Anger, Quick Temper, Depression

[Meg369]

On 1/12/2020 at 11:37 PM, Leeshare said:

Well I'm so glad I've just read this.... out of the blue I begin criticising and picking at the things my kids are doing wrong. Everything seems like a massive issue and I feel like everyone in the house is being confrontational. 

I get so mad that I end up either swearing (which I never swear) or I break something.....It just feels like rage which I cant stop. I feel bad for my family as they do not deserve this behaviour.....  We work hard at eating a total gluten free diet and I don't do cheat days. Sometimes I risk eating out but never eat any wheat based food at all. However sometimes I risk a bag of chips. As I said this is very out of character for me... along with this I am still in denial that I truly have an issue with Gluten.  The family disagree with my thoughts totally on this. So in answer to your question.

 

I feel the same as you. And I'm sorry that others have this nasty horrible thing to deal with. 

I had horrible mood swings and anger issues before I was diagnosed! I thought I had a drinking problem in college because I would become completely belligerent. Then I got diagnosed with celiac and realized that beer, the college drink of choice, is gluten...I get super belligerent if I eat bread too btw It's definitely a gluten thing.

/Meg

[knitty kitty]

I hope this article can help.  It explains how gluten can affect us mentally whether or not we have Celiac Disease.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4809873/#!po=11.4458

[GFinAdrian]

On 2/3/2020 at 8:33 AM, GFinAdrian said:

I'm very happy to find this site, and see this topic discussed.  I was diagnosed last fall by blood test.  I had an endoscopy for stomach pain which showed gastritis, but was told I was not put deep enough to look at the small intestine. At my request the doctor took a blood test and it came back Celiac. The lab also suggested some other tests, but my doctor said I didn't need them. I'm not sure she really understands the disease.  I have noticed since I've been on the diet my thinking is much clearer, and I have fewer IBS symptoms.  Less abdominal cramping. I also have more energy, motivation and looking forward to doing things.  But I do express my anger and irritation more than I did before starting the diet.  I think the gluten-free diet is allowing me to express anger instead of repressing it and getting depressed.  So while it might not be pleasant for my husband it is better for me!  But the anger I have at things that happened maybe years ago will raise it's ugly head.

Well, in reading the other posts it seems as though my reaction is different from most.  My point was that I was having withdrawal symptoms from no longer consuming gluten.  Gluten acts on the pleasure center of the brain, like opiates,  and so when we quit consuming it, some of us have anxiety, depression, headaches, etc.  Just like when we quit caffeine.

Interesting how this disease affects us so many different ways.

[Fenrir]

I'm a firm believer that celiac disease only aggravates mental conditions that are already there. The withdrawals can possibly cause mood issues like someone coming down off of drugs, alcohol or tobacco but it's not the gluten per se.

Generally speaking people that don't feel well for long periods of time have more anxiety, depression.....ect, no matter what the cause. 

So this is different than an organic or traumatic mental illness. 

Not surprisingly when people (like celiacs, but practically any other illness) start feeling better they also have improved mood. 

[knitty kitty]

8 hours ago, Fenrir said:

I'm a firm believer that celiac disease only aggravates mental conditions that are already there. 

I disagree with this statement.  

Mental conditions are not "already there" in people with Celiac Disease. 

Celiac Disease causes malabsorption which results in malnutrition.  Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause changes in one's mental state.  High levels of histamine released in the body's attempt to protect itself from gluten can cause mental changes.  

The brain needs a certain mixture of vitamin related enzymes and without them, the brain doesn't function properly.  It's like trying to run a race car on water instead of high octane fuel.  And other body parts are affected for the same reason. Celiac Disease is systematic.  It can effect any part.  The brain isn't immune.  

Anger, irritability and depression are all symptoms of vitamin deficiencies.  Vitamin D deficiency is linked to depression.  Irritability and anger can be caused by thiamine, niacin, Vitamin C, cobalamine and magnesium deficiencies.  

Celiacs have a higher metabolic need for certain vitamins, especially when we're ill or under stress.  Vitamin deficiency disease symptoms are not recognized often by doctors anymore.  Checking for nutritional deficiencies is part of follow up care for those diagnosed as Celiac.

I hope this helps.  

 

[Fenrir]

9 hours ago, knitty kitty said:

I disagree with this statement.  

Mental conditions are not "already there" in people with Celiac Disease. 

Celiac Disease causes malabsorption which results in malnutrition.  Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause changes in one's mental state.  High levels of histamine released in the body's attempt to protect itself from gluten can cause mental changes.  

