Can Thyroid Problems Cause Anxiety

The Hidden Cost Of Misdiagnosis

The impact of hypothyroidism on womens lives is often dramatic and sometimes devastating, with fatigue and poor concentration, for example, impacting career and financial success, and also affecting personal relationships.

Because the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism weight gain, depression, anxiety, brain fog, sleep problems, and fatigue are also among those that are the most likely to be chalked up by doctors to just stress or even depression. Many women are offered anti-depressants as a solution to their problems.

Women can go for years without a proper diagnosis, leaving many blaming themselves, feeling like theyre doing something wrong or arent doing enough to have more energy and feel better.

Women are driving themselves crazy dieting but cant lose weight, beating themselves up for not being happier people, and suffering from the grief of fertility problems and miscarriages all because of a problem for which theres easy detection and treatment.

Who Is At Risk For Hyperthyroidism

According to the National Institutes of Health , hyperthyroidism affects approximately 1.2% of the population in the US. Although it occurs in both men and women, its up to 10 times more likely in females.

Youre at higher risk for hyperthyroidism if you:

• Have a family history of thyroid disease

• Have pernicious anemia

• Have primary adrenal insufficiency, also known as

• Consume an iodine-rich diet or medications containing iodine

• Are over the age of 60

• Were pregnant within the past 6 months

• Had thyroid surgery or a thyroid problem such as a , also known as a swollen thyroid gland

What About Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is uncommon and is among the least deadly. The main symptom is a lump or swelling in the neck, and only about 5% of thyroid nodules turn out to be cancerous. When thyroid cancer is diagnosed, it is most often treated with surgery followed by radioactive iodine therapy or, in some cases, external radiation therapy.

Show Sources

Recommended Reading: Can An Md Prescribe Anxiety Medication

Does Thyroid Imbalance Affect Your Mood

Thyroid imbalances can affect your mental health. In fact, many of the symptoms of thyroid problems can mimic the symptoms of mood disorders. There are many treatment options available for treating thyroid conditions however, when a thyroid condition begins to affect mood, it becomes even more important to address mental health concerns as well.

Unbalanced thyroid levels can be caused by either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Each of these conditions cause different signs and symptoms.

• Hyperthyroidism occurs when your thyroid gland is overactive and produces too much thyroid hormone. Common symptoms include anxiety, mood swings, impatience, a short temper, panic attacks, tenseness, and sleeping difficulties.
• Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland is underactive and does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Common symptoms include decreased appetite, decreased motivation, depression, mood swings, overwhelming stress, concentration issues, sleep disturbances, and a short temper.

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.

You May Like: Do Anxiety And Depression Go Together

Second Round Of Testing

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.

Hypothyroidism Vs Hyperthyroidism: Whats The Difference

The difference all comes down to the prefix in each word: hyper- means over or exaggeration, while hypo- means under or beneath. When it comes to -thyroidism, hyper- means an overactive thyroid gland, and hypo- means an underactive one.

Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, can actually be caused by treatments for hyperthyroidism, since their whole purpose is to decrease thyroid gland activity. Those treatments, however, can tip the balance too far. Conversely, hyperthyroidism can be caused by taking too much thyroid hormone replacement medication to treat an underactive thyroid.

Read Also: How Can I Calm My Anxiety

Other Causes Of Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism can also result from thyroid nodules. These are lumps that develop inside the thyroid and sometimes begin producing thyroid hormones. Large lumps may create a noticeable goiter. Smaller lumps can be detected with ultrasound. A thyroid uptake and scan can tell if the lump is producing too much thyroid hormone.

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.

Read Also: How To Know If My Anxiety Is Bad

What To Do If Your Body Temp Is An Issue

If feeling overly hot or chilly is new for you, make an appointment. Your M.D. will ask you about menopause, will perhaps check your iron, and may want to rule out conditions like Cushing syndrome and Raynauds disease . Before your appointment, keep a list of symptoms and consider recent life changes, suggests Dr. Sood. That may help find the culprit.

Hyperthyroid Euthyroid And Hypothyroid

The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that regulates energy production and metabolism throughout the entire body. Your heart, brain, skin, gut, and even your body temperature are regulated by your thyroid.

Your thyroid gland produces two main hormones, triiodothyronine and levothyroxine . About 20% of the hormones are T3 and 80% T4. T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone, and T4 becomes active when its converted into T3 in cells throughout the body. A third hormone, TSH, is called a thyroid hormone, but its actually produced in the anterior pituitary in the brain. TSH travels to the thyroid gland where it signals to the gland to produce more hormones .

