan, follow-ups matter. We check:

• Side effects and sleep changes

• Mood and anxiety trends

• Pain and fatigue shifts

• Adherence and barriers (cost, timing, routines)

• Whether we need to adjust dose, timing, or the plan itself

We also coordinate care when possible. When primary care, therapy, and psychiatry share the same map, we’re less likely to get mixed messages or duplicate meds.

Medication is one tool. Other supports often pair well, depending on our needs:

• CBT skills or trauma-focused therapy

• Mindfulness or grounding practices that feel doable

• Sleep support routines

• Pain management strategies

• Nutrition support that targets stress and steady energy (for example, we can review: Best foods that boost endorphins for anxiety relief)

Conclusion

When our internal “relief system” is running low, life can feel like it has no cushion. Endorphins influence stress, pain, reward, and resilience, and low endorphin activity can overlap with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic fatigue. LDN may help some of us by supporting endorphin regulation and calming certain inflammatory signals, but it works best when it’s prescribed thoughtfully and monitored closely.

Our next steps can be simple: track symptoms for two weeks, make a complete medication and supplement list, write down our top three goals (sleep, mood, energy, pain), and schedule a visit with our psychiatric nurse practitioner to talk through whether LDN fits our history and current meds. If we’re in crisis, having suicidal thoughts, or feeling unsafe, we should seek urgent help right away (988 in the US, or local emergency services)