Besides acting as chemical messengers for several body functions, hormones also play an important role in regulating mood, energy levels and well being. The thyroid, a small butterfly shaped gland located at the base of the neck,  secretes hormones like TSH, T3 and T4 which play an important role in metabolism, mood regulation, sexual function etc. Sometimes, the thyroid glands may produce too much of these hormones.

This is called hyperthyroidism and results in weight loss, sleep disturbance, irritability, inability to withstand heat, eye irritation and so on. Decease in thyroid hormone production, called hypothyroidism results in dry skin, weight gain, irritability, forgetfulness and so on. Depression is also associated with problems like fluctuation in weight, irritability, fatigue, sleep disturbances etc. A higher incidence of depression has been found among people with thyroid hormone imbalances.

As a matter of fact, several symptoms of thyroid hormone imbalances are often mistaken for anxiety disorder, panic attacks or just stress. Doctors recommend a blood test to analyze the levels of TSH, T3 and T4 so that they can identify the root cause of the depression. The condition can be treated by balancing out the hormone levels using drugs like levothyroxine in case of hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism treatment may involve drugs, radioactive iodine or surgery.