Erin Moriarty, star of the Prime Video superhero series The Boys, recently revealed her diagnosis of Graves’ disease. The actress shared her diagnosis on social media and urged people to pay attention to their bodies, especially when they are in pain.
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“Autoimmune disease manifests differently in everybody/every body,” Moriarty wrote in a recent Instagram post. “Your experience will be different from mine. My experience will be different from yours. Perhaps greatly, perhaps minutely.”
“One thing I can say: if I hadn’t chalked it all up to stress and fatigue, I would’ve caught this sooner,” she continued. “A month ago, I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease. Within 24 hours of beginning treatment, I felt the light coming back on. It’s been increasing in strength ever since. If yours is dimming, even slightly, go get checked. Don’t ‘suck it up’ and transcend suffering; you deserve to be comfy. Sh–’s hard enough as is.”
Per the Mayo Clinic, Graves’ disease is an autoimmune condition that causes hyperthyroidism. Symptoms include heat sensitivity, weight loss, tremors, an irregular heartbeat, and eye problems like bulging or irritation. It mostly affects women and people under 40. Without treatment, it can lead to serious issues like heart problems and osteoporosis. Common treatments include medication, radioiodine therapy, and surgery.
Erin Moriarty’s Post Highlighted How She Felt Before and After She Sought Treatment for Graves’ Disease
Moriarty’s heartfelt post included images of the actress along with screenshots of texts she had sent to her parents—one apparently sent to her mom before her diagnosis and another sent to her dad after starting treatment.
“I’m serious; I really, really need relief,” Moriarty texted her mother. “I feel nauseated tonight. I feel so s— and removed from who I am, I can’t live like this forever. Or that long. There aren’t moments anymore, not even a passing 5 seconds, when I feel normal. I’ve never had that. Not one. It’s not just fatigue – it’s an ineffable, system-wide cry for help, and I don’t know how long I can remain in this state.”
Then later to her father, she wrote: “I already feel a world of a difference, primary thought (as of now): ‘damn, this is how I’m supposed to feel? I’ve been missing out!”
Moriarty’s candid post about her Graves’ disease journey was met with support from her friends.
“So happy you’re on the road to healing,” The Boys director Shana Stein wrote. Meanwhile, co-star Susan Heyward shared a supportive heart and fire emojis.