INTRODUCTION TO THYROMIND

If the sole cause of a person’s depression, psychosis or other mental health problem is underactive thyroid disease, then thyroid hormone treatment may restore or improve that person’s mental health with no further need for psychiatric medication in most cases. A thyroid test from a doctor is advisable.

Similarly mental health problems due exclusively to overactive thyroid disease may improve when correct treatment is given for the thyroid disorder. A thyroid test from a doctor is advisable.

Mental health problems due to thyroid disease can be described as organic, meaning they have a physical cause.

NB Of course it is possible for someone to have both a thyroid disorder and a psychiatric condition in which case appropriate medical treatment for both is needed.

Thyroid blood tests, diagnoses and treatments are vitally important and need to be happening now in all settings where people present with mental health problems.

Thyromind is funded by a grant from the UK’s Millennium Commission through Mind’s Real People Real Lives scheme. The Thyromind Project aims to:-

1. Raise awareness of the importance of thyroid testing for all people with any symptom or diagnosis of mental illness by:-
   
1. Distributing Thyromind Inspiration Packs to 100 GPs’ surgeries in the UK encouraging them to thyroid test all patients with a symptom or diagnosis of mental illness.
2. Setting up the Thyromind Website.
3. Spreading the Thyromind message amongst charities and medical bodies.
   
2. Stimulate research into thyroid disease in people with psychiatric symptoms. Primarily to ascertain the number of people suffering from undiagnosed myxoedematous psychosis, myxoedematous depression or mental distress caused by thyrotoxicosis (see “words” for definitions) and taking psychiatric medication due to misdiagnosis. Resulting in:-
1. Getting all patients a correct diagnosis and treatment for their thyroid disorder.
2. Using test statistics to promote thyroid tests in GPs’ surgeries, psychiatric settings and elsewhere as a basic right for every patient with mental distress.

Please see Words for definitions.

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