How To Manage And Treat Anxiety
The good news is that both hypothyroidism and anxiety are highly treatable. According to Solomon, proven ways to manage anxiety include:
- Working with a therapist
- Doing mind-body exercises such as yoga
- Meditating or practicing other mindfulness techniques
- Taking hypothyroidism and anti-anxiety medications as prescribed
Solomon is especially fond of teaching her clients mindfulness as a way to counter anxious thoughts. Watch your thoughts just observe them. Then ask, Is this thought true? Is it overly negative? she suggests. Then ask yourself, Can I replace this thought with something more positive?
In some cases, treating hypothyroidism alleviates anxiety completely although this is mostly when anxiety symptoms came on suddenly as a result of too-low thyroid levels, Solomon says. But it many cases, hypothyroidism and anxiety need to be treated concurrently, though treating one will help ease the other.
If you have both hypothyroidism and anxiety, be sure to work with your doctor to monitor both conditions. Initiation of treatment and adjustment of thyroid hormone dose should be guided by both laboratory testing and symptoms, ideally by a supportive and understanding healthcare provider, says Rosenfeld. People with anxiety or panic disorder may require more frequent thyroid laboratory testing, as it is difficult to distinguish between thyroid dysfunction and mental health concerns, she adds.
Thyroid Dysfunction Can Be Mistaken For Mental Illness
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck. Its job is to produce hormones which regulate our metabolism, that is, the speed at which energy is used by our bodies. Thyroid hormones are secreted into the bloodstream then carried to every tissue and organ in our bodies and help the body keep the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs working as they should. Too much or too little thyroid hormone can affect brain function. If the thyroid is under-active or over-active , the emotional symptoms that one experiences can be similar to the symptoms associated with various mental health disorders.
According to the American College of Endocrinology, thyroid disease is more common than diabetes or heart disease, effecting as many as 30 million Americans. More than half of those people are unaware of their condition, many because they have been misdiagnosed. It is not unlikely that a person reporting symptoms of depression, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia and brain fog will mistakenly receive a diagnosis of major depression, general anxiety, or bipolar disorder. They may be prescribed antidepressants, mood stabilizers, sedatives or all three, when in fact what is needed is treatment for thyroid dysfunction.
The chart below shows the similarities between the symptoms of a thyroid condition and bipolar disorder.
Youve Been More Cranky Than Usual
Letting out your inner witch from time to time is totally normal, but if shes become the new you, you may have a hormonal issue. Your central nervous system, the command center of your brain, contains thyroid receptors that shape brain function and your day-to-day mood and sense of well-being. With an under active thyroid, you may feel slowed down and depressed. An overactive one may lead to anxiety, listlessness, and panic, explains James Hennessey, M.D., an endocrinologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
I finally ran her blood tests again, this time with a full thyroid panel included.
My dog had a classic picture of hypothyroidism on her blood panel:
- Slightly low total T4
- High thyroid stimulating hormone
- High anti-thyroid antibodies
Add to that the weight gain, lethargy, hair loss, dry skin and the fact that she is likely a breed that tends to have thyroid problems I diagnosed her with hypothyroidism.
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Youre Often Hotter Or Colder Than Everyone Else
The gland acts as your bodys temperature control center. When its sluggish, blood vessels on the skins surface constrict, making you feel chilly. If you have hyperthyroidism, a speedier metabolism generates more heat and allows blood vessels to open, warming skin and making you sweat, says Dr. Sood.
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Can Your Thyroid Affect Your Thinking
In addition to regulating metabolism, thyroid hormone regulates the function of the brain. Low thyroid hormone levels can cause memory loss and impaired concentration. Brain fog is not a regular occurrence for most people.
