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Bollywood star Arjun Kapoor recently opened up about facing mild depression and dealing with Hashimoto’s disease, a thyroid condition that runs in his family. While talking about his role in the latest Rohit Shetty movie Singham Again, he shared how tough the past year has been.

Arjun said he started feeling off like something just wasn’t working, especially as his recent movies didn’t perform as expected. Unsure at first, he turned to therapy and eventually learned he was dealing with mild depression. “I didn’t know if I was depressed,” he admitted. “I’d never been a negative person, but I started feeling stuck.” After some trial and error with therapists, he found someone he could talk openly with, which helped him understand his feelings. She did diagnose me with mild depression at that point in time, which is very circumstantial.

He also revealed that he’s been dealing with Hashimoto’s disease, which affects the thyroid and can cause sudden weight changes. Arjun shared that both his mom and sister have it too, so he’s seen its effect on one’s life. “It’s like my body’s in constant ‘fight-or-flight’ mode,” he said. This condition makes his body more sensitive to stress and has added to his physical challenges over the years.

Dr Vijay Verma, Consultant- Allergy and ENT Specialist, CK Birla Hospital Gurugram shares that Hashimoto's disease, also known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, is an autoimmune disease related to the thyroid. The autoimmunity caused by it leads to inflammation, which ultimately damages the thyroid gland. This tiny, butterfly-shaped gland is situated in the neck and is responsible for controlling metabolism, energy production, and general growth in the body through the release of two prime thyroid hormones.

“Though the exact cause of Hashimoto's is not known, it has been presumed that environmental and genetic conditions lead to this disease. This disease is more common in females and can be diagnosed by people at any age; though it is found most often in people between 30 years and 50 years of age,” he further said.

Symptoms of Hashimoto's Disease

Hashimoto's disease symptoms are highly unpredictable in the patient, and they may take a long time to develop. Some of the most common symptoms include:

Tiredness – Constant tiredness or lack of energy.

Weight Gain – Sudden appearance of weight gain when eating habits are normal.

Dry Skin – Skin may become rough, dry, or flaky.

Cold Sensitivity – One may be very cold even in warm conditions.

Constipation – There is a problem with bowel movement.

Hair Thinning – It may grow thin and brittle.

Depression and Mood Swings – Emotional disorder with low and anxious mood is faced by patients of this disease.

Puffy Face – The face often swells or becomes inflamed.

Muscle Weakness – The body fails to hold the muscular strength, particularly the upper arms and thighs.

How To Cope With Hashimoto's Disease?

Dr Honey Savla, Internal Medicine, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central shares that managing Hashimoto's disease involves regular follow-up with doctors to monitor thyroid levels and adjust treatment as needed. Healthy lifestyle changes, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management, may also help alleviate symptoms and improve overall well-being.

Treatment of Hashimoto's Disease

Dr Verma shares that the primary treatment for Hashimoto's disease involves replacement with hormones. “Because the thyroid gland produces insufficient hormones, levothyroxine, synthetic thyroid hormones, will be administered to attain a normal hormone level. The dose is changed to bring the thyroid back to the needs of the body so that the symptoms will disappear,” he said.

Adjustment of Dose: The levothyroxine dose will be titrated with time based on periodic blood tests.

"Apart from medication, there needs to be a lifestyle change where diet and exercise are integrated into daily living in order to manage the condition. Follow-up with an endocrinologist is necessary for regular visits to monitor thyroid hormones and maintain their proper balance," Dr Verma said.

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