Hyperthyroidism & Emotions
Graves’ Disease- A Missed Call for Love?
Despite recent advances in diagnostic procedures and the development of new techniques for removing or damping down the function of the thyroid gland, the enigma of Graves’ disease remains unsolved. Why the thyroid starts functioning abnormally, why antithyroid medication can succeed in damping down the function of the thyroid gland in some people and not in others, cannot be explained.
A relationship between severe emotional shock and the onset of hyperthyroidism had been noted by clinicians since the first descriptions of the disease entity. Cases in which the illness starts immediately after a severe shock continue to be seen.
However, the presence of emotional shock is not the only imperative for the appearance of Graves’ Disease or Hyperthyroidism. By emotional shock, I mean traumatic life events or living under continuous stress (family or work related). A sudden event then may trigger Graves’ Disease, depending on the persons pre-disposal to autoimmune disorders. You can check possible traumatic events here: Graves’ Disease Causes.
It appears that the presence of extended emotional disturbance or stress, even in cases where is not so evident, is a good enough reason for the onset of these diseases.
My personal observations as a former patient with Graves’ Disease, as well as my investigation as a psychologist, show that the stability of Graves’ Disease/ Hyperthyroid patients rests upon the ability to gain affection and protection by doing for others, or taking care of the others. They appear to be friendly, out-going, and likable persons, perhaps because they have unconsciously cultivated ways of being liked, usually giving much and asking little. They concentrate their efforts on gaining the affection of a parent, a child, friends, and a group of people or a spouse by self-sacrifice.
Unless they can give of themselves they feel unwanted and rejected. Even though they are unable to “assert” their own needs openly, they nevertheless expect unswerving fidelity in return for their over solicitude. That’s the way they are able to control the people around them and that’s how so-called “neurosis of power” is created.
As a result, the patient is left helpless, betrayed and enraged. It appears that the basic need of these patients is for more love than they can get at that particular moment and for a prolonged period of time. At a certain point, the disease starts to manifest on different levels.
For me, this is one of the basic psychological reasons for the onset of Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism- the inability of the patient to communicate their need for love, as well as to receive love.
The structure of this psychological phenomenon lies in the following scheme:
Basic needs (love, food, acceptance, sense of belonging, sexual needs etc.)—–> not satisfied due to different reasons (rejection, inability to ask for etc.) —–>Aggressive Response Anxiety —–>Defense Against Anxiety ——> Reaction Formation (ostentatious display of independence or/and affection)——>Break Down —–>> Ineffectual Defense Structure with overwhelming Anxiety is apt to produce thyrotoxicosis.
Final Thoughts For Your Consideration:
1. Determine your basic needs- here and now. What do you need: love, food, tenderness, attention, validation, what exactly?
2. Can you use different methods of communication to ask for what you need?
3. Make a list of activities that will endorse your sense of self-love. What do you for yourself? How do you love yourself?
4. Make decisions based on your real needs and therefore create a lifestyle based on these needs. If your job is not giving you what you want, look for another one, if your spouse is not what you want- speak up or leave, etc. (easily said than done, I know). But there is always a way out of any situation.
5. Clear relationships and communications. Speak up how you feel. Don’t attack verbally the other people. Aggression is not the way. But you still can say what you think at least.
6. Love your disease, this is the way how your body and your soul want to remind you that they still exist. Honor them.
Love, Chemistry and Graves’ Disease- the Chemical Connection
How do we can explain the chemical connection between Graves’ disease and Love? Is there such connection at all? Yes, it seems there is- Abdulrahman Alkhowaiter, a Doctor of Natural Medicine and one of my clients seemed to find this connection or us. He was also so kind to allow me to publish
his findings on my website, so everyone can read them. So here we go:
“Svetla, I wanted to elaborate on your discussion of Thyroid disease and the link to mental stress or emotional shock:
During heavy stress situations, the Adrenal glands in both humans and animals respond automatically. Since the animal and human body is blind to the actual situation, it considers that the shock is a physical one (even when it is a purely emotional issue such as death of spouse or divorce), and the Adrenal gland is commanded to excrete high levels of several Adrenal hormones by the master gland, or Hypothalamus gland located near the brain.
These hormones include Adrenaline, Cortisol, and other catabolic hormones secreted into the bloodstream, in anticipation of a major physical injury which will require immediate rebuilding and repair of tissue. In addition, DHEA, an Anabolic (good) hormone produced by the Adrenals is sharply reduced in output. Therefore the catabolic hormones are the most dangerous in the short and long term, because these begin a physical breakdown (Catabolism) of human tissues to release isolated amino acids such as L-Glutamine, and other agents such as minerals (copper, zinc, sulfur, Iron ) to be used to rebuild the “damaged” tissues when the physical injury occurs.
It is the internally generated chemicals when produced in high quantities that are directly responsible for the destruction of tissues such as the Thyroid gland. Those people undergoing emotional shock, and who have a robust thyroid gland and robust organs can resist this attack and can recover with no long-term effects. Many others do not because they have unhealthy organs, to begin with, which are borderline functioning, and the result of this chemical attack then becomes permanent damage. Can it be repaired? Yes, but it requires highly scientific nutrition based upon a deep biological understanding.
You yourself are one example of someone who has done just that. And what does love have to do with it? External Love and deep internal satisfaction cause the Hypothalamus gland to command other glands to release large amounts of Anabolic hormones such as HGH, DHEA, Testosterone, IGF-1, and others, which have the opposite effect as compared to the Catabolic hormones. Also, Cortisol, Adrenaline, and other Catabolic hormone levels sharply drop in response to commands from the Hypothalamus during this time.
The end result is the ability to rebuild damaged tissues that were adversely affected during the emotional stress period.
Wish you well,
Abdulrahman Alkhowaiter
Doctor of Natural Medicine
So, as you see- Chemistry is everywhere- even when we talk about Love and Graves’ Disease.
Stay well,
Svetla Bankova