Levothyroxine May Improve Thyroid Function But Comes With The Risk Of Anxiety And Depression
When you have hyperthyroidism, it can be difficult to get a good nights sleep. If your thyroid produces too much hormone, you may wake up feeling anxious or cranky, have night sweats, or occasionally urinate. The thyroid is one of the many hormones that affect your sleep. If you take levothyroxine, a medication used to treat hyperthyroidism, you may change your personality. Women who were treated with levothyroxine for hypothyroidism were found to be more likely to develop anxiety and depression .
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Fatigue And Trouble Sleeping
Another symptom of a dysfunctional thyroid is fatigue. The feeling of fatigue even after getting 8 hours of sleep at night, waking up intermittently throughout the night, having anxiety before falling asleep or napping for long periods of time during the day are all common indications of a problematic thyroid.
Do Thyroid Issues Cause Panic Disorders
An estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease, according to the American Thyroid Association. However, 60 percent are unaware of their condition, and some believe their thyroid issues can cause panic disorders. Women, more than men, are affected by thyroid problems.
Some symptoms of an overactive thyroid can cause people to feel like they are having a panic attack. Keep reading to learn more about how this condition may cause panic disorders.
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Does Hyperthyroidism Affect Your Thinking
There is no definitive answer to this question as the effects of hyperthyroidism can vary from person to person. Some people with hyperthyroidism may experience changes in their thinking or mood, while others may not. If you are concerned that hyperthyroidism is affecting your thinking, it is important to talk to your doctor.
Toxic goiter has a significant effect on the brain, according to a University of Gothenburg study. Volume changes are felt in the brains central areas. Thyroid gland hyperthyroidism is caused by an overproduction of thyroid hormone. Symptoms decrease as hormone levels are reduced, and the brains size returns to its original state. Margareta Nystrm, a researcher at the Swedish National Institute for Health and Care, says that the fact that scientists can now demonstrate how the brain is affected is extremely important. According to University of Gothenburg professor Mats Holmberg, many unanswered questions remain. Holmberg says the first findings of the study will be made public soon.
Schizophrenia and generalized anxiety are common symptoms of Graves disease , both of which are present during and after hyperthyroidism treatment. The presence of increased thyroid hormone levels has been linked to a decrease in hippocampal volume. To investigate GD influence on regional volume dynamics in the regional temporal lobe , we conducted this study.
What Are The Serious Complications Of Hyperthyroidism
People with advanced and severe hyperthyroidism will face problems, some of them life-threatening. The good news is many patients do not reach this level of severity.
Complications can include:
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Graves ophthalmopathy, also known as . Teprotumumab was approved by the FDA in 2020 to treat thyroid eye disease.
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Irregular heartbeat, which can lead to stroke, heart failure, blood clots, and other heart problems
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Pregnancy complications, including high blood pressure during pregnancy, miscarriage, low birth weight, and premature birth
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Bone loss and osteoporosis
The longer you have an overactive thyroid and go without treatment, the greater the risk of lifelong complications, even after treatment. As over 60% of people with thyroid disease go undiagnosed, its important to listen to your body before reversible symptoms like weight loss and insomnia progress to serious or life-threatening issues.
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How Is Thyroid Inflammation Treated
Indeed, going through thyroiditis can be devastated, primarily because it affects the quality of life. Even so, you dont have to feel overwhelmed since the condition can be treatable, and you can continue enjoying life. Typically, treatment depends on the stage, type, and symptoms of thyroid inflammation.
- Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and cortisone to manage thyroidal pain and inflammation.
- Beta-blockers help alleviates heart palpitations, tremors, and sweating.
- Radioactive iodine aims at shrinking the enlarged thyroid.
- Anti-thyroid medications, such as propylthiouracil and methimazole
- Thyroidectomy: This may be necessary when other treatment modalities are not applicable.
- Graves Ophthalmopathy can be treated by using artificial tears or undergoing Orbital decompression surgery.
- Use of hormone replacement therapy to manage hypothyroidism.
