“Can certain hormones cause my son to be more introverted?”
My son always was with kids his age, playing outside and running around, but I noticed that he's become a little introverted. He is 14 years old as well. Could this change in behavior be from hormones?
5 Answers
Hormones in puberty could cause mood change and it interferes with friendships. Maybe your son will benefit from organized sports activities and new friends.
introversion–extraversion are personality traits not real disorders. Both introvert and extrovert behaviors coexist in the same person. However one trait dominates over the other on individuals. When the introvert trait is dominant the person is called introverted or inward thinking person. When the extrovert trait dominates the person is labeled an extrovert.
An introverted person is one who is focus on one's inner psychic activity. And an extrovert is more involved in the outside world. Both are considered as a single continuum than a separate entities of human behavior.
Introverts like solitary activities. They prefer to spent time alone, reading, writing, fishing or other indoor or out door activities alone. They are not shy people, but they are not comfortable making many friends. They enjoy the few friends they have. Trust and virtue are at most important for them. Great inventors, scientist, composer, and engineers are very introverted people. These people enjoy spending time thinking and solving problems alone. Though they can get a great pleasure spending time with few trusted friends. Introverted people like quiet environment and do not like group gathering but they are not afraid of social events unlike shy people. They can be also be great speakers or leaders. They are thoughtful, analytical and intelligent people who do not like attention or external stimulation. Shy people have emotional distress, while introverted people have none of it. They are therefore naturally aroused and are prone to over arousal and prefer to withdraw from stimulus.
Extroverted people likes external stimulation. They get stimulation and thrive more in group, and social gathering (external stimulation). They under aroused so they seek arousal stimulus and attention. Therefore they are hungry for stimulus from groups and are attention seeking and very approaching people.
Information or stimulation that goes into the brain is regulated Ascending Reticular (Reticulocortical) Activating System. This information activates or deactivates the cerebral cortex that matins alertness, concentration and sleep cycles. When more information is passed through the system it causes introverted trait while allowing less information leads to extroverted behavior.
Hormones and neurotransmitters are involved in behavior. Dopamine (the hormone of happiness) is involved in behavior. It causes happiness, seeking pleasure, motivation to take risks and explore the environment. Dopamine response is more heightened in extroverts. They respond to dopamine flooding better than introverts. The level of dopamine may be the same in both groups but the response to dopamine is much stronger in extroverts than introverts. Extroverts become more talkative and are eager to explore the environment and socialize with people. Since their brain cortex gets less stimulation from the brain stem they crave more attention from external stimulus (people)
Introverts respond better to Acetylcholine than extroverts. Acetyl choline activated the parasympathetic nerves. stimulation of the parasympathetic system is engaged in the person relaxation, digests food, lower blood pressure, becomes much calmer and quieter, which are the things that introverts tend to enjoy. Though both introverts and extroverts use dopamine and acetyl choline, introverts respond and prefer acetyl choline and extroverts prefer dopamine.
There are other neurotransmitters involved in aggression and criminal activity such as monoamine oxidase and low level of adrenalin. And others such as neurotransmitter serotonin is involved in obsessive compulsive behavior.
Hormones, mainly, high level of testosterone and it androgenic precursors are implicated in aggressive behavior and criminal activity in both men and women. These group of people tend to abuse drugs, have sex with multiple partners and abuse alcohol and have a higher rate of divorce and domestic disturbances.
Introverted or extroverted behaviors are not pathological traits but normal variations of human personality. Both have their of qualities. Both can be fine leaders in society. There is no real discernible hormonal deficiencies except different response to certain neurotransmitters.
Going back to your son: Your son is introverted, which most likely is perfectly fine. He is probably more reserved and reflective. He is also probably getting more arousable stimulus from the ascending reticular system to his cerebral cortex and is busy processing more information quietly and that may be why he is introverted. Introverted people are great thinkers, scientists and inventors. They are not shy but reserved. They send more time processing more information in their brain. They do not demonstrate abnormal behavior and they can be great speakers or leaders. They are good with the people they trust. They value more trust and virtue. They do not have hormonal imbalances or behavioral disorders. However if your child is shy or have social anxiety or showing odd behaviors, he may have more than introverted behavior. Autistic spectrum and other pervasive developmental disorders need to be ruled out. If your son is a loner, experiencing difficulty in his communication with his peers and school mates or is underperforming at school, he needs to have a proper psychological evaluation by an expert.
You should discuss these issues with his doctor. His doctor will perform a complete evaluation and determine if this is a matter of reassurance or needs to get further help.
