MandyDandy

Sorry ladies, I haven’t been on this site in about a year! Hope all is well…

Anyway, I think this topic would make for a great case study.

My mom works for a multi-specialist therapy clinic (speech, hearing, physical, psychological, etc.) and has informal sessions with one of the psychologists. Today, mom told me how she brought me up during a session the other week, discussing how I used to be really loving and mushy, and then when I hit puberty, I suddenly stopped showing any emotion, and this remains true 14 years later. I don't like hugging, kissing, being lovey dovey, and I've never had a real relationship because I have built a very high, protective/defensive wall around me. Mom revealed to the therapist that I have PCOS and showed my first sign of it – acne – when I was 9 and started going through puberty (which is around the time I stopped being loving and mushy). The therapist, who happens to be good friends with a woman with PCOS, said that there's an excellent chance that when I started going through puberty at age 9, my impending PCOS came out, causing my acne, personality change, and later, my hirsutism.

This all made incredible sense, and I can't believe I never saw my tendency to be distant from people as a side effect of PCOS. I am treating my syndrome with Metformin and loesterin BC pills. I have been using AcneFree for my face which is now miraculously clear, and I’ve been getting laser hair removal for my face (and will one day tackle the rest of my body). I asked my mom if she thinks I will ever be lovey dovey ever again – she looked like she was about to cry as she shook her head no. We both wish I was more mushy and loving, and we both wish I had a boyfriend! But my personality is what it is, and now I almost positive it’s because of my hormones being a mess for the past 14 years.

I think it would be great if there was a test study that had woman with PCOS be psychologically evaluated to see if there is a linkage between their changed personality/depression/bipolarism/etc. during their lifetime and PCOS.

Any thoughts? Speak to your psychologist friends for feedback!

Take Care,
Amanda

Somewhat Damaged

Well, from a purely physiological perspective, the increased testosterone that most women with PCOS have causes us to be more aggressive and assertive, and less lovey and nurturing. In large part our hormones dictate our behaviors and tendencies. When they are messed up, we change.