Just in front of your windpipe, you'll find a small endocrine gland called your Thyroid. Its purpose is to provide your bloodstream with hormones, and more often than not, this gland can either produce too many hormones or too few. Consequently, resulting in an under or overactive thyroid, which is the leading cause of mood swings and a whole host of other symptoms.
Hormones make a huge difference to
your emotional state, especially in women where an unbalanced thyroid usually
occurs. Over 30 million Americans have a type of thyroid disorder, with half that number
having yet to even be diagnosed.
If you're curious and searching the
internet for 'can thyroid affect mood', the simple answer is yes. Keep reading
to learn the signs, causes, and how your thyroid influences your hormones and
mood swings.
What
Should You Look Out For
Overactive and Underactive Thyroids
produce different types of symptoms. But mood swings are the most common
indication.
With an Underactive Thyroid
(Hypothyroidism), you're likely to experience:
- Bouts of fatigue and low mood
- Loss of libido
- Menstrual irregularities among women
- Produces too little thyroid hormone
There are several differences with
an Overactive Thyroid (Hyperthyroidism):
- Restlessness and irritability
- Anxious episodes
- Trouble sleeping
- Produces too much thyroid hormone
With both conditions, the main
connections between the thyroid and stress levels are a short temper and lack
of patience, which further increases the possibilities of mood swings. If you
experience any of these indications, you likely have an unbalanced thyroid.
What
Are the Causes of a Thyroid Imbalance?
The causes of both Hyperthyroidism
and Hypothyroidism vary. However, each has a connection to experiencing mood
swings.
Some types are hereditary immune
diseases such as Hashimoto's, where the immune system attacks the gland; over
time, this prevents enough of the thyroid hormone to be released. Like most
types of thyroid conditions, it can be treated to regulate hormone function and
balance metabolism.
Others are due to inflammations such
as Graves Disease, where the thyroid works harder than it needs to cause a
large number of hormones to be released into the bloodstream. It's still
unclear what exactly causes the inflammation to begin with, though it is
frequent for the disease to go into remission over time or in other cases
disappear completely.
For everything, you need to know
about thyroid imbalances, head over to CanDrugStore to find out more.
Think
You Know How Your Thyroid Causes Mood Swings?
Now you've learned how your thyroid
behaves and what to expect; you'll no longer be wondering 'is my thyroid off'.
Thyroid conditions are treatable and
common to live with. In most instances, functionality can be
restored as long as the proper routine is followed. Through the use of
Radioactive Iodine Therapy and prescribed medications, with time and
dedication, you'll begin to feel better within yourself and experience fewer
mood swings.
If you're concerned at any time,
always seek the advice of your primary care physician.
For related articles, check out our
other blog posts.
