PCOS and mood swings: How does PCOS affect your mood?

6 min
|
Updated Feb 17th, 2025
Terry Sullivan
Written by Terry Sullivan
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Verified by Dr Giada Frontino

Table of contents

Firstly, it is important to note that both external and internal factors can affect your mood. Our emotions are not totally governed by the workings in our body: our relationships, jobs and even climate can all have a serious impact on our mental state. This means that changes in mood and mental state are almost never the result of just one thing, and PCOS is no different. 

Can PCOS cause mood swings? 

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition believed to affect around 1 in 10 women in the UK. Women are diagnosed with PCOS when they are suffering from 2 out of the 3 following conditions: 

  • irregular or absent periods 
  • excess androgens (“male” hormones) in the body
  • polycystic ovaries – usually revealed by an ultrasound scan

PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that can affect your mood and focus. In regard to mood swings, you will often hear people say they’re feeling “hormonal”, the behaviour of adolescents is commonly attributed to the presence of hormones as well. So, what role do hormones play in human behaviour and how is that related to PCOS?   

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is the most common cause of mood swings in women. It is estimated that 3 out of every 4 (reference) menstruating women have experienced PMS in some form. PMS can appear one to two weeks before the period starts, and is usually brought about from the drop in specific hormones that occur naturally within a regular menstrual cycle. Some women with PCOS may not have a regular menstrual cycle and, although they may not experience a pattern of monthly symptoms, they often describe a feeling of persistent PMS and switch between low mood and angry feelings.

“PCOS is a spectrum of symptoms which can vary in severity and which can have life-long implications for women’s health and well-being. Many of the aspects of young women’s lives that cause them the most distress; poor skin, excess weight, irregular periods and low mood are symptoms of PCOS. It is frankly shocking that this common and treatable condition is so neglected and under-diagnosed.”

Dr Gill Lockwood

Why does PCOS cause mood swings?

PCOS is sometimes associated with insulin resistance, where the body is resistant to the effects of insulin and therefore more insulin is produced. This leads to a high amount of insulin in the bloodstream, which through a series of steps, results in your ovaries producing more testosterone and other androgens. The excess androgens, often described as “male hormones”, present in ladies with PCOS result in many of the physical symptoms of PCOS including hirsutism (unwanted hair growth), acne and male pattern baldness. Suffering from insulin resistance also has an adverse effect on weight, resulting in many ladies with PCOS being overweight and struggling to lose weight. 

The body and the mind are intrinsically linked, and they both constantly affect one another so it can be a struggle for ladies with PCOS deal with these symptoms and they can result in feelings of hopelessness

There is strong evidence to show that PCOS can have an adverse effect on mental health, a topic which we have covered before.  A systematic review on anxiety and depression in PCOS concluded that “women with PCOS on average tend to experience mildly elevated anxiety and depression, significantly more than women without PCOS.”

Ladies with PCOS also often struggle in dealing with inflammation which can also partly be caused by excess weight and insulin resistance, this can lead to high cortisol levels which can trigger stress and depression.

Research shows that girls and women with PCOS are more likely to have an eating disorder, particularly binge-eating and bulimia. If you feel you deal with difficult thoughts and feelings around food and your body, please ask for help as this is a valuable step to take care about your health.

How can I control my mood swings?

Healthy weight 

If you have been reading a lot about PCOS, you will have seen this advice a lot of the time and it can be seriously irritating. The nature of the condition can make it very difficult for women to keep their weight healthy and often dieting can feel overwhelming.

That systematic review from earlier found that “women with PCOS with lower BMI tended to have slightly lower anxiety and depression scores”. Getting to a healthy weight with a balanced and non-restrictive nutrient-rich diet is one of the keys to alleviate symptoms of PCOS. If you have struggled with diets in the past, a slow carb diet for ladies with PCOS is usually helpful. 

Regular exercise 

Regular non-strenuous exercising often helps with regulating a variety of hormones as well as with losing weight.  An important thing to remember when exercising is that it doesn’t have to be intense. Moderate exercises like walking or yoga are great, just try your best to be consistent! 

How do you comfort someone with PCOS?

With lifestyle changes

One way to support a loved one who is battling PCOS is to enrich your diet with whole grains, lean protein and fresh vegetables and be mindful of your lifestyle alongside them. Providing this support can help provide motivation and discipline which can both wane when people feel they are battling alone. 

Learn about the condition 

Trying your best to understand about the condition from reliable resources will help you to be more empathetic. This understanding will leave you in the best position and with effective tools to be mindful of the way PCOS can be tackled. There is good information on the NHS website, on Verity, and we have written a lot about PCOS on our website.  

Listen and be patient 

s mentioned earlier, PCOS and mental health issues can go hand in hand. Be supportive and understanding if she is struggling with her self-esteem or mood. If necessary, support her decision to go and see a counsellor and a PCOS Specialist. 

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