Hello,   I have thought about your question for awhile.  I'm not sure a hormone imbalance could worsen the effects of a mental illness, so check with your doctor or psychiatrist about that.    I do know that having a chemical imbalance, that is, schizophrenia, in my case heightened other things, like my premenstrual symptoms and moods on the first and second day of my period.  When I had my period and was not taking my psych meds, I had a much worse time of it.   Also, when a person is under stress, the stress could affect any number of things in his life, including I suspect biochemistry.  For example, some people grind their teeth at night, and this worsens with stress.   I'll research this more fully and get back to you if I find anything else.   Regards, Chri