Can thyroid disease cause anxiety?

(Traci Pederson/ PsychCentral) — Thyroid disorders are complex and highly individual — meaning these conditions look very different in each person.

But even with all the nuance and variation in thyroid dysfunction, anxiety disorders are notably more common in people with thyroid conditions than they are in the general population. A dysfunctional thyroid may lead to a chemical imbalance in the brain, sometimes triggering anxiety and panic attacks.

Anxiety frequently shows up in people with both overactive and underactive thyroid disorders. But why? (…)