6 Medical Conditions to Check for if You Have Depression or Anxiety

Therapy in a Nutshell

Therapy in a Nutshell -Emma McAdam

Mental Health, Education, Health & Fitness:mental Health, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 658 Ratings

🗓️ 6 March 2026

⏱️ 12 minutes

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Summary

Depression and anxiety can come from physical problems like thyroid, hormones, sleep, or nutrient deficiencies—learn the top medical causes to check Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership How to Sleep Better Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiUrrIiqidTWdplSnedICFAMlMN-8ikae If you’re struggling with depression or anxiety, it might not be “just in your head.” Many medical conditions can mimic or trigger mood symptoms—things like thyroid imbalances, hormone changes, nutrient deficiencies, sleep disorders, chronic illness, inflammation, or even side effects from common medications. In this episode, I break down 6 essential medical conditions to check for if you have depression or anxiety. These are often missed for years, and getting proper testing can completely change the course of treatment. Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell FREE Mental Health Resources: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/free-resources Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

Transcript

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0:00.0	When you're depressed or anxious, you might think the first thing to try is therapy.
0:04.0	And that makes sense, right? Well, maybe that shouldn't be the first place you start.
0:08.5	Let me tell you a couple of quick stories. A woman in Australia developed depression out of the blue.
0:13.3	There were no big changes in her life, but then she started having a stomach pain, a cough, and night sweats.
0:19.3	Depression and memory problems followed.
0:21.6	So luckily, doctors did an MRI scan and found that there was a lesion on her brain.
0:26.6	When they did exploratory surgery, the surgeon was completely shocked to find a live 3-inch parasite in her brain.
0:35.6	This is super rare, and it's an extreme example. I'm not saying that any of you have this.
0:40.3	What I am saying is that no amount of therapy would have solved this depression for her.
0:45.3	Medical conditions frequently contribute to mental health conditions like depression, and we should just get checked for them early in the treatment plan.
0:52.3	Let me give you a couple more examples.
0:54.9	Selina Gomez has publicly shared her struggle with anxiety and panic attacks and depression,
1:00.0	which she attributes a lot to unmanaged lupus and autoimmune condition.
1:05.5	And you may have heard Lisa Healy's story in the news.
1:08.3	She was treated for depression and chronic fatigue for 22 years before she was diagnosed with latent anemia.
1:14.6	Once her iron levels were fixed, her depression and chronic fatigue went away.
1:19.6	I personally had super high anxiety when I was pregnant, but when I talked with my doctor about muscle cramps and started taking magnesium supplements,
1:28.2	my anxiety decreased by like 50%.
1:30.9	And I personally believed that that low magnesium was most likely contributing to my anxiety.
1:37.5	We just can't ignore the massive impact our physical health has on our mental health,
1:42.9	and vice versa.
1:43.9	But today we're talking about the
	...

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