- Antibiotics medications to treat thyroid inflammation resulting from an infection
Nowadays, physicians are applying innovations and tests to help make a prompt diagnosis of thyroid inflammation disorders. If you start experiencing stress and anxiety, among other thyroiditis symptoms, contact your GP immediately. Additionally, if you know of someone suffering from thyroid inflammation symptoms, ensure you refer them to a reliable physician.
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Can Hyperthyroidism Cause Altered Mental Status
If not adequately treated, delirium, altered mental status, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure , thromboembolic disease, and cardiovascular collapse are all possible complications.
During hypothyroidism, people may experience fatigue. A weight gain is inevitable. Reduced sex drive. Cognitive problems can develop as a result of thyroid dysfunction, but these problems are usually temporary and improve over time with treatment. If you are concerned about your thyroid function, you should consult with your doctor. It is their responsibility to determine the source of the problem and to recommend the most effective treatment.
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Weight Gain And Anxiety
Weight gain is one of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism. Evidence shows that body composition is closely related to thyroid hormones because they regulate thermogenesis, basal metabolism, and participate in the metabolism of glucose and lipids or fats.
Thyroid hormones also play a role in your food intake and fat oxidation. Hypothyroid people experience a decrease in thermogenesis and a slower metabolism.
As a result, they tend to have a bigger BMI and a higher prevalence of overweight or obesity than their healthy counterparts.
Why is this important? While weight gain is not a symptom of anxiety, it is still connected with these psychiatric disorders. March 2018 issue of the journal Menopause had an interesting discovery.
You see, a team of scientists found that overweight women are more likely to develop anxiety. The study is the first of its kind to demonstrate that waist-to-height ratio could be the indicator of anxiety risk. Women with a higher waist-to-height ratio were more likely to have anxiety than those whose with a healthy weight.
It is particularly important to mention that overweight or obese individuals can display behaviors resembling those associated with anxiety disorders.
These behaviors can also stem from insecurity and feeling out of place due to negative body image. Gaining weight due to hypothyroidism can have a negative impact on a patients mental health and aggravate their anxiety.
What Is The Thyroid
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your neck.
A very important part of your endocrine system, your thyroid controls your metabolism with two primary thyroid hormones T3 and T4 .
T4 and T3 allow you to metabolize proteins, fats, and carbohydrates regulate your mood and body weight and maintain your body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate.
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If You Are Suffering From Weight Gain Fatigue Hair Loss And More Click Here To Schedule A Consultation So We Can Find Out Where Youve Been Where You Want To Get To And How We Can Help You Get There
I know exactly where you are because Ive been there myselfI remember being so tired that I could barely function. I gained 30 pounds out of nowhere and had a severe case of brain fog. I also started to get severe anxiety and panic attacks. I was driven and motivateduntil I wasnt. I didnt know what was happening to me. All I wanted was to get my life back
Finally, I learned about functional medicine and found a practitioner that I hoped could help me. They ran specialized tests that were far different than I had ever had before. When I got the results back, it turned out I had candida, parasites, high cortisol, the Epstein Bar Virus and many food intolerances. I also had an issue with my thyroid that no one found before because they were using the conventional medicine lab ranges which are way too broad.which I now know is one of the leading causes of hypothyroid misdiagnosis.
I went through treatment of all of these things and it completely changed my life. I immediately lost the 30 pounds I had gained plus more, I had a lot more energy, and my brain fog was gone. I felt amazing and knew that I wanted to help people find the underlying causes of their symptoms and disease.
Anxiety In Hypothyroid Patients
Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid gland, has a major impact on your overall health including psychological wellbeing. That is why its potential relationship with anxiety shouldnt come as surprise.
Although scientists have explored the link between the two on numerous occasions, there is still a need for further research to uncover all mechanisms that connected hypothyroidism and anxiety.
Bathla M. et al investigated the prevalence of both anxiety and depression in hypothyroid patients. Their study included a total of 100 patients with hypothyroidism whose anxiety levels were measured by Hamilton scale for anxiety and depression assessed via Hamilton depression rating scale .
