A study from the University of Pennsylvania on PCOD and behavior confirmed that 35% of women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome also suffer from depression. A sampling of the general populations should show this number to be closer to 10%. A second study was conducted by Dr. Anjua Dorkras to follow up on this interesting correlation.
Know The Signs
As with almost any condition, being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome in the early stages will help you significantly. The diagnosis will alert doctors to test for other conditions associated with this syndrome. If you have been diagnosed with PCOD, talk to your family and friends about this condition and the possibility of depression so they can be on the lookout for symptoms. If you wait to discuss this important matter with them, your mental health may be in such a state that you would resist this conversation. You have to be proactive to protect not only your physical health, but your mental health as well. You may need more than just getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and consuming enough fluids to control PCOD.
Dr. Dorkras's Study
After the first polycystic ovary syndrome study was completed, sixty women were asked to return for the second follow up program. This second study was conducted over a 22-month period. One third of the women were already diagnosed with depression from the first study. What was surprising was the fact an additional eleven cases had developed. There were also five women from the original group that had progressed to severe depression that appeared to be untreatable.
In the second study, there were 103 participants with over half suffering from more than one mental issue. These included eating disorders for 23% and anxiety disorders for another 15% of the group. It was not simply the high numbers that were alarming, but the severity of the conditions as well. This underscored the need for women to be vigilant about detecting PCOD in the early stages.
What Does This Study Mean For Sufferers?
Treatments may change in the future, but for now, the study has no direct impact on those suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome. Doctors that participated in the study urge physicians to use The Primary Care Evaluation or Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire. These questionnaires give experts the opportunity to identify a host of mental disorders beyond depression as early as possible so treatment may begin quickly.
Chemistry can play a part in women with PCOD being more susceptible to these mental conditions, but there are also other factors to be considered. A common problem in women with this syndrome is weight issues. The added weight may contribute to some of these mental issues alone. Another complication associated with PCOD that can increase emotional and mental complications is acne. It also may be the pain, irregular periods, and other complications as well.
Every woman is different and how she deals with the effects of PCOD is different as well. Women need to be made aware of all of the symptoms associated with this syndrome and the fact that mental disorders may be included so they can be identified and treated as early as possible.
Christine O'Kelly is an author for the polycystic ovary syndrome research group from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. They are currently involved in numerous research studies on PCOD. Visit them online for more information about this syndrome or to volunteer for their current trials.