Good Luck
An introverted person is one who is focus on one's inner psychic activity. And an extrovert is more involved in the outside world. Both are considered as a single continuum than a separate entities of human behavior.
Introverts like solitary activities. They prefer to spent time alone, reading, writing, fishing or other indoor or out door activities alone. They are not shy people, but they are not comfortable making many friends. They enjoy the few friends they have. Trust and virtue are at most important for them. Great inventors, scientist, composer, and engineers are very introverted people. These people enjoy spending time thinking and solving problems alone. Though they can get a great pleasure spending time with few trusted friends. Introverted people like quiet environment and do not like group gathering but they are not afraid of social events unlike shy people. They can be also be great speakers or leaders. They are thoughtful, analytical and intelligent people who do not like attention or external stimulation. Shy people have emotional distress, while introverted people have none of it. They are therefore naturally aroused and are prone to over arousal and prefer to withdraw from stimulus.
Extroverted people likes external stimulation. They get stimulation and thrive more in group, and social gathering (external stimulation). They under aroused so they seek arousal stimulus and attention. Therefore they are hungry for stimulus from groups and are attention seeking and very approaching people.
Information or stimulation that goes into the brain is regulated Ascending Reticular (Reticulocortical) Activating System. This information activates or deactivates the cerebral cortex that matins alertness, concentration and sleep cycles. When more information is passed through the system it causes introverted trait while allowing less information leads to extroverted behavior.
Hormones and neurotransmitters are involved in behavior. Dopamine (the hormone of happiness) is involved in behavior. It causes happiness, seeking pleasure, motivation to take risks and explore the environment. Dopamine response is more heightened in extroverts. They respond to dopamine flooding better than introverts. The level of dopamine may be the same in both groups but the response to dopamine is much stronger in extroverts than introverts. Extroverts become more talkative and are eager to explore the environment and socialize with people. Since their brain cortex gets less stimulation from the brain stem they crave more attention from external stimulus (people)
Introverts respond better to Acetylcholine than extroverts. Acetyl choline activated the parasympathetic nerves. stimulation of the parasympathetic system is engaged in the person relaxation, digests food, lower blood pressure, becomes much calmer and quieter, which are the things that introverts tend to enjoy. Though both introverts and extroverts use dopamine and acetyl choline, introverts respond and prefer acetyl choline and extroverts prefer dopamine.
There are other neurotransmitters involved in aggression and criminal activity such as monoamine oxidase and low level of adrenalin. And others such as neurotransmitter serotonin is involved in obsessive compulsive behavior.
Hormones, mainly, high level of testosterone and it androgenic precursors are implicated in aggressive behavior and criminal activity in both men and women. These group of people tend to abuse drugs, have sex with multiple partners and abuse alcohol and have a higher rate of divorce and domestic disturbances.
Introverted or extroverted behaviors are not pathological traits but normal variations of human personality. Both have their of qualities. Both can be fine leaders in society. There is no real discernible hormonal deficiencies except different response to certain neurotransmitters.
Going back to your son: Your son is introverted, which most likely is perfectly fine. He is probably more reserved and reflective. He is also probably getting more arousable stimulus from the ascending reticular system to his cerebral cortex and is busy processing more information quietly and that may be why he is introverted. Introverted people are great thinkers, scientists and inventors. They are not shy but reserved. They send more time processing more information in their brain. They do not demonstrate abnormal behavior and they can be great speakers or leaders. They are good with the people they trust. They value more trust and virtue. They do not have hormonal imbalances or behavioral disorders. However if your child is shy or have social anxiety or showing odd behaviors, he may have more than introverted behavior. Autistic spectrum and other pervasive developmental disorders need to be ruled out. If your son is a loner, experiencing difficulty in his communication with his peers and school mates or is underperforming at school, he needs to have a proper psychological evaluation by an expert.
You should discuss these issues with his doctor. His doctor will perform a complete evaluation and determine if this is a matter of reassurance or needs to get further help.
Good Luck
Possibly but it seems more likely from psychosocial problem
Not really, behavioral issues are not directly influenced by his hormone levels.
Stuart Jay Brink
Endocronologist (Pediatric)
Personalities sometimes change as kids move into and through puberty, but usually somewhat more aggressive with boys getting more testosterone. If you know something about what others in the family tree experienced, this may provide a better clue so unlikely hormone related directly. Other issues in adolescence sometimes also show up more anxiety or depression, but often there were some subtle signs of these earlier on. But lots of variability. Would be reasonable to discuss with his pediatrician and perhaps even with some teachers or coaches who know him as well. If you have concerns, the getting a more formal evaluation may help.
Stuart Brink, MD
Stuart Brink, MD
