by Ram Taking Flight by Marie Lossky (@Marie.Lossky on Instagram) Recall the time when you were extremely irritable, anxious, moody, or facing some severe emotional upheaval. It was so severe that that all you wanted to do was drop everything and head to a quiet place that was far, far away from family, work, friends, etc. All you were looking for was some quietness and peace. Now if you wish to understand the cause or point fingers at something, you can blame it on your HPA axis.  The HPA (hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal) axis is a complex network of cellular interactions that trigger numerous biochemical responses and involves three main endocrine glands: the hypothalamus (aka the master gland), the pituitary gland (a pea-shaped structure located below the hypothalamus), and the adrenal glands (small organs on top of the kidneys). The physiological role of the HPA axis and the hormones associated with it are very fundamental, and similar systems exist in lower organisms as well. T...