Findings revealed that women were more likely to suffer from hypothyroidism and patients with this condition exhibited either depressive symptoms or anxiety.
Gender prevalence is one of many things that both hypothyroidism and anxiety have in common women are more frequently affected than men. Bathla and his team concluded that thyroid hormones play a significant role in behavior, mood, and cognition.
The correlation between thyroid status and psychiatry disorders is a major source of concern mainly because dysfunction of the butterfly-shaped gland can initiate psychiatric comorbidities.
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Types Of Thyroid Imbalances
There are a number of different conditions that affect the thyroid, but two of the most common problems are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
- Hypothyroidism, also known as an underactive thyroid, happens when the body does not produce enough thyroid hormones. It tends to affect women more frequently than men. It can occur at any age, but it also tends to be more common in adults over the age of 60.
- Hyperthyroidism, also known as an overactive thyroid, happens when the body produces too much thyroid hormone. Many people who have an overactive thyroid experience some type of anxiety symptoms. However, research also suggests that depression is also very common, affecting as many as 69% of people with hyperthyroidism.
Other types of thyroid disorders and problems include Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, goiter, and thyroid nodules.
Anxiety As A Symptom Of Hyperthyroidism
If you have been diagnosed with an overactive thyroid, it is possible that it is one of the contributing factors to your anxiety. In fact, anxiety is considered one of the most likely effects of hyperthyroidism.
The thyroid hormone essentially activates the entire body. It speeds up your body’s metabolism in a way that causes your entire sympathetic nervous system to be more active. That means that not only are you experiencing anxiety, you are also experiencing:
- Nervous tremors/shaking
If these look like anxiety symptoms, that is because they are. That’s one of the reasons that it is hard to tell the difference between anxiety produced by an overactive thyroid and anxiety that is caused by something else. The two share many of the exact same symptoms, making it very difficult to distinguish them from each other clinically without a blood test.
And one of the reasons they may be difficult to distinguish is because they are both anxiety. Even if an overactive hormone is causing that anxiety, it is still anxiety nonetheless.
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Why Am I Anxious If Im Hypothyroid
You may wonder how this related to anxiety. The short answer is we dont know. My best guess is that the sympathetic nervous system kicks in to speed up processes in the body. Adrenaline rushes over long periods leads to anxiety.
If you suffer from anxiety, depression, learning issues, or brain fog, its time to get your thyroid checked. There are better ways to test thyroid than just doing a TSH including taking your temperature or measuring other hormone in the body such as sex hormone binding globulin. This is what I do in my practice now instead of measuring just the thyroid levels. I am certified in Wilsons Temperature Syndrome therapy, a novel approach to correct issues with thyroid conversion. In fact many people who were previously diagnosed with Hashimotos or other thyroid issues, regained healthy thyroid function after this treatment approach. Schedule with me if you want to learn more. Your path to feeling better is just around the corner.
The Conventional Approach To Anxiety
The conventional approach to treating anxiety focuses on using medications, including SSRIs and anxiolytic medications like benzodiazepines .
There are many well-documented side effects of antidepressants and benzodiazepines, ranging from the rare but serious suicidal ideation/action, homicidal ideation/action, and even death to the very common brain fog, weight gain, sexual dysfunction, and feeling disconnected from reality. And as you may have guessed, I dont think that anxiety is caused by a Prozac deficiency or a benzodiazepine deficiency, so using them to treat anxiety will only mask the symptoms, rather than address the root cause.
As a pharmacist who once specialized in psychiatry, I believe that most medications have their time and place. If medications can help someone feel better and get through a difficult time in their lives while the benefits outweigh the risks, then we should consider their use. But after my own personal journey with taking back my health and training in functional medicine, I now have an interest in helping people address the root causes of their anxiety and look for solutions that are based on lifestyle interventions .
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