| PCOS and Stress Management "THE THIEF OF WOMANHOOD": WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE OF POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME, Kitzinger C, et al, Soc Sci Med, 2002, 54(3):349-61 ARTICLE SUMMARY: "Previous research on polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) has overwhelmingly been conducted within a medical or psychiatric framework, and has failed to explore women's own experience of the syndrome. Interviews were conducted with 30 women with PCOS recruited through a national self-help organization." "Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed pervasive reports of feeling 'freakish', 'abnormal', and not 'proper' women. These feelings were related to three symptoms commonly experienced by women with PCOS: 'excess' hair growth; irregular, absent or disrupted periods; and infertility. Smooth hairless bodies and faces, regular menstruation and the capacity to bear children were associated with femininity, and as a result of their symptoms women expressed feeling 'different' from other women and less 'feminine'. The results are discussed within a feminist framework and suggest that polycystic ovarian syndrome is a deeply stigmatizing condition, 'a theft of womanhood', with far reaching implications for all women, whether or not they conform to 'feminine' norms." OUR COMMENTS: It's no secret to you how emotionally painful PCOS is. It's time for this aspect of PCOS to be recognized in the medical literature for the serious problem it really is. There's a physical component to your emotional pain. A feeling of being out of control, or carrying negative emotions such as repressed anger leads to a prolonged physiological stress reaction. This reaction creates stress hormones, including cortisol. Under chronic stress, cortisol levels in your body may remain high for long periods of time. Excessive cortisol interferes with insulin's ability to store blood sugar into tissues. The result is insulin resistance and hyperinsulinism, which many researchers think is the primary driving force behind PCOS. Insulin resistance also contributes to other disorders such as diabetes and heart disease. How you process your feelings about your body and the reactions of people around you has a lot to do with your eventual outcome with PCOS. Look into various stress management techniques and start using them. They will help you to keep your cortisol hormone under control, and you will have a more optimistic outlook. A few common stress management methods are exercise, meditation, reading poetry, taking a walk, deep yogic breathing, deep relaxation, getting a good night's sleep, resolving emotional issues with others, and sharing your feelings with a good listener or psychotherapist. Stress management is a necessary part of your PCOS healing program. SOURCE |
| PCOS AND STRESS MANAGEMENT |