A few years ago while moderating on a thyroid disease forum, someone posted about being diagnosed by an MD, with "Bipolar Disorder" and they were prescribed an anti-psychotic drug for this. While these type drugs are extremely needful and very helpful to people who do indeed need them for psychotic disorders they may be suffering, at the same time, I believe any patient in doubt about a diagnosis, should seek confirmation of needing such a drug. Sometimes a second opinion by another qualified mental health professional, is needed because these drugs are powerful and should only be prescribed to patients who actually have these psychotic disorders.

Below was an article I wrote after corresponding with this thyroid patient in regard to Bipolar Disorder and their being prescribed drugs for this, despite their concerns that the diagnosis could possibly be incorrect. Some of my article response to this, came from my own experience in seeing family members diagnosed with psychotic disorders they did not have and from an experience years ago, when this was also done to me.

Here is that article:
While I certainly believe these type drugs can be of tremendous value to people who have Bi-Polar Disorder, I also know that for reasons we may never know, there are Doctors who are prescribing some of these ant-psychotic drugs to people who do not have the disorders the drugs are designed to treat. I believe Depakote your Doctor is prescribing for you, is also used to treat epilepsy and migraine headaches.

I know a little about this because I have a nephew and aunt on opposite sides of my family, who were both "diagnosed" with bi-polar and schizophrenia and neither of them had either of these disorders.

In the late 1980s, I had a very bad job situation and developed anxiety, due to the stress of it and upon seeing an MD, he diagnosed me with manic depression (similar to bi-polar) and prescribed anti-psychotic drugs, which I only took for one month, until my Church Pastor, made me realize it was a bogus diagnosis and he proved this by showing me a medical resource describing the condition.

My symptoms did not even remotely point to bi-polar but were typical anxiety symptoms, which resolved after a job change, to a less stressful occupation.

Let me just say that with bi-polar, the name describes just what this is, "two opposed extremes". People with it, will become severely depressed, followed by episodes of "mania", meaning periods of exaggerated elation. In fact during these manic episodes, the person seems very energetic and wants to go on a shopping spree for example, or work on a project endlessly and can actually go without sleep for days or even weeks. They also tend to feel self-exalted at these times, thinking they are very special and greater/stronger than the average person (delusional).

Some bi-polar people have "mixed" episodes, where these depressed and manic spells may alternate more rapidly. The point being, that if you do not experience spells of mania/extreme elation, it is unlikely Bi-polar Disorder. Another reason I know this is because I have another family member, by marriage who is bi-polar and it is fairly obvious when a person actually has it.

Depression alternating with anxiety, IS NOT THE SAME THING. These two commonly co-exist but anxiety is not mania, it is a fear emotion, that also causes worry at times and certainly this would not be an elated or exalting feeling.

I would be very cautious to add such a drug and for a more clear diagnosis, I would see a mental health professional before accepting such a diagnosis. Anxiety and depression affect a very large percent of the population, while bi-polar affects approximately 1%.

ALSO: yes, depression and anxiety both are strongly connected and common symptoms of thyroid disease as you asked in your question and in fact bi-polar is believed to have a connection to it as well but as I describe above, it must also meet the mania criteria to be bi-polar disorder. Depakote, in my understanding is designed to control the mania aspect of the disorder.

Regular MDs and GPs, in my opinion, should be cautious in diagnosing common anxiety and depression, as psychotic disorders and should test people presenting with symptoms suspicious of being psychosis, for possible thyroid disorder.