The brain needs a certain mixture of vitamin related enzymes and without them, the brain doesn't function properly.  It's like trying to run a race car on water instead of high octane fuel.  And other body parts are affected for the same reason. Celiac Disease is systematic.  It can effect any part.  The brain isn't immune.  

Anger, irritability and depression are all symptoms of vitamin deficiencies.  Vitamin D deficiency is linked to depression.  Irritability and anger can be caused by thiamine, niacin, Vitamin C, cobalamine and magnesium deficiencies.  

Celiacs have a higher metabolic need for certain vitamins, especially when we're ill or under stress.  Vitamin deficiency disease symptoms are not recognized often by doctors anymore.  Checking for nutritional deficiencies is part of follow up care for those diagnosed as Celiac.

I hope this helps.  

 

There's a difference between what you're saying and what I was talking about. 

Sure, you can have mood swings, anxiety...ect because you don't feel well. My point is that there are MANY, MANY diseases that cause different imbalances in body chemistry. This isn't unique to celiac disease. If you're healed up and gluten-free , celiac disease isn't the cause of your mental issues. If you are newly diagnosed with active celiac disease reaction going it's the imbalance in body chemistry that's causing it. 

I didn't say that all celiacs had pre existing mental issues, just that I believe much of what is reported is either the normal stress, anxiety, and agitation people experience when they are chronically ill. I do believe some Celiacs have pre existing mental health issues which are aggravated by the chemical imbalance. I think folks with more extreme cases of mental symptoms probably already had some of those symptoms before celiac symptoms came along.

The point being is that there is a admixture going on here. You have some folks with pre existing mental health issues. You have chemical imbalances due to malabsorption. You have chronic illness which is also a cause of mental health issues. 

I think more of the blame for mental health issues in celiacs is on chronic illness than the other two. Not every celiac has malabsorption to the point that would cause this. 

[Jett]

I literally had to jump out of bed to read this to my mom. This sounds just like me. All the feelings and words I’ve been saying over the years about how I feel. My anger level hits the ceiling at times and then I feel so bad because it was over really little things. I am a Christian but can’t seem to be able to control this .... but this only happens when I’m on gluten. I’m calm and collected otherwise. But the least  gluten intake draws out that horrible side of me and I also get very depressed. I always say I feel like if I could take off my skin or scoop out my brain or unscrew my head for a while I’d be fine. I was doing so good for a few days now but just had some breaded chicken wings ( gluten) cause I was hungry and wanted the protein... then I started getting mad for foolishness... I will be getting the test for celiac sometimes this year.... I want this problem gone.... any cure? I’m tired.... literally!!  My joints hurt... cramping I legs and hands and toes... and I was sure I was getting Alzheimer’s.... I even forget names a family member living with me, have forgotten my own name on a few occasions... just keep forgetting... it’s horrible brain fog.

[Scott Adams]

Hi Jett, welcome to the forum!

You may already know this but in order to get a blood test for celiac disease you need to eat gluten daily for at least 6 weeks, otherwise you may get false negative results.

I’m not sure how long you’ve been on the gluten-free diet, but it sounds like you found out already that it has helped you a lot with your symptoms, so you have to decide whether it would be worth getting formal test results or not. If you have gluten sensitivity and not celiac disease, it would not necessarily show up in a blood test. About 10% of people have gluten sensitivity while only 1% have celiac disease.

[cnazrael89]

Wow, just stumbled upon this particular old thread and I am so happy that I did! I have been consuming a gluten rich diet for the last month after positive celiac labs and was scheduled for endoscopy (performed 10/24/22-pending biopsy). I was eating A LOT of gluten in prep for my EGD...let me tell you, it has totally made me unwell emotionally and mentally. Just as the post is titled "Anger, Quick Temper, Depression" fits me to a T right now...I am normally very happy go-lucky person and pretty chill but right now I am generally upset, irritable (bad), generally feeling down in the dumps for no reason whatsoever, and very obsessive with certain things. Started gluten free whole foods only all day today and will be in the process over the next week or two of becoming a strict gluten free household. Seriously hoping the emotional/mental stuff subsides quickly because....my wife isn't all that thrilled with me at the moment...I'm driving her nuts with all of the above! I seriously feel unable to control my emotions...never experienced anything like this, to this degree in my life. Strange. @knitty kitty thanks for the research you posted on this thread regarding how gluten can affect the brain/mental health.