Is There A Link Between Low Thyroid And Depression?

Are you familiar with the common symptoms of low thyroid? Even if you’re familiar with the fatigue and weight gain that hypothyroidism is so well known for, there are many more symptoms that are important to know about, including:

- Loss of Energy
- Brittle Hair and Nails
- Itchy Scalp
- Hair Loss
- Joint Pain
- Muscle Pain
- Irregular Periods
- Depression

Depression is one symptom on this list that deserves attention because it’s so incredibly prevalent among low thyroid patients. However, many patients never link the two issues because they think they are unrelated. 

HOW DEPRESSION AND LOW THYROID ARE CONNECTED.

It’s true that depression and low thyroid are separate health issues, but that doesn’t mean that a low thyroid can’t contribute to depression-related symptoms. After all, when the body does not have enough thyroid hormones, all the systems that it’s responsible for are slowed down. One is production of certain brain-based chemicals. These are responsible for creating that “feel good” feeling that helps keep you up and smiling.

While lack of hormones is one reason why low thyroid problems can contribute to depression, it’s not the only one. The fatigue, trouble focusing, headaches, brittle hair, and other problems related to low thyroid can also lead to feeling down and depressed. Unfortunately when both are combined, that can leave anyone feeling unlike themselves and experiencing more sad than good days.

HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE.

It can be overwhelming thinking about how you can get out of the constant cycle of depression when your low thyroid problem is out of control. However, visiting a functional wellness practitioner can give you the information you need to change things. These health care providers have vast experience working with low thyroid problems and understand what a major role it can play in your overall health. This is why they provide drug-free care that looks deeper into what’s really going on inside of your body.

To start, your functional wellness practitioner will give you a full panel of tests along with comprehensive exams. These will provide evidence of the underlying issues that have contributed to your low thyroid problem, so they are no longer a mystery. Once they have that, they can finally begin addressing those issues in a much more effective manner. This may mean healing an autoimmune condition, changing your diet, or other natural solutions that will work to heal your body where it needs it the most.

IN TIME THESE CHANGES MAY LEAD TO MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS...

in your overall health as well as your low thyroid. In turn this can reduce the intensity and severity of your symptoms, including depression. As a result, this can mean feeling a lot better than you did before, all without the use of dangerous anti-depressants or thyroid medications. If you want to explore whether this is something you can benefit from, then meeting with a wellness practitioner is the first step that can open many doors.