Something that struck me very early on working with PCOS was how often I heard,"Just tell me what to do." It was clear that a big part of the problem women asking for help was having was feeling out of control. In every other part of their lives, it seemed, they'd been rewarded for hard work and diligence.
PCOS just doesn't work that way.
And when the solution isn't always about DOING something to fix the problem, you can feel completely out of control…tied down…trapped…
For a problem solving personality, a doer, this can leave you feeling completely stressed.
Research has actually studied this phenomenon, it's called"restraint stress."
Restraint stress is any kind of condition that leaves you feeling as if nothing you do can alleviate your discomfort, as if you are destined to live with your situation without any relief. It is the most damaging kind of stress, as it is the kind of stress that best elevates blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol, interferes with sleep…
…can you see where this is going? Not only are you living with a seemingly unsolvable problem, but how you perceive that problem has the power to worsen that problem completely.
Sometimes what I see, is that a person focuses so completely on the problem that they perceive, that they lose perspective with regard to just what they CAN control.
They CAN make healthy food choices.
They CAN be more physically active.
They CAN set boundaries with people and limit their stress.
They CAN surround themselves with positive, supportive people.
They CAN turn the computer off and engage in activities other than surfing and reading about the problem.
They CAN be kind to themselves.
I find that those clients who are most creative at finding ways to repaint their picture, are the ones with the best chance of succeeding in the long run.
It's ironic, but then PCOS is ironic.
Stop focusing on the problem, stop thinking of yourself as an unfixable pathology, start believing you are a whole person with many talents and ideas to contribute to making our planet a great home…and all of a sudden things that felt so elusive start showing up when you least expect it.