If the thyroid produces more hormone than your body needs, it's known as "hyperthyroid." If it produces less, it's known as "hypothyroid." These conditions have been linked to changes in mental health, and while it's not that common, some people find that their thyroid problems create panic attacks.
Abnormal thyroid hormone levels may cause more than anxiety, says Terry Davies, MD, FRCP, Baumritter Professor of Medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. “Thyroid disease can also cause panic attacks,” he says. “And with the panic attacks and anxiety there can be heart palpitations.”
Thyroid anxiety symptoms
Anxiety symptoms in thyroid disorders may include the following: racing heart. sleeping difficulties. irritability.
Treatment. Usually, most people who have thyroid conditions find that once they're properly treated, the symptoms, including anxiety, go away. Treatments may include medications, radioactive iodine, or surgery for people with overactive thyroids.
Those symptoms most commonly related to thyroid deficiency include forgetfulness, fatigue, mental slowness, inattention, and emotional lability. The predominant affective disorder experienced is depression. Perceptual changes may develop with alterations of taste, hearing, and vision.
When your thyroid is not functioning properly, these neurotransmitters become erratic, potentially causing anxiety and panic attacks. Anxious feelings can be made even worse after discovering you have a thyroid disorder, because now you're worried about your health.
Your physical appearance isn't the only thing affected by your hormones; they also play a big role in your overall mood and mental wellness. Hyperthyroidism may cause you to feel anxious, nervous, and irritable whereas hypothyroidism can cause depression.
This can produce symptoms of anxiety, such as insomnia and restlessness. Studies have shown that if anxiety symptoms are caused by a thyroid problem, the symptoms usually go away once the thyroid disorder is properly treated.
(2006) found that, after levothyroxine treatment, anxiety and depression levels in a group of 33 patients with clinical hypothyroidism were lower than in the control group [32].
People who have hypothyroidism and feel depressed often have symptoms like: Increased sadness. Slowed physical movements. Loss of appetite or weight gain.
It's important to note that symptoms of Hashimoto's flare-ups can also include symptoms outside the thyroid gland, such as skin issues (dry skin and skin rashes), anxiety and mood swings, weight gain, and fluid retention, fatigue, and low energy levels.
Research suggests a strong association between Hashimoto's disease and an increased risk of depression or anxiety disorders. Hashimoto's disease and anxiety disorders are associated closely enough that researchers suggest people diagnosed with either condition receive screening for the other.
Yes, dizziness is a symptom of a thyroid problem. Thyroid diseases³ or thyroid abnormalities sometimes manifest as dizziness. A high heart rate, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness are all possible symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
Symptoms of an overactive thyroid can include: nervousness, anxiety and irritability. hyperactivity – you may find it hard to stay still and have a lot of nervous energy.
Triggers for panic attacks can include overbreathing, long periods of stress, activities that lead to intense physical reactions (for example exercise, excessive coffee drinking) and physical changes occurring after illness or a sudden change of environment.
No! Antidepressants don't solve the symptoms of hypothyroidism and hormone deficiencies. Find a doctor who will work with you to discover the underlying causes of your symptoms.
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.
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).
Symptoms of Rash Due to Thyroid Disease
This itchy rash can occur on the neck, chest, back, face, and buttocks.
You have joint and muscle aches/pains
General joint and muscle pains are common when hypothyroidism is not sufficiently treated, and your dosage of thyroid hormone needs to be increased.
Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism can show up in the hands and nails. Hypothyroidism can cause dermatologic findings such as nail infection, vertical white ridges on the nails, nail splitting, brittle nails, slow nail growth, and nails lifting up.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease associated with many neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as depression and anxiety (39). It has been found that 4% of patients with MS experiences psychosis (40), a prevalence much higher than that of the general population.