Connections between the thyroid and anxiety, the thyroid and stress, and hypothyroidism and anxiety are well-documented. There is also evidence of a causal relationship between hypothyroidism and depression. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones.
Yes, thyroid disease can affect mood. Common thyroid disease symptoms that affect mood include anxiety or depression. In general, the more severe the thyroid disease, the more severe the mood changes.
Under stress, your body releases the hormone cortisol. Too much cortisol can interfere with thyroid hormone production: It can stimulate the thyroid to work harder to create sufficient amounts of thyroid hormone. Also, when stressed, you're more vulnerable to autoimmune thyroid conditions (eg, Hashimoto's thyroiditis).
It's thought that physical or mental stress can lead to thyroid storm because stress causes high levels of certain hormones to be released into the bloodstream.
The thyroid represents the essential aspect of a human being. It is through our throat that we express our inner most strength of will, ability to follow our dreams and to share out inner most desires of the heart.
The two major causes of thyroid disorders are nutrient deficiency and autoimmune disease. Iodine is a crucial nutrient for thyroid function. Thyroid hormone is rich in iodine, and deficiency of iodine can cause both hypothyroidism and goiter (a swelling of the thyroid gland) (5).
The Vishuddha Chakra is located at the throat, and it is associated and closely connected with the thyroid gland. You might be familiar with the fact that the thyroid gland affects mental and physical development and regulates metabolism.
Symptoms of thyroid storm include: Feeling extremely irritable or grumpy. High systolic blood pressure, low diastolic blood pressure, and fast heartbeat. Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Getting regular exercise (especially aerobic) Doing mind-body exercises such as yoga. Meditating or practicing other mindfulness techniques. Taking hypothyroidism and anti-anxiety medications as prescribed.
Research into the mind/body connection showed that patients with anxiety, depression, and other psychiatric disorders often possessed abnormal blood levels of thyroid hormone. Oftentimes, common psychological problems parallel physical disorders, as well.
In addition, stress exacerbates autoimmune thyroid diseases, such as Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, leading to elevated thyroid hormone and decreased TSH levels [10]. Despite being exposed to a similar stressor, autoimmune thyroid disease can make it difficult to interpret the response of the HPT axis.
Significant correlations between the thyroid hormone levels and clinical features were observed in the non-medicated patients. The more severe current panic attacks were, the higher the TSH levels were. In addition, severity of anxiety correlated negatively with free T4 levels.
In conclusion, the current study shows that thyroid function (T4 and TSH) is significantly higher in those individuals suffering from poor sleep. The study has found correlations between sleep score, stress score and FT4 in this study group. This suggests sleep quality and stress levels can affect thyroid function.
Depression, Hypothyroidism, or Both
One problem that can complicate diagnosis is that depression and hypothyroidism share some of the same symptoms. Low mood, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, decreased libido, and weight gain are common symptoms of both.
Eating a thyroid-friendly diet can help reduce inflammation and decrease the severity of flare-ups. Try to eat meals that mostly consist of lean meat, fish high in omega-3's, and vegetables. Some studies suggest that eating a gluten-free diet may also help people with autoimmune thyroid conditions like Hashimoto's.
You change your diet.
Certain foods, like walnuts, soy, and foods high in fiber, can interfere with the absorption of your thyroid medication. Cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale, may interfere with the production of thyroid hormone in people with an iodine deficiency.
A Hashimoto's disease flare-up may cause the pituitary gland to produce more TSH to rebalance hormone levels. Continued overproduction of TSH causes the thyroid to become enlarged, leading to a painless but uncomfortable condition called goiter.
The afternoon crash means your blood sugar has dropped too low for your brain and body to function normally, causing you to become drowsy, mentally foggy, tired, and unmotivated. Unstable blood sugar is notorious for making it difficult to manage an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto's hypothyroidism.
Mercury: Nervous system, skin, face, thyroid. It has direct influence over mental disorder, ear problems etc.
Regulation of thyroid hormone starts at the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus releases thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) into the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system to the anterior pituitary gland. TRH stimulates thyrotropin cells in the anterior pituitary to the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).