There are lots of reasons to test your thyroid, but when most people get it tested, doctors usually only test TSH. However, to get a more comprehensive picture of whats going on, its important to also test T3 and T4.

Too much or too little of the thyroid hormones can have a major impact on your health, including mood changes and the ability to remain calm and centered. But even when blood levels of T3 and T4 are normal, which is called euthyroid, there could still be problems. Even when T3 and T4 are normal, if TSH is normal, theres still an up to 50% increased risk for fractures.

Don’t Miss: Can Hormone Imbalance Cause Depression And Anxiety

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:

• Graves ophthalmopathy, also known as . Teprotumumab was approved by the FDA in 2020 to treat thyroid eye disease.

• Irregular heartbeat, which can lead to stroke, heart failure, blood clots, and other heart problems

• Thyroid storm

• Pregnancy complications, including high blood pressure during pregnancy, miscarriage, low birth weight, and premature birth

• 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.

The Surprising Link Between Thyroid And Anxiety

Article at-a-glance:

• Anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the United States
• One overlooked contributor to anxiety is thyroid imbalance, both overactive and underactive thyroid
• Thyroid disease is often missednearly 60% of those with thyroid disease are unaware they have a problem
• Two important trace mineralsselenium and iodineare critical for healthy thyroid function and may help address anxiety as well

Anxiety disorderswhether generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, agoraphobia, separation anxiety, or other variantsaffect 40 million adults in the United States. And yet the majority of sufferers bear their daily anxiety without help. Less than 40% of people struggling with anxiety get treatment.

Even if individuals do seek help, their healthcare providers may miss underlying causes. One overlooked contributor is thyroid imbalance, and that includes both overactive and underactive thyroid metabolism., An estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease. Unfortunately, its often missed, as nearly 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware they have a problem. And women are much more affectedtheyre up to eight times more likely than men to have thyroid problems. And in many cases, subtle underlying dysfunction may be missed.

Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Anxiety

How Hypothyroidism Triggers Anxiety

Thyroid hormone is able to exert direct control over several major neurotransmitters including norepinephrine, serotonin and GABA receptors. In fact, the hormone is involved in creation of these neurotransmitters.

In case of thyroid disorder, the neurotransmitters do not function properly resulting in anxiety and panic attacks. Physical symptoms found in hypothyroidism further increases anxiety, which is not due to the hormone defect, but by the fear triggered by the symptoms.

Further as mentioned before, stress is one of the triggers in hypothyroidism. So the anxiety may not be caused by hypothyroidism, but the other way round in some percentage of cases.

However you need to note that panic attacks and anxiety are seen more prevalently in hyperthyroidism, which is the condition where excessive amount of thyroid hormone is secreted. In hypothyroidism, the most common symptoms may be fatigue and depression instead of anxiety.

However anxiety is also reported in hypothyroidism.

Surgical Removal Of The Thyroid Gland Or Nodule

Also known as a thyroidectomy, surgery to remove the thyroid can be an effective and permanent treatment for hyperthyroidism.

A potential downside of the surgical approach is that there is a small risk of injury to structures near the thyroid gland in the neck, including the nerve to the voice box . The incidence of this is about 1%. Other possible complications include hypocalcemia and airway obstruction, though both occur in under 5% of surgeries.

Many surgeons send their patients home the day after surgery. Of course, this depends on the underlying health of the patient and their age, among other factors. Some surgeons now are even treating partial thyroidectomy as an outpatient procedure, where healthy patients go home a few hours after the surgery.

Like radioactive iodine treatment, thyroid surgery often results in This is true even when only part of the thyroid is removed, called a .

When hypothyroidism occurs after treatment of an overactive thyroid gland, it can be effectively treated with , a synthetic form of thyroid hormone thats usually taken as one small pill a day. When used in the correct dose, levothyroxine can be safely taken for the remainder of a persons life.

Also Check: What Can Social Anxiety Lead To

Boost Your Selenium Intake

Many people associate iodine as the most important nutrient to get when dealing with Hashimotos, but selenium plays an incredibly important role. Selenium works to help protect thyroid cells and can help convert inactive T4 to T3. Getting enough selenium can not only help with thyroid health but may help reduce the anxiety that comes along with thyroid issues as well. Try adding just a couple of Brazil nuts to your diet per day to make sure you are getting enough selenium. This supplement is what I use with my patients.

Mental Health Disorder Or Heart Problem

If you and your healthcare provider cannot find a thyroid-related reason for your symptoms, you may, in fact, have a panic or anxiety disorder. You may also have some type of heart condition. In these cases, you should be further evaluated by a heart specialist and/or a mental health professional.

