Can Stress Make PCOS Worse?
As you probably know, many women who have PCOS also suffer from depression and anxiety. These symptoms occur due to insulin resistance. In PCOS, insulin resistance changes the way your body produces certain hormones, which can lead to stress and depression. However, these are not the only causes of stress. You can experience higher levels of stress due to the physical symptoms of PCOS. So, can stress make PCOS worse? Yes, it can. Excess stress can cause issues like:
- Sleep disturbance
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Overeating
- Irritability
- Lack of motivation
These issues do not relate directly to PCOS. However, they are a result of the stress caused by certain symptoms of PCOS.
Physical Symptoms of PCOS
Most women believe that stress is a symptom of PCOS. While this is true in some cases, most women suffer from stress due to the physical symptoms of PCOS. These symptoms can really do a number on your self-esteem and self-perception. A few physical symptoms of PCOS known to cause stress include:
- Male pattern baldness
- Excessive hair growth on the chin, chest and stomach area (hirsutism)
- Infertility
- Weight gain
- Darkening of the skin
While these symptoms do not directly contribute to stress, they affect your physical appearance. This results in low self-esteem, which eventually leads to stress. In some cases, women lose all hope and even give up on life. Bear in mind that excessive stress can elevate the symptoms of PCOS. Therefore, it is important that you take care of yourself. Even if you have PCOS, you can still have a normal life.
Other Causes of Stress
Stress is a byproduct of PCOS symptoms. Since there is no known cure for PCOS, the best way to counter this is to curb the symptoms. Let us look at other PCOS symptoms that can cause stress.
Inflammation
PCOS can cause your cortisol levels to rise, which results in inflammation. High cortisol levels can cause depression and stress. Furthermore, high cortisol levels can also lead to insulin resistance, which is another factor that can result in high stress levels.
Obesity
Excess weight gain is a common symptom of PCOS. You may not realize, but weight gain causes anxiety and stress, even unrelated to PCOS. Furthermore, it can also affect your self-esteem, which only adds to the stress.
How to Curb Stress and Depression in PCOS
Women often resort to using prescription drugs to curb anxiety and depression. This may help you for the time being. However, in the long run the medication can have adverse effects. Some medications for stress relief are addictive. Moreover, these medicines will never cure your stress. Rather, they just suppress it for a while. Some anti-depressants cause weight gain and can disturb your blood sugar levels. To curb anxiety, depression and stress effectively, you need to deal with the underlying cause, i.e. the PCOS symptoms that are causing these conditions.
Can Stress Make PCOS Worse And How To Control It
Excessive stress can take away your motivation to go about your day-to-day activities, causing fatigue and sleep related issues. Just because you have PCOS does not mean that your life is over. In fact, it is a chance to turn your life around and adopt certain healthy habits. Once you turn your life around, you will see that it is actually quite easy to live with PCOS.
Think Positive
First, you need to think positive. Of course, this may not be easy for you. You may even have difficulty in adapting to lifestyle changes. Therefore, instead of constantly telling yourself that these are habits you have to quit, you need to develop an optimistic approach. Start telling yourself that these are the habits you need to adapt.
Be Patient with Yourself
Dealing with PCOS means you have to turn your life around entirely. This is not a change you can bring about overnight. Give yourself time and be patient with yourself. Make a small change in your routine on a daily basis. If a daily change is too overwhelming, give yourself time to adapt before proceeding with the next change.
Talk about Your Condition
PCOS is nothing to be ashamed of. Most women tend to keep their condition to themselves. You should never keep the condition to yourself. If you are not comfortable sharing this news with anyone, you can confide in a few close friends or a family member. Just talking about it and letting it out can help you control the stress associated with PCOS.
Make Time for Yourself
Dealing with PCOS is not easy. If life gets too overwhelming, make time for yourself. Take some time off work and go on a vacation. Even if you cannot go on a vacation set a couple of hours aside for yourself. Once in a week, take a warm Epsom salt bath and just relax in the tub for a few hours. You will be surprised how much a warm bath can improve your mood.
The warm water curbs stress, anxiety and depression. In short, it makes you feel less lonely, lowers your blood pressure, and relaxes your muscles as well. A warm bath will immediately lower your stress levels. You can even get some scented candles and add some essential oil along with the Epsom salt for better results.
Exercise, Yoga and Meditation
The best way to curb stress is to start working out. If you do not have time to hit the gym, you can always meditate or do yoga at home. Just 15 to 30 minutes of yoga or meditation will do wonders for improving your mood. Exercise and yoga, in general, help relieve PCOS symptoms and will improve your overall health as well.
So, can stress make PCOS worse? Yes, it can! However, you can reduce stress levels and improve your health in many ways. Many women live a perfectly normal life with PCOS. Therefore, you can do it too. Just do not ignore your PCOS symptoms. If left untreated, the condition can result in further issues. However, once you make a few adjustments to your lifestyle, you should be just fine.
