Women often worry and feel anxious about feeling so tired even after having enough amount of sleep. They also are concerned about gaining weight even after undergoing a strict slimming diet. They did not only become thin or lose weight, they even doubled their weight. These women would then look at themselves and blame everything and anything around them. What they probably didn’t know is that the culprit could very well be hypothyroidism. It is likely the cause of their anxiety all along.
Some women rely on prescription medications to relieve the symptoms of their anxiety. And because they gained weight, they will also take some slimming drugs as well. However, anti-anxiety drugs only give temporary relief. Once the effects of these drugs wear off, anxiety usually returns. In order to control anxiety due to hypothyroidism, hypothyroidism should be understood.
When one is experiencing anxiety, hypothyroidism could be a probable cause. It is not a mental condition. It is a medical condition that occurs as one’s body ages. Thyroid is a gland located at the lower part of your neck whose main responsibility is to secrete hormones. An underproduction of thyroid, hypothyroidism, can cause weight gain after childbirth, hair loss, drying of the skin, constant fatigue, and a host of many other symptoms.
Hypothyroidism is a thyroid dysfunction that involves the lack of sufficient levels of thyroid hormone to maintain the body’s normal metabolism. Thyroid hormone is very important as it regulates the rate at which energy is burned or metabolized in almost all the cells of the body. Unmanaged hypothyroidism can lead to a number of problems such as uncontrolled obesity, infertility, and heart diseases. It can also cause anxiety and anxiety disorders.
A person with hypothyroidism experiences anxiety episodes due to the hormonal imbalance that is caused by the under secretion of thyroid hormone. The thyroid hormone does not only control the proper functioning of all other hormones in the body but also the proper functioning of the brain. Insufficient levels can cause symptoms like shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, and anxiety with alternating episodes of depression.
Some women are led to believe that what they have is “all in the mind” and will be given anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs to relieve them of their problems. If these drugs do not work, then they fall more and more into depression and get hooked deeper and deeper into the drugs.
In order to control anxiety, hypothyroidism should be addressed. There are ways by which this ailment can be treated. The first step, of course is to have a correct diagnosis from a reliable physician or an endocrinologist. Then he may suggest that you undergo a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that could balance your production of hormones. This kind of treatment requires you to have constant communication with your doctor since he has to closely monitor your reactions to HRT.
When treating anxiety hypothyroidism, alternative cures should also be considered. Check out your supply of iodine. Iodine is responsible for nourishing your thyroid glands. A healthy balanced dose of iodine may also help. To help naturally treat this thyroid condition, doctors usually recommend an increase in thyroid-supportive foods in the diet. This includes eating green leafy vegetables, almonds, and fatty fish. Eating foods high in iodine like seafood, kelp and yogurt is also greatly encouraged. This is because iodine is needed by the thyroid gland to produce the thyroid hormones. Of course, nothing beats living a healthy, holistic life to make sure your thyroid glands function normally. Check out how you can manage your stress factors and see where you can possibly get a balance in your life to make sure you stay away from anxiety-provoking conditions and situations.