Besides heart problems or an anxiety disorder, other causes of panic attacks include:

• Stimulant drug use, such as caffeine, cocaine, or amphetamines
• Hypoglycemia
• Adrenal gland issues, including pheochromocytoma

You May Like: How To Calm Someone With Anxiety

Why Are So Many Women Experiencing Thyroid Problems

Many factors can interfere with thyroid function, which requires healthy thyroid tissue, the ability to produce adequate amounts of thyroid hormone, conversion of the inactive form of thyroid hormone to its active form , and the effective binding of thyroid hormone to your cellular receptors a key and lock type of effect that activates all of the thyroids activities in your body.

Here are some of the top factors that can interfere with these processes:

Symptoms Of A Thyroid Imbalance

If you suspect you might have some type of thyroid condition, it is important to watch for symptoms. Talk to your doctor if you think that an underlying thyroid condition might be contributing to symptoms of depression, anxiety, or another mental health condition.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• Weight loss

Read Also: How To Know What Type Of Anxiety You Have

Thyroid Disease & Anxiety

If youre feeling completely overwhelmed and always anxious, its time to get your thyroid checked. As a Functional Medicine Practitioner, one of the first tests I run when someone tells me they deal with chronic anxiety is a complete thyroid panel.

Having excess thyroid hormone such as in the case of Graves disease can also cause anxiety. What many people dont know is that this can also occur with Hashimotos.

When dealing with Hashimotos Thyroiditis, your immune system is attacking the thyroid gland. When your thyroid gland is under attack, thyroid hormones can spill over into the bloodstream triggering anxiety and even heart palpitations.

Its also important to understand that every single cell in the body has receptors for thyroid hormones, and without proper thyroid function many systems in your body suffer. Not only that, but thyroid hormones act directly on the brain among many other body systems which makes sense as to how it can affect anxiety levels.

Stress And Your Thyroid: Whats The Connection

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Heres our process.

Stress is a word that seems all too common in todays society. Not only can chronic stress wreck havoc on your overall health and well-being, but it can affect your thyroid too.

Also Check: Can Magnesium Help With Anxiety

Thyroid And Anxiety What Is The Connection

• Thyroid

Do you suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, or depression? If these sound all too familiar, thyroid disease may be at the root of the issue. The thyroid and anxiety can hand in hand. When your thyroid does not function the way it should, your mental health can suffer.

Unfortunately, many doctors prescribe anti-anxiety medications before getting to the root of whats going on. While these medications may help get you over a hump, they are only acting as a band-aid. Its important to understand why anxiety is occurring in the first place. It all starts with the proper testing to understand if the thyroid is playing a part in your anxiety symptoms.

Who Should Be Tested

If you think you have symptoms of a thyroid problem, ask your doctor if you should be tested. People with symptoms or risk factors may need tests more often. Hypothyroidism more frequently affects women over age 60. Hyperthyroidism is also more common in women. A family history raises your risk of either disorder.

You May Like: How Do You Know If Your Dog Has Anxiety

Signs You Might Have A Thyroid Problem

When your thyroid stops working as it should, you can experience a variety of symptoms that might seem unrelated or even odd. From chills and brain fog to thinning hair and weight gain, if your thyroid isnt functioning well, you may be experiencing symptoms that are subtle and hard to characterize.

Women are more likely to experience issues with their thyroid, but anyone can suffer thyroid problems. Recognizing the symptoms of an overactive or underactive thyroid is the best way to get the treatment you need.

Hypothyroid And Panic Attacks

Hypothyroid is not generally associated with panic attacks. Hypothyroid is associated with the development of depression. There is evidence that the thyroid hormone affects the values of certain neurotransmitter levels, like GABA, and also changes body metabolism in a way that may decrease energy to the brain when a person has hypothyroid.

But interestingly, there are still many people that report panic attacks with hypothyroidism. Possible reasons for this include:

• Similar Causes – There is some evidence that stress can lead to the development of hypothyroid. Those that are prone to panic attacks – even if they have never had one before – may then be experiencing panic attacks caused by extreme stress, not thyroid hormone, and the two simply developed together.
• Health Anxiety – Hypothyroid causes many changes to your body, your emotions, your physical sensations and more. This can create a type of sensitivity to the way your body feels and “overthinking” of your own health. Health anxiety is often a contributing factor to the development of panic attacks.
• Rapid Thoughts – Hypothyroid doesn’t generally cause the rapid heartbeat and fast breathing most associated with panic attacks, but it can cause rapid thoughts and unusual fatigued thinking. This combination can cause people to experience considerable anxiety over their health, which in turn may create panic.

Also Check: Does Hemp Oil Help With Anxiety