Can hypothyroidism cause crying spells? (2023)

Can hypothyroidism make you cry?

If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) you may feel stressed and overwhelmed and experience depression, tearfulness, and loss of appetite.

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. Symptoms can include loss of appetite, lack of concentration, difficulty sleeping, reduced motivation, mood swings, a short temper, depression and excessive stress.

Turns out Oprah was right — repressed anger really can lead to low thyroid. Back in 2007, Oprah Winfrey created a huge controversy when she invited a medical doctor on her talk show to argue that low thyroid in women may be the result of unexpressed emotions.

Many symptoms of psychological dysfunction have been described with hypothyroidism. Those symptoms most commonly related to thyroid deficiency include forgetfulness, fatigue, mental slowness, inattention, and emotional lability. The predominant affective disorder experienced is depression.

Hypothyroidism can often be misdiagnosed as psychiatric illness. The hypothyroid patient may present with depression, an organic mental disorder, apathy and/or frank psychosis (usually with paranoid symptoms).

General joint and muscle pains are common when hypothyroidism is not sufficiently treated, and your dosage of thyroid hormone needs to be increased. Joint and muscle weakness and pain, especially in the arms and legs, can be evidence that you need an increased dose of antithyroid drugs for your hyperthyroidism.

Myxedema is the most severe form of hypothyroidism. A person with myxedema can lose consciousness or go into a coma. The condition can also cause the body temperature to drop very low, which can cause death.

Thyroid anxiety symptoms

Anxiety symptoms in thyroid disorders may include the following: racing heart. sleeping difficulties. irritability.

Health Anxiety - Hypothyroid causes many changes to your body, your emotions, your physical sensations and more. This can create a type of sensitivity to the way your body feels and "overthinking" of your own health. Health anxiety is often a contributing factor to the development of panic attacks.

Can hypothyroidism cause emotional stress?

Cortisol, the main hormone produced in response to stress, can suppress pituitary function and keep the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from being released, thereby inducing hypothyroidism, according to Dr. Wasser.

Sometimes factors like stress and other medications can affect the function of your thyroid or of your levothyroxine absorption. This can cause your hypothyroidism symptoms to flare up.

Patients suffering from hypothyroidism often report the occurrence of emotional distress (ED), typically in the form of depression, anxiety and anger (10, 11). Boswell et al. (12) showed that depression occurs in nearly 50% of cases of hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism is common in adults and is frequently associated with cognitive issues, such as increased forgetfulness, mental slowing and “brain fog”.

And although hypothyroidism is commonly associated with depression, it can also cause anxiety. The thyroid hormone is pivotal to the creation and regulation of neurotransmitters like serotonin. Low serotonin levels are linked to depression, anxiety, and mood.

Hyperthyroidism is frequently associated with: irritability, insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, fatigue, impairment in concentrating and memory, these symptoms can be episodic or may develop into mania, depression and delirium.

Both hyper- and hypothyroidism may cause psychiatric symptoms like depressive or anxiety disorder, memory deficits, executive inability and even psychosis. The severe decompensated hypothyroidism may result in myxoedema coma - a life-threatening condition with sequentially progressing encephalopathic symptoms.

Silent thyroiditis is an immune reaction of the thyroid gland. The disorder can cause hyperthyroidism, followed by hypothyroidism. The thyroid gland is located in the neck, just above where your collarbones meet in the middle.

The two main types of thyroid disease are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Both conditions can be caused by other diseases that impact the way the thyroid gland works. Conditions that can cause hypothyroidism include: Thyroiditis: This condition is an inflammation (swelling) of the thyroid gland.

Can thyroid cause weird symptoms?

Are you having memory issues? That could be a symptom of a thyroid condition. If you feel like you're in a brain fog, having difficulty concentrating, or find yourself becoming more forgetful, this could be a sign that your thyroid levels are out of whack.

Myxedema is very rare because it's highly unlikely that you wouldn't recognize the symptoms and seek treatment. This form of hypothyroidism is life threatening. Myxedema can eventually slow metabolism to the point where you would fall into a coma.

Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) isn't usually associated with eye disease. In severe cases, however, hypothyroidism may cause swelling around the eyes and a loss of the hairs in the outer part of the eyebrows.

Hypothyroidism can affect the heart and circulatory system in several ways. Lower production of thyroid hormone slows your heart rate. Hypothyroidism also makes the arteries less elastic, and blood pressure rises in order to circulate blood around the body.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism usually appear slowly over several months or years. However, some people develop symptoms of hypothyroidism quickly over a few months. In general, the lower your thyroid hormone levels become and the longer they stay low, the more severe your symptoms will be.

[1] A large laboratory data-based study by Ehrenkranz et al. showed that there is a significant circadian variation in the TSH levels with peak levels occurring between midnight and 8 am and nadir levels between 10 am–3 pm and 9–11pm.

Myxedema (coma)

Myxedema is a rare but life-threatening complication of severe hypothyroidism that involves extreme fatigue and impaired cognition, followed by loss of consciousness.

Hypothyroidism can affect many body systems. But when treated, your symptoms can fully resolve. Untreated hypothyroidism can lead to serious complications, including heart disease and nerve damage. In rare cases, it can be fatal.

Thyroid disorders can have a noticeable impact on your energy level and mood. Hypothyroidism tends to make people feel tired, sluggish, and depressed. Hyperthyroidism can cause anxiety, problems sleeping, restlessness, and irritability.

Can thyroid problems cause intrusive thoughts?

Thyroid Functions and Mental Disorders

Thyroid gland disorders are frequently associated with severe mental disturbances.

Hypothyroidism is a common condition where the thyroid doesn't create and release enough thyroid hormone into your bloodstream. This makes your metabolism slow down. Also called underactive thyroid, hypothyroidism can make you feel tired, gain weight and be unable to tolerate cold temperatures.

Thyroid hormones are crucial for brain development, and influence brain function throughout life. In adults, hypothyroidism causes lethargy, hyporeflexia, and poor motor coordination (1,2), is associated with bipolar affective disorders, depression, or loss of cognitive functions (3,4).

In conclusion, even though both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are associated with changes in mood, overt bipolar disorder is uncommon in thyroid dysfunction.

“Stress has a negative impact on the immune system. So if you're really stressed, it can make the symptoms of hypothyroidism worse,” Hatipoglu says. Even if your hypothyroidism is well controlled, high stress causes your body to release adrenaline and cortisol. Those can make you feel anxious and “fried.”

Yes, thyroid disease can affect your mood — primarily causing either anxiety or depression. Generally, the more severe the thyroid disease, the more severe the mood changes. If you have an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), you may experience: Unusual nervousness.

What does hypothyroidism feel like? “It may be completely asymptomatic or may present with several non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, cold sensitivity, dry skin, thinning of hair, constipation, weight gain, hoarse voice, muscle aches, and slowed heart rate.”

If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) you may feel stressed and overwhelmed and experience depression, tearfulness, and loss of appetite.

Does levothyroxine make you emotional?

(2009) found that women who took levothyroxine and were euthyroid had a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression than women in the control group [20].

Standard treatment for hypothyroidism involves daily use of the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine (Levo-T, Synthroid, others). This oral medication restores adequate hormone levels, reversing the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism. You'll likely start to feel better soon after you start treatment.

Common signs and symptoms of thyroid storm include: Having a high fever — a temperature between 104 degrees to 106 degrees Fahrenheit is common. Having a rapid heart rate (tachycardia) that can exceed 140 beats per minute. Feeling agitated, irritable and/or anxious.

Conclusions: There is no significant association between hypothyroidism and bipolar disorder. Family history of mood disorder and hypothyroidism show significant association.

About overactive thyroids

Excess levels of thyroid hormones can then speed up the body's metabolism, triggering a range of symptoms, such as: nervousness and anxiety. hyperactivity – where a person can't stay still and is full of nervous energy. unexplained or unplanned weight loss.

Anxiety and depressive symptoms were more severe in patients with overt hyperthyroidism. Psychological symptoms improved with treatment. Women with hyperthyroidism were more likely to exhibit anxiety and panic disorders.