In a message dated 7/1/2002 11:00:31 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:


> Doc Don on who is a member of this list
> has said that many people institutionalized for severe depression and
> other disorders, could become much better just by giving adequate amounts
> of thyroid supplements.  That is not to say every depressed person is
> low thyroid, but it does say that severe depression can be part of low
> thyroid function. >>>>


The first paper on the Psychiatric and Psychological implications of
hypothyroidism was written in the 1830s, and the definitive one was published
in 1888 by the Clinical Society of London. It was a report of Myxedematous
(old word for hypothyroid) patients in a mental hospital.

It was concluded that hypothyroidism had a major effect on brain function.
Hypothyroidism could present with anxiety, depression, hallucinations, or
agitated and disturbed behavior.

These facts used to be very common knowledge, and now are rarely
acknowledged. Part of the reason may be that about 90% of continuing Medical
education is paid for, totally or to a significant degree, by drug companies.

Not only is depression a common presenting symptom of hypothyroidism, the
antidepressants will not work well in people with low thyroid function.
Thyroid replacement (often T3) is used to "augment" antidepressants.

After working in the area of mood disturbances and hypothyroidism for many
years, I feel that the hypothyroidism (or Wilson's Syndrome) is most often
the real problem.

The last time I worked on a Psych unit, I occasionally found my colleagues
refusing to treat obviously hypothyroid psychiatric patients. The whole
situation was even worse in a psychiatric facility for children where I
worked. Pediatricians there, often wouldn't bother treating these kids, and
berated me for doing so.

Prozac is now a 3 billion dollar a year business. The other new
antidepressants are all big money makers for their respective companies. I
hardly expect a rational approach to thyroid and depression, any time soon.

Even though Psychiatry is not my formal focus, I find that I am helping more
depressed people with thyroid and/or hormone replacement than I ever did with
antidepressants and Valium analogs.

Doc Don




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