Can Endometriosis Change Personality

Experiences shape who we are. Chronic pain can cause stress, social isolation, loss of independence, financial strain, impaired cognitive function, and if you are using pain meds; unwanted side effects may follow.

Dealing with endometriosis can mean being in constant pain and missing out on social events, your favorite hobbies or even work. The pain can drive you insane, unsure how to get comfortable even just to sleep at night. You can experience exhaustion, pain, brain fog, infertility, and insecurities about your endo belly. All these changes directly affect your attitude, state of mind and behavior. These changes to what you say or do can negatively impact relationships. Many endo warriors have even had a divorce as a result.

What many people do not know is that chronic pain can affect memory, emotions, motor skills and the amygdala`s decision making functions are impaired, causing bad decision making.

It is a constant mental and physical battle. You may even have people around you that think you are fat and lazy, meanwhile, you are in pain, exhausted and have an endo belly flare up. Even if you do explain to people, you have this condition, they often do not understand the extent of it often thinking it is an easy fix and you are just being difficult. I myself have heard people say to me, "Claire your faith is not enough for God to heal you"; or "you should stick to a strict healthy diet then you will be fine"; " you don`t sleep enough, that is why you are exhausted"; "you cannot take anymore sick leave even if you are sick you must come to work". Also hiding the fact, you are in pain or unwell seems to be a thing that people, especially at work, expect from an individual. Always pushing ahead to keep going and keep people happy, but also pay rent and put food on the table. I swear endo warriors would make the perfect air hostesses because we can sure pretend everything is ok while the plane is crashing. Not all the time, but most days, we power through with a smile.

So, with everything pulling away at your soul physically, emotionally, relationally you are bound to have a few changes in personality or behavior. After all, we must adapt to the harsh truth that no one can cure us (not yet anyway). No one can save us. We have to change our lifestyle to keep living life. Sometimes that means cancelling social events because of a flare-up or excusing yourself from work.

The world around us keeps reminding us that we don`t have time for a flare-up; that with or without us the wheel keeps turning. To stay ahead we need to keep our heads above water, and I am sure many times end warriors feel like they are drowning. The understanding of others can be limited and unsympathetic. Truth is we can explain endo to many, but very few receive with understanding. The ability to truly listen is lost to some.

"Pain sensation leads to suffering via a cognitive, emotional and autonomic processing, and is expressed as anger, fear, frustration, anxiety and depression. The medial pathway overlaps with the salience and stress networks, explaining that behavioural relevance or meaning determines the suffering associated with painfulness."-Science Direct

“Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do. On the one hand the standard of right and wrong, on the other the chain of causes and effects, are fastened to their throne. They govern us in all we do, in all we say, in all we think: every effort we can make to throw off our subjection, will serve but to demonstrate and confirm it. In words a man may pretend to abjure their empire: but in reality he will remain subject to it all the while. The principle of utility recognizes this subjection, and assumes it for the foundation of that system, the object of which is to rear the fabric of felicity by the hands of reason and of law. Systems which attempt to question it, deal in sounds instead of sense, in caprice instead of reason, in darkness instead of light.”

―Jeremy Bentham,The Principles of Morals and Legislation

“The study shows people with chronic pain experience disruptions in the communication between brain cells. This could lead to a change in personality through a reduction of their ability to effectively process emotions."- visit NeuRa Website for more information

Despite our biological make-up we are pushing the limits to be the person we always imagined we would be. To be decent human beings because it is our choice not because our bodies allow it.

Wishing you a flare-free day!