Mental Health and Endo

Disclaimer

I’m not a mental health professional. If you are struggling with dark thoughts, please, please, please seek professional help.

You are not alone. It’s not in your head. You can get better.

Do you remember the guards I talked about? Those that killed the lil’ bunny? What do you think would work faster:

• the guards finally relaxing after not seeing a real threat for weeks/months,

• or their boss telling them the war is over and sending them home?

We, too, need to actively give our brain permission to relax.

The vicious cycle of endo and mental health issues

The problem isn’t just that our brain’s pain center is more sensitive because of the chronic pain. Due to pain, fatigue, trying to meet society’s expectations, medical gaslighting, fertility issues, you name it, we are also more prone to depression, anxiety, burn-out and other mental health conditions.

On top of that, the chemical processes related to endometriosis were also proven to alter our brain, increasing our risk for mental health conditions.

But did you also know that these mental health conditions all increase inflammation? They change processes in our body - almost instantly.

That’s the piece of the puzzle I was missing for so long: I treated mental health solely as a consequence ("I’ll feel better mentally when I feel better physically"), while it is a vital part of a vicious cycle and should be addressed as such.

The First Step to Mental Healing

As you know by now, I only select strategies that meet the Endo to Energy criteria: simple + easy + proven. For mental wellbeing, I’m relying on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I like how actionable it is and how easily it can be woven into a daily habit.

Introduction to CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been proven to be effective for a range of issues, including depression, anxiety disorders, and chronic pain.

The core idea of CBT is that our thoughts, feelings, and behavior are interconnected.

Changing negative thought patterns can lead to changes in feelings and behaviors, ultimately improving mental health and breaking the vicious cycle that leads to increased endo symptoms.

The Theory Behind CBT

CBT relies on 'neuroplasticity' or the brain's ability to rewire itself by forming new neural connections.

How? By identifying & challenging negative thought patterns and beliefs, and replacing them with more positive and realistic ones. In medical jargon, this is called Cognitive Restructuring.

The CBT process

These are the 4 steps:

• Identify the negative thought: Become aware of negative thoughts and beliefs to understand how these thoughts lead to feelings of anxiety and depression.

• Challenge the thought: Question their validity and consider alternative perspectives.

• Replace the thought: Replace negative thoughts with more positive and constructive ones. Over time, this can change the way the brain processes information, leading to reduced symptoms.

• Behavioral Change: Encourage positive behavior and activities to reinforce the new, healthier thought patterns.

Practical Example

Take a moment to go back to your tracker. What did you answer to 'how often are you in pain'? Here's an example of CBT, describing a thought I had without even realizing it:

1. Identify the negative thought: "Pain is constantly and will forever be present in my life."

2. Challenge the thought: What evidence do I have for this? Do I even realize when I'm not in pain? Is there any proof I really can’t get better?

3. Replace the thought: "I’ll make the best of painfree moments and continue to work towards improving my endo symptoms.”

4. Behavioral Change: Do something I enjoy while I'm not in pain, to celebrate the moment and fully realize these moments exist. Start small.

I used to avoid physical and social activities because of the fear of a flare. Once I started using CBT, I realized I didn't have to. I did have good moments, days, eventually even weeks, I just hadn't adjusted my thought patterns yet to fully embrace this.

Getting started

The first step, ‘Identifying negative thoughts’, might sound easy in theory, but I found it quite challenging.

These things can help:

• Mindfulness and Meditation: I started doing a 5 minute practice each day. Within days I noticed I could look at my feelings and thoughts from a distance and identify them more easily. I recommend the app headspace for easy exercises.

• Thought Records: I then made a 'thought record' to systematically evaluate and challenge negative thoughts. I write down a negative thought, evidence for and against it, and a more balanced thought (just like the exercise above).

• Journaling: Keeping a daily journal can be the combination of the previous two. By journaling you create a moment of peace in your day to identify thoughts and feelings. On the bottom of your page you can do the exercise of identifying and challenging negative thoughts.