Your Anxiety May Be Hyperthyroidism
Vivek works a target-based job in a leading MNC and often finds himself hard-pressed at delivering deadlines. On weekends, he studies for his Master’s degree. Of late, he began experiencing an inability to sleep at night and constant anxiety through the day. At first, he brushed it off as an outcome of his hectic routine. However, when he began losing weight excessively, he went to a doctor immediately.
Vivek was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism – a thyroid condition marked by an overactive thyroid gland. Vivek’s doctor started his hyperthyroidism treatment regime and advised him certain diet and lifestyle changes. Like Vivek, many young men and women lead stressful lives and develop hyperthyroidism. However, the disease is often mistaken as simple stress or anxiety. Let’s understand the link between anxiety and hyperthyroidism.
How Hyperthyroidism Causes Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism. In hyperthyroidism, a hyperactive thyroid gland produces more hormone than is needed for your body’s sympathetic nervous system. This causes a heightened sensitivity and reaction to stimuli. Normal situations of daily stress can cause you to hit the panic button. This also leads to irritability, excessive sweating, and trembling of hands. In extreme cases, anxiety caused by hyperthyroidism leads to insomnia (inability to sleep).
It is often hard to distinguish the difference between anxiety caused due to stressful situations and anxiety caused by hyperthyroidism. The best way is to get yourself medically checked. If you experience anxiety daily, feel excessively nervous in daily situations, and often get irritated for small reasons, don’t blame yourself. It might just be your thyroid.
Hyperthyroidism Symptoms Can Cause Anxiety
Hyperthyroidism is caused by an imbalance in your hormone levels. This affects many important body functions including that of your heart and brain. These symptoms can worsen your anxiety levels. Some major symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:
- Sudden and drastic weight loss
- Irregular periods
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Insomnia
- Osteoporosis (brittle bones)
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Heart palpitations
- Swelling in the neck
- Hair loss and baldness
These symptoms cause stress and often heighten the levels of anxiety already faced by a person with thyroid issues. If you face one or more of the above symptoms for a prolonged period, do consult a medical professional for hyperthyroidism treatment.
The Side-Effects Of Ignoring Treatment
Ignoring the symptoms of hyperthyroidism will make the condition worsen over time. Moreover, untreated hyperthyroidism can cause many other health complications. These include heart disease, osteoporosis, eye diseases, infertility, miscarriage, and diarrhoea. The sooner you seek medical help, the better are the chances of successful recovery.
Here’s How You Can Handle Anxiety
Alongside your thyroid medication, implementing a few lifestyle changes can go a long way in help control anxiety attacks. Here are some tips that will help calm your nerves.
- Get sufficient sleep: Sleep helps your body heal. Cut back on an hour of TV or social networking but never compromise on sleep. Avoid taking sleeping pills as this can form a dangerous habit
- Silence your phone: True that your career and personal life rely heavily on your phone connection, but you must switch it off for at least a few hours daily. This includes mealtimes and at bedtime.
- Exercise daily: Exercise helps you stay fit and also feel good. Exercise releases ‘endorphins’, the feel-good hormone, into your bloodstream. This helps to fight the effects of anxiety.
- Express yourself: Never keep your fears bottled up inside. Expressing yourself to a friend or to a counsellor will help ease the stress and reduce panic attacks.
- Invest in ‘me-time’: Undoubtedly the toughest task for a city-dweller. Yet, it is the most necessary. Even finding a half-hour of peace and quiet helps to calm the mind and improve health. Develop a hobby like dance or art which will help channel your anxiety.
Homeopathy and Hyperthyroidism Treatment
Homeopathic treatment for thyroid problems provides physical relief from the symptoms of the disease and helps in bringing the thyroid function back to normal. Offering hyperthyroidism treatment that is painless and free from side-effects, homeopathy is suitable for all age groups. Based on the science of natural healing, homeopathic medicines focus on strengthen your immune system to fight disease without dependence on chemical medications. Remember, like any other disease, hyperthyroidism only worsens if left untreated. Consult a homeopathic doctor today for advice on how you can heal your thyroid problems naturally.
