PCOS and Trauma: Breaking the Mind/Body Cycle

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition shrouded in mystery. We don’t know the exact cause. We’re unsure why it shows up so differently in each Cyster. And we don’t understand why certain environmental and lifestyle factors can make symptoms worse. This uncertainty can make PCOS feel intimidating to manage (though it is possible!) and adds a huge mental load on top of everything else.

PCOS comes with a wide range of symptoms. Many are physical—like weight gain, irregular periods, fatigue, and infertility. But there are mental health challenges too, including anxiety, depression, and even trauma. In fact, women who have psychiatric disorders along with PCOS often experience more intense symptoms and face greater struggles in the healing process.

Because of this, a lot of Cysters wonder: could trauma cause (or other endocrine disorders)? If not, what’s the connection? That’s exactly what I’m going to talk about today!

PCOS and Trauma: Breaking the Mind/Body Cycle

If you’re a woman with PCOS, it’s probably no surprise that mental health issues are a really common part of the experience. Research finds that up to 64% of women with PCOS face mental health disorders. This can include depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, OCD, bipolar disorder, or trauma-related symptoms.

The first step in navigating mental health challenges alongside managing PCOS? Understanding what trauma is and how it might relate to the condition in the first place.

Here’s what you need to know about trauma and PCOS:

What Is Trauma?

Trauma is a psychological and deeply emotional reaction to an event or circumstance. Your body reads a situation as overwhelming, threatening, or unsafe, even when it’s not, triggering a panic response. This trauma can affect you mentally, emotionally, and physically by altering your body’s stress hormones, leading to chronic symptoms. 

PCOS and Intergenerational Trauma

Intergenerational trauma is trauma that not only affects the person who experiences it, but the children, too. Poor coping skills can lead to poor parenting and unproductive stress responses, which can actually influence a developing baby in the womb. 

In other words, studies suggest stress and trauma can literally be passed down. Often, the child may develop a history of childhood trauma and emotional abuse from the mother. And unfortunately, this may be because she didn’t have the tools or stress management skills to cope effectively—even after pregnancy.

So, what does this have to do with PCOS? Maternal stress while you were still developing could make you genetically predisposed to higher cortisol levels. This, in turn, can contribute to more intense PCOS symptoms later in life.

Can PCOS Be Caused by Trauma?

No, there’s no evidence that trauma directly increases your risk of developing PCOS. That doesn’t mean, however, that trauma isn’t linked to PCOS and other health conditions. Stress can make PCOS symptoms much worse by triggering a cascade of dysregulation in the body.

Here’s how it works:

Trauma triggers stress in the body.

First, trauma triggers a stress response. Cortisol levels shoot sky high in your body, leading to fatigue, weight changes, sleep disturbances, muscle weakness, and more. 

Stress puts the body into survival mode.

From an evolutionary perspective, stress is actually important for our survival. Centuries ago, stress signaled that danger was nearby, telling our bodies to go into protection mode. Though we’re no longer running from saber-toothed tigers, our bodies still perceive stress the same way.

This stress response is meant to be temporary, which is perfectly healthy. However, chronic stress from trauma or other lifestyle factors can keep our bodies in a perpetual state of fight-or-flight. This continued response can inevitably take a serious toll on both physical and mental health.

This increases insulin resistance and inflammation.

Our bodies do two things when we’re in survival mode: activate the immune system and store extra fat. The immune system kicks in, causing inflammation as your organs search for toxins or foreign invaders to eliminate. But when the body doesn’t detect a real threat and stress stays high, chronic inflammation can begin damaging healthy tissues and organs.

We also tend to pack on pounds in survival mode. Our bodies perceive the world around us as unsafe, and aren’t sure where the next meal will come from. Insulin resistance increases, blood sugar levels rise, excess fat is stored, and appetite goes up. The result? Increase calorie intake and weight gain.

