5 psychological results of endometriosis that no one speaks

Endometriosis, complex chronic inflammatory disease is still widely ignored, while it affects almost one of the ten women of the prosecution if therapy and public attention is essentially focused on its physical symptoms, related.

Despite the gradual idea, keeping in mind the mental health of these women, it is still rarely integrated into medical strategies. Understanding and recognizing this invisible dimension is necessary to improve the overall management and welfare of women with endometriosis. This highlights the five psychological consequences of chronicle endometriosis that we do not speak enough.

1. Emotional lift: Between frustration and misunderstanding

Getting a diagnosis of endometriosis is often a real barrier course: the average expectation of the diagnosis is between seven and ten years, during the period in which women suffer from severe and minimalization of their pain – this is a double punishment. During these long years, the lack of recognition of symptoms by medical profession and adequate diagnosis increases the feeling of loneliness and misunderstanding: the mental health of these women weakens. Therefore this waiting period is often accompanied by great emotional instability, which is marked by an alternative between frustration, anger, anxiety and deep sense of injustice.

I think this patient had to wait about eight years ago, before his pain was finally taken seriously. During this period, he regularly faced comments like “it’s in your head” or “you are a nipple”. His physical and mental anguish ignores that pronounces his displeasure and a sense of helplessness. Fear associated with potential results on fertility adds an additional emotional charge.

2. Mental weight: a tiring daily organization

Staying with endometriosis means that medical appointments, sometimes a calendar filled with heavy remedies requires persistent adaptation, and permanent attention to the symptoms of ups and downs. This daily management quickly becomes a heavy mental charge.

Regular hormonal remedies, many therapies and paramedical follow -ups, hard outfits around pain management, its diet adaptation, or even anticipation of crises require constant vigilance. It has been added that it is under pressure to explain and has constantly justified its position with its professional or personal entry. Family and friends do not always understand and support themselves. This considerable (and unheard) mental charge contributes to physical and psychological exhaustion, which negatively affects the quality of life.

3. Change of self -prime and loss of confidence

Visible and invisible physical manifestations of endometriosis, such as fatigue, pain, surgical scars or even digestive disorders and inflammation, affect the image of the body of women deeply. Inability to feel good, inability to accept in a body, who feels prisoner, affects the relationship with himself, which often leads to a sense of devaluation. Thus, a patient had indicated that he had lost self -confidence and was now marked by the stigma of many tasks to identify himself in this body, which was to relieve him of his pain, in vain.

This change in the perception of its body image can be permanently anchored and can cause deep crisis. This condition creates a sense of shame and insecurity, especially when pain intervens intimate relationships and reduces libido. Therefore it can cause a significant emotional and relationship withdrawal.

4. Social isolation: when misunderstanding leads to loneliness

Another major fatal effect of endometriosis is progressive isolation that leads to it. Due to the variety and intensity of symptoms – variation from one woman to another -, maintenance of a stable professional activity, a social and love life or simply feeling of daily tasks becomes very complicated, if not impossible. Frequent misunderstandings, both individual entry and professional or therapy, reflects this feeling of isolation. Disable decisions or comments (“you exaggerate”, “All women are in pain during their period”) may inspire women to question themselves and to internalize themselves, which push them for separation.

A patient explained to me how she slowly left her friends and colleagues. To disable her symptoms, to cancel outing or activities at the last minute, she agreed and misunderstood, and so eventually preferred to be alone rather than encountered with misunderstandings and tragic comments. Thus obstructions to release regular social events due to unbearable pain or excessive fatigue, these women see that their relationship cycles gradually decrease. Some are excluded. The resulting isolation further strengthens the psychological crisis and makes it particularly difficult to reach psychological and social support, although it is necessary.

5. High risk of anxiety disorders and depression

Chronic pain, uncertainty about future, difficulties finding effective treatment and major effects on daily life especially create environment for the development of food disorders, anxiety disorders and depression, among others[1]Many patients told me their difficulty in finding the power to get up every morning. Just the idea of facing a new day of pain and fatigue seems inaccessible to them. They feel prey to their own body, tired of effective solution and absence of support.

Facing this reality, it is important to educate related entry at these risks and educate health professionals. This to quickly detect the signs of these disorders and to be able to offer suitable psychological support in the care tract of these patients. Increasing the veil on this invisible burden is necessary for complete recognition of this complex disease. Integrate this psychological dimension in a multi -clinical care tract systematically, which will make it possible for patients to offer overall, consistent and truly beneficial support, thus represents an essential advance in complete management of endometriosis. Psychological support, whether it is individual therapy, double therapy or speaking groups, can only be beneficial to prevent deteriorating symptoms and promote better quality of women’s lives with endometriosis.

[1] According to several studies, women with endometriosis have a significant risk of anxiety and depressive disorders than the normal population.

Reference

Collar, D., Pathak, GA, Vendent, FR, Tile, DS, Leve, DF, Overstreet, C., Galenter, J., Taylor, HS, and Polimanti, R. (2023). Examination, anxiety and food disorders with epidemic and genetic association of endometriosis. Jama Network Open, 6 (1), E2251214. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.51214
Lagand, AS, The Rosa, VL, Rapicard, AM, Valent, G., Sapia, F., Chiflo, B., and Vitale, SG (2017). Anxieety and depression ends in victims: pass and chanenges. International Women’s Health Journal9, 323-330
Van Stein, K., Sent, K., Detzen, B., and Vis, C. (2023). Understanding the psychological symptoms of endometriosis from the perspective of a research domain criteria. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12 (12), 4056. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12124056