| The endocrine system affects nearly every area of the human body. Neuroendocrine disorders are often missed or misdiagnosed but have both medical and mental health symptoms and implications on Quality of Life (QoL). An understanding of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) can assist mental health professionals in becoming more aware of the interconnectedness and communication within the human body via the endocrine system and potential effects on human behavior and relationships. Patients often report suffering years to decades after seeing a host of physicians, mental health professionals, and others before proper attaining a proper diagnosis. Frequently patients report being dismissed by both the medical and mental health as malingering or just being difficult. Mental health symptoms are often precursors to those more discernibly physical. Couples and families are affected by delays in proper treatment often leading to divorce, family disengagement, loss of employment and social connections. Mental health professionals will learn the importance, identification and treatment skills necessary to treat pituitary and neuroendocrine disorders collaboratively with medical specialists. |
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