DEAR THYROID^TM

There’s a construct in many books on hormone therapy that I’d like to dive into today. Michael Galitzer, MD, Richard Shames, MD & nutritionist Byron Richards all refer in their latest books and speeches to the idea that we are, as individuals, dominant in a particular energy gland: either thyroid, adrenal or ovaries/testicles.

In other words, you are a thyroid-dominant personality, an adrenal-dominant personality, or sex-gland-dominant.

Not sure I buy it but tell me what you think. Indulge me. And, BTW, does that mean I have Thyroid Personality Disorder?

Adrenal Personality First

Do you depend on cortisol as a behavioral trait? Are you an adrenaline junkie? Otherwise known as a type-A personality, these folks are overachievers and need drama to move most satisfyingly through their day, sometimes even manufacturing conflict and urgency just so they can feel something. What matters to them: strength, independence and results.

When out of whack, Adrenal Personalities are quick to anger and irritability, anxiety and fear – and emotional energy becomes unstable.

Thyroid-Dominant Personality.

In a crowded room, these folks are collaborators and prefer to process everything with you. They are constantly trying to “right-pace” their activity and meter out their energy to fit the situation. They seek organized communication, agreement and collaborative plans.

When out of balance, Thyroid Personalities have these symptoms: excess weight, depression, severe fatigue, dry skin, hair and nails in addition to other skin problems. Women can have irregular cycles, wonky menopause, PMS, infertility, miscarriages. Low libido is common in both genders.

Sex-Gland-Driven Personality tends to have great focus and stamina when in balance, particularly in social situations and reproduction. They are the women who are always stepping forward to volunteer as the manager of the soccer team, and do not have difficulty accommodating other’s needs. They never miss a kid’s game. They exercise regularly, and their balanced levels of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone keeps them feeling vital and on task.

When people with this personality type lose their spark – they have difficulty thinking clearly or staying focused. Memory sucks. They lose stress resilience and can’t keep up with the ordinary ups and downs of life, the everyday demands. They feel “fuzzy,” as coined by Richard Shames, MD. They feel hormonal – and often their well-intended gynecologist starts them on a birth control pill, which makes them feel worse.

Some of us are purely one type of personality, and the rest of us are a mix. Thought leaders who promote this concept feel it helps with therapy – figure out the primary gland that drives you, and that allows you to prioritize your therapy. What is your dominant personality? Is this a helpful construct?

written by Dr. Sara Gottfried

Tags: adrenal dominant, dominant gland, energy gland, sex gland dominant, thyroid dominant, Thyroid personality disorder written by Dr. Sara Gottfried

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