Have you ever wondered what it would be like to one day wake up in someone else's body? Nothing seems normal; you wonder who is this person and where is the real me? This is what people with Graves' disease experience almost every day. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease discovered by Robert Graves in 1835. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks the thyroid gland and causes hyperthyroidism. . Graves' disease occurs when antibodies such as thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins and thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TRAbs) attack the thyroid gland as if it were a foreign body or virus of some kind. This disease is the most common type of hyperthyroidism. Attacking the thyroid gland in this way causes it to excessively overproduce the hormone thyroxine which controls the body's metabolic rate. Increased thyroid activity can increase the body's metabolism by 60-100%. (Weeks 34-35).Graves disease is a thyroid disorder whose cause is unknown, although there is an increased risk for those who develop it if other family members have it. It is eight times more common in women than in men. It usually occurs in people over the age of 20, although children are sometimes affected. Graves' disease affects more than 3 million people, and there are approximately 60,000 new cases of Graves' disease in the United States each year. It represents 60% of cases of hyperthyroidism. Graves' disease has many possible symptoms, including fatigue, tremor, double vision, insomnia, anxiety, muscle weakness, unstable weight, nervousness or irritability, restlessness, anxiety, increased sweating, brittle hair and nails, heat intolerance, rhythm rapid and irregular heartbeat, common...... middle of article ......h the multidimensional challenges associated with Graves' disease. However, empowering and supporting the patient's self-efficacy to decrease feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and cultivate new habits and/or attitudes will improve coping capacity. An encouraging and supportive environment that capitalizes on success and self-esteem with informal support will reinforce positive functioning. Works cited Ghandour, Abdulraouf and Carin Reust. “Hyperthyroidism: a stepwise management approach.” » Journal of Family Practice 60.7 (2011): 388-395. Ginsberg, Jody. “Diagnosis and management of Graves’ disease”. CMAJ: Journal of the Canadian Medical Association 168.5 (2003): 575-585. Holcomb, Susan Simmons. “Detection of thyroid diseases, part 1”. Nursing 33.8 (2003): 32cc1-32cc4. Weeks, Bridget H. “Grave’s Illness.” Nurse Practitioner 30.11 (2005): 34-45.