Managing PCOS Symptoms: Finding Peace and Positivity

Setting boundaries and protecting my peace has done wonders for my mental health! In hindsight, this year has been full of duality, but I have focused on the positive and what’s in my control.

Something I can always control is how I treat my PCOS symptoms, and I think it is time for an update. We are four months into the year and four periods down. So far, my menstrual cycle has been regular with minimum pain, well, less pain than before. Which is a major win! I have stayed consistent with my diet and fitness, believing tea and edibles cure all my problems. But seriously, I have found that tea and herbal delights relieve most of my physical and mental discomforts. 

But my PMS is getting a bit out of control. Physically and mentally, the PMS seems to be worse than the actual menstrual cycle this year. But let’s stay focused on the mental. My anxiety and self-criticism are at an all-time high about a week or so before my period. I go through a shame cycle and have to fight the urge not to punish myself or indulge in unhealthy habits. But y’all know I have been working on a solution to get out of my head and maintain my peace.

As much as I wish the simple solution would be to eat an edible, which would be the magic cure, with the help of edibles, I am genuinely showing myself compassion, and challenging my negative thoughts has worked best. I like to ask myself why and peel back the layers of the shame cycle. All roads have been leading back to my facial hair, and I am doing everything I can to stop or reduce the amount of excessive hair, and the rest is out of my control. I can just do my best, but I can control my mindset. 

Yes, I have PCOS, and one of my symptoms is facial hair that grows back quickly. It makes me want to hide, feel less feminine, and speak unkind to myself, and the majority of the time is when I am PMSing. But fuck that shit, this is me, with my whiskers in all. It’s just the life of a PCOS girlie, but I’m not going to allow my anxiety about my appearance to limit my life. I’m also done being bound to hide or wear an excessive amount of makeup to cover up the realities of my medical condition. As I treat the overall condition of PCOS, showing myself extra compassion and pushing past my comfort zone is soothing the negative thoughts.