Guest on the show “With an open mind“, broadcast on Sunday, March 3, on Digi 24, Dr. Alina Burlakua primary endocrinologist at Queen Mary’s Healthcare Network, spoke about the effects of stress and emotional stress on endocrine diseases and what solutions we have to treat them.

When asked what symptoms patients come to the endocrinology office with, Dr. Alina Burlaku explained:“The most common problems arethose related to sleep, eating disorders affecting libido and sexual dynamics. We also noticed that men have heart problems – palpitations, changes in blood pressure, and women – menstrual cycle disorders.”

Dr. Alina Burlaku

In medical practice, there is a close connection between emotional suffering and endocrine diseases, although psycho-emotional causes are often neglected by patients.

“Many patients come to the endocrinology office with the feeling of a lump in the throat (histrionic knot) and have problems with breathing or swallowing. After eliminating a number of causes by conducting some research – tests, ultrasound, I understand that the problem he is facing is somatization of anxiety. Basically, the body gives them alarm signals, and then I recommend a psychotherapeutic consultation.” Dr. Alina Burlaku mentions. “The first question we ask patients with these symptoms is what would you like to say but don’t have the time or space to say it?”adds Raluka Anton, psychotherapist and regular guest of the Digi24 show.

Most patients, however, do not want to go to therapy, because they associate the need to communicate with a psychotherapist with mental health problems. Being aware of emotions and expressing them is a difficult step, but it is extremely important to be kind to yourself as well as to those around you.

Dr. Alina Burlaku notes that problems and bad experiences of spouses (divorce, betrayal) are a very common reason for the development of thyroid gland pathologies, especially in men.

Major endocrine diseases caused by stress and emotional experiences in marital relationships

Chronic stress settles first of all in the neck area, in the thyroid gland, in the second place – the heart, and in the third place – the stomach. It hits the most vulnerable points of the body, and if a person is prone to thyroid diseases, stress will accelerate the onset of this condition.

“In women, autoimmune thyroiditis it can be triggered in stages characterized by strong emotional stress (during the first menstruation, during pregnancy or menopause) or in conditions of chronic emotional stress that lasts for a longer period of time. For example, a loved one has been diagnosed with a serious illness, you are in a marriage where conflicts often arise, or the workplace is toxic and exhausting.” explains Dr. Alina Burlaku.

While positive emotions such as gratitude, compassion, joy or affection mobilize us to act and help us adapt to the situation, the accumulation of negative emotions can endanger our health. “Mental suffering can trigger the onset of autoimmune type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. This can be influenced by problems that a person has in a couple and automatically bad habits – eating a lot, not sleeping enough, smoking, gaining weight and developing insulin resistance.”says Dr. Alina Burlaku.

The doctor noted that stress and anxiety can trigger or worsen diabetes, primarily through the activation of stress hormones that automatically raise blood sugar levels, as well as through the adoption of unhealthy behaviors. People who have experienced a strong emotional shock neglect proper treatment or stop following a diet.

He also adds that patients with autoimmune thyroiditis often experienced traumatic experiences in childhood, in which they did not find the strength to express themselves.

“Listen to your body’s messages. The first signs appear at the level of the heart – an accelerated heartbeat, a feeling in the cheek or a lump in the throat. The thyroid gland doesn’t lie to us, it sends us alarm signals when we’re stressed or angry.”

Psycho. Oana Nicolaou: How We Can Heal From Emotional Suffering

In addition to what was discussed on the show, psychotherapist Oana Nicolau, co-ordinator of the Queen Mary Network, says that the balance between body and emotions is important for our health and the relationships we develop throughout life. Most of the time, the secret lies in the simple things we should spend time on.

“Each person is responsible for their own health and emotional controlÞhis children in a relationship. This responsibility is limited not only to the presentation of external signs, but also to the study of inner feelings and experiences.

As a psychotherapist specializing in relationships, I notice that many people tend to act out their emotions without really understanding them or knowing how to manage them. This lack of awareness and management can lead to a lot of tension and communication breakdowns in a relationship.

When we connect with our inner world and learn to know ourselves deeply, we can clearly communicate our needs, but also understand the needs of our partner. It requires continuous self-exploration and openness to personal and relational growth. In addition, learning how to deal with emotions in a healthy and constructive way is vital to maintaining a harmonious relationship.

Mental and emotional health plays a crucial role in the development of our relationships. Investing in self-awareness and developing emotional management skills can go a long way in contributing to the stability and happiness we seek in relationships.”

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“With an open mind” is a television show moderated by journalist Andrea Brachovean and supported by REGINA MARIA Health Network and ING Bank. The show airs every Sunday from 3:30pm to 4:00pm on Digi 24 and aims to create a space to discuss emotions and their impact on anything from parenting to relationships or addictions. In each issue, public figures and professionals are invited to the debate, who openly discuss the psycho-emotional side of the fields in which they work, for example, psychiatry. Victor Toriani (Regina Maria), Mirela Retegan or Damian Dragici, Emil Rengle, Florin Ily (ING Bank), Sore Mihalace, Alex Zamfir.

The article was approved by Queen Mary