More Thyroid Problems Or Just Going Crazy?

Reader’s Question

I am 21, and for the past two weeks I’ve been feeling I’m going crazy. I’ve been having extreme racing thoughts, disturbed sleeping patterns, bouts of repeatedly screaming at the top of my lungs, hitting things when something insignificant sets me off, fast talking, pounding my thighs with my fists, rapid mood changes, and disturbing/brutal thoughts.

Last night I felt like taking a lot of sleeping pills and sleeping for a whole day or two, merely to stop my thoughts and worries because I was already “wired” at 4:00 am. I had to be at work at 7 and just wanted my thoughts to shut up. I came so close to taking the pills but decided that it’d be too much of a mess and that other people would have to deal with the aftermath, and I couldn’t do that to them.

I don’t know what to do. I seriously feel like I’m losing it because I’ll be stable (and, at some points, the life of the party) one minute and the next minute something will set me off and I’m screaming and out of control. It’s like something clicks in my head and I feel crazy for awhile.

My only abnormality, that I know of, is that I was born without a thyroid, and it has to be checked again in 4 months because my TSH levels have recently lowered to a normal range.

These are not all of my symptoms or thoughts, but they’re all I can think of right now. I’d appreciate any help you might be able to give.

Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply

It’s not uncommon for individuals with thyroid problems to report a few of the symptoms you do, especially irritability and sleep difficulty (although usually these symptoms are associated with hyperthyroidism or an excess of thyroid-produced hormones). But racing thoughts and several of the other symptoms you describe are also common features of Bipolar Disorder. Having the thyroid issues you have certainly does not preclude possibly having another condition such as bipolar disorder or commonly associated mental conditions. But because you have a significant medical condition, and because making a sound and accurate diagnosis of your problems will require a fairly comprehensive assessment by a medical professional or team of clinicians capable of evaluating the complete symptomatic picture, it’s best to bring all these issues to the attention of your primary treating physician. The sudden onset and rapidly-shifting quality of some of your symptoms also indicate the need for careful and complete evaluation in order to rule out any previously undetected medical issues, complications from treatment, medication side effects, co-existing conditions, etc.

Right now you’re feeling overwhelmed and are looking for answers. It might take some time for all the underlying reasons for your difficulties to become clear. So, don’t hesitate to bring all your concerns to the immediate attention of your doctor and prepare yourself in advance for the possibility that it may take some time and even some trial and error to arrive at a solid diagnosis and come up with an effective treatment regimen.