“During the Covid-19 pandemic, I thought the hardest part was being locked inside. I didn’t realise that even after life returned to normal, I would still be dealing with a battle that nobody could see.

The months of isolation and stress took a heavy toll on me. Beneath the surface, I had a genetic vulnerability to autoimmune disorder, and over time, my immune system began attacking my thyroid gland, disrupting the thyroid functioning that drives our metabolism and overall body energy. I was eventually diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, which eventually resulted in hypothyroidism—meaning my thyroid was underactive.

My weight began creeping up, and despite trying to change my diet and routine, it became increasingly difficult to get my body back to where it was. I was also dealing with persistent fatigue and brain fog, and there were days when I felt like I was living in a stranger’s body. The hardest thing was that nobody could see what I was going through. From the outside, I looked alright, so it was easy for people to assume that I was simply overeating or stressed.
As a man, I also realised how little we talk about thyroid disorders and autoimmune conditions in men. There is still a perception that thyroid problems are mainly a women’s health issue, which can make it harder for men to recognise their symptoms and speak openly about what they are experiencing.

Living with an invisible illness has taught me that there is no single quick fix. It means taking the recovery phase seriously, getting a thyroid profile and anti-TPO antibody tests regularly, paying attention to nutrition, managing stress, and understanding what is happening inside your own body.

In the recovery phase, I’ve learned how vital it is to focus on positive mental health and rebuild consistency through regular physical activity. I also learned a hard lesson about the dangers of prolonged isolation—stepping back out, mingling, and staying connected with people are just as important for healing.”