It disrupts the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

The HPA axis acts as a central hub, regulating key systems such as metabolism, circadian rhythms, immune function, cardiovascular health, and reproduction. The brain and HPA axis communicate constantly to release the right hormones at the right time. However, stress throws a wrench in the process. It disrupts communication, altering hormone production and regulation, which can cause a domino effect of problems throughout the body.  

The combined effects create hormonal imbalances.

Inflammation, insulin resistance, and high stress all lead to dysregulated hormones. It’s not just stress and insulin that get thrown off; hormones like estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and luteinizing hormone can also become imbalanced. With so many issues straining the adrenal glands at once, keeping everything regulated feels impossible.

Symptoms intensify as the root issues of PCOS worsen. 

While hormone imbalances, insulin resistance, and inflammation are running rampant inside your body, PCOS symptoms intensify significantly. Symptoms like irregular menstrual cycles, acne, excess facial hair, thinning hair, weight gain, fatigue, digestive problems can all be traced back to one of three core causes of dysregulation.

Chronic symptoms lower quality of life and affect mental health.

These symptoms of PCOS can weigh you down in a big way. And when left unmanaged, it can feel like the symptoms rule your life. It’s really tough to find yourself in that position, and it can definitely increase stress levels. Ultimately, this creates a cycle that’s hard to break.

The cycle can then repeat, reinforcing itself.

Now stress is high again, so the cycle just repeats itself. This is how trauma impacts PCOS! With that said, trauma doesn’t directly cause PCOS. However, those who already have trauma and are then diagnosed with the condition will likely experience more intense symptoms. 

How to Deal With Trauma With PCOS

• See a therapist. Trauma can amplify stress and hormonal dysregulation, so professional guidance helps you process emotions and develop healthy coping strategies.
• Practice stress management techniques. Mindfulness, meditation, or breathing exercises can calm the HPA axis, reducing cortisol spikes that worsen PCOS symptoms.
• Cut as much caffeine as possible. Caffeine is like liquid stress, so reducing your intake can help support healing and reduce trauma symptoms. 
• Make your physical health a priority. Exercise and nutrition can support not just your physical health, but your mental health, too. Try a gluten- and dairy-free anti-inflammatory diet, along with slow-weighted workouts, for hormone-balancing benefits!
• Take strategic supplements. Certain supplements (like Ovasitol, zinc, vitamin D, or omega-3s) can support hormonal balance and reduce inflammation, especially in combination with lifestyle changes.
• Join a support group like The Cysterhood. Connecting with others who understand PCOS and trauma reduces isolation and provides encouragement, accountability, and shared knowledge. Download The Cysterhood app today!
• Build a new healthcare team. Finding doctors who listen, understand PCOS, and take trauma-informed approaches can make a big difference. I know it can be challenging to find those people, but here are some questions to ask potential doctors. 
• Start journaling and doing daily affirmations. Reflection and positive self-talk through journaling and affirmations help process emotions, reduce stress, and reinforce self-compassion.
• Practice forgiveness. Letting go of guilt, anger, or resentment toward family, friends, healthcare professionals, or even yourself can help lighten your mental load.
• Redefine your sense of self-worth. Recognizing your value beyond symptoms fosters resilience and supports healthier choices in managing PCOS and trauma.
• Be kind to yourself—no punishments here. Compassionate self-care breaks the cycle of stress and self-criticism, which can exacerbate PCOS symptoms and mental health struggles.

The development of PCOS isn’t caused by trauma, but it can make it worse. 

Living with PCOS and trauma can feel overwhelming, but it’s important to remember that your body and mind are resilient. Each step you take helps to chip away at the cycle of dysregulation. Healing isn’t about perfection; it’s about giving yourself the patience, care, and understanding you deserve while navigating both PCOS and the echoes of trauma.

Ready to take on your PCOS? Let’s do it! Here’s my essential guide to managing PCOS naturally. Of course, don’t forget to download the app and listen to A Cyster and Her Mister every week!