Introduction
In this article, let’s discuss about PCOS and mental health in detail. Let’s also study how PCOS impacts women’s life and how it affects them mentally.
Polycystic ovary syndrome depression or PCOS depression is one of the most discussed topic.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder that usually affects women around the reproductive age.
Women with PCOS often deal with mental health issues, as stress and mood swings are two of the main symptoms of PCOS.
One of the most asked questions among women with PCOS is does PCOS cause depression?
PCOS and Mental Health: Why does PCOS cause mental health issues?
Although the exact link between PCOS and mental health hasn’t been found yet, there are several factors that can potentially cause mental health issues for women with PCOS.
Hormonal imbalance is one of the main symptoms of PCOS. Hormones such as progesterone, androgen, and testosterone are out of balance.
This hormonal imbalance causes brain fog, irritability, mood swings, etc. Those affected by mental health issues because of PCOS tend to feel guilty for their actions, which further increases the stress and thus affects their mental health.
When talking about PCOS and mental health, apart from hormonal imbalance, acne and hair loss are the other two common symptoms of PCOS.
Since hair loss and acne directly affect one’s body image, they also result in mental health issues like stress, anxiety, and depression.
PCOS Mental Health Symptoms
Common PCOS mental health symptoms include:
- Mood swings: Having frequent mood swings is one of the most common symptoms of PCOS, impacting mental health.
- Anxiety: PCOS might even result in anxiety issues because of the high cortisol level, which again impacts mental health.
- Stress: It is also said that women with PCOS tend to have high levels of stress, which in turn can worsen the condition.
- Irritability: Irritability is yet another outcome of women with PCOS, as they tend to have a lot of mood swings.
- Eating disorder: It is also said women with PCOS might also battle eating disorders as they use eating to cope with stress and mental health issues.
PCOS Mental Health Treatment
The PCOS mental health treatment includes:
Medication: One of the important things to do to improve mental health while having PCOS to learn to control the symptoms.
To control the symptoms of PCOS, one needs to consult with a gynecologist and get proper treatment and medications.
Lifestyle changes: Aside from medication, modifying the lifestyle is important.
It is important to have a healthy diet along with 30 to 40 minutes of physical activity.
Say no to junk: It is essential to completely quit junk and processed foods like pizza, burgers, ice cream and other high calorie, processed food to control the symptoms of PCOS.
Sleep schedule: Sleep is one of the most important factors to control the symptoms of PCOS and mental health issues.
It is important to have a sleep schedule and get at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night.
Stress management: Women with PCOS often battle with stress.
It is important to manage stress levels by practising meditation, yoga, journaling or any hobby that relaxes you.
Professional help: Apart from medication and lifestyle changes, it is recommended to get professional help from a counsellor or a therapist if you are battling PCOS and depression.
Conclusion
Women with PCOS struggle a lot both physically and mentally. But controlling the symptoms with proper treatments can help reduce the severity of PCOS.
While PCOS is very common among women, a lot of women still ignore all the symptoms and do not take medical help which can worsen the condition.
It is important to visit a gynecologist and get yourself checked as soon as you have a few symptoms. Healthcare professionals also recommend having a routine gynecological checkup twice a year.
For consultation with one of the best gynecologists in Chennai, Dr. Deepthi Jammi, contact 07338771733 and visit Jammi Scans.
Chennai Women’s Clinic is now Jammi Scans
FAQ
1. How does PCOS affect your emotions?
PCOS might lead to stress, mood swings, anxiety, and depression, which do affect one’s emotions.
2. Does PCOS cause extreme mood swings?
Yes, for some women, the mood swings due to PCOS might be extreme. It is important to consult with a gynecologist and get treated.
3. Does PCOS affect personality?
Since weight gain and acne are two of the major concerns of women with PCOS, it does affect the body’s image and one’s personality.
4. How does a woman with PCOS feel?
Most women with PCOS go through hormonal imbalance, which causes mood swings, irritability, anxiety, etc.
Since PCOS also affects body image by causing weight gain and acne issues, it might even cause depression in some women.
5. Does PCOS get worse with age?
Although PCOS doesn’t get worse with age, if left untreated, the symptoms might get worse, which might worsen the condition.
