Written By: N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe | Published : May 22, 2026 1:08 PM IST
Medically Verified By: Suhasini Deshmukh
Erin Moriarty. (Image: Instagram)
Actress Erin Moriarty has opened up about her suffering from unexplained symptoms and emotional distress for years before being diagnosed with Graves' disease and that the condition plunged her into a 'severe mental-health crisis.' The 31-year-old actress who is wellknown for her role as Starlight in The Boys shared her deeply personal account of memory loss, emotional changes, sleep disturbances and overall self-perception that stemmed from the autoimmune thyroid disorder in a leading media outlet on 22 May.
In an emotional op-ed Erin shared that she was misdiagnosed with a variety of conditions including anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, chronic fatigue, IBS and depression. But she "knew none of them were right" as her symptoms continued to get worse.
The actress said her ailments started to creep up around September 2023 with extreme fatigue feeling onerous and then debilitating. She said she went to sleep for almost 19 hours a time, had extreme mood shifts, numbness in hands and feet, heart palpitations and scary memory loss.
"But the most frightening symptom of all was the cognitive decline," she said. "My short-term memory deteriorated so severely that learning even simple lines became difficult, terrifying when you're filming a television show."
Erin also confessed that the emotions got so overwhelming that she began to think she was going to die. "Death felt less terrifying than living in that state indefinitely," she admitted.
In May 2025 after years of confusion Erin was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called Graves' disease which leads to an overactive thyroid. The actress' recovery from the nasty physical symptoms was achieved through treatment but after a devastating mental health breakdown she was hospitalized months later.
Suhasini Deshmukh, certified nutritionist, Co-Founder and Director of MedRabbits says thyroid disorders can have a profound impact on emotional and psychological health and wellbeing as the thyroid hormones have a direct effect on brain function, mood regulation and energy levels.
She explains, "Graves' disease can cause symptoms including anxiety, panic attacks, irritability, insomnia, mood swings and even depression as well as brain fog, poor concentration and memory problems in many patients." The expert further added that chronic hormonal imbalance can cause undue stress on the nervous system and can cause patients to be emotionally drained and mentally overwhelmed.
Suhasini told ThHealthsite.Com that thyroid disorders can affect emotional well-being as well as physical symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue or heart palpitations. The nutritionist also cautions that if thyroid disorders is left untreated then the chronic hormonal disorder can cause grave mental anguish. She also mentioned that recovering from thyroid disorder is not always smooth and sometimes it involves a mix of medicines, nutrition assistance, stress management and mental health treatment.
Erin closed out her message with a strong reminder: "The body speaks long before it screams. Listen to yourself before your body is forced to scream loud enough for the world to hear it, too."
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis, treatment or mental-health concerns related to thyroid disorders.
