PMDD: Periods and Mental Health

(posted on Cathartic Youth Literary Magazine's blog)

Imagine losing control of your emotions—being unable to distinguish rational thoughts from irrational. Imagine all of your lowest feelings swarming you at once. Imagine experiencing such a heightened sensitivity that even a minor setback can send you crashing down. Now, imagine all of this being a monthly occurrence in your life.

PMDD stands for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, and it is a severe form of PMS (premenstrual symptoms), where normal period symptoms such as irritability and low moods are heightened, and can become debilitating for the one experiencing them. For some, it can even escalate existing mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. PMDD affects 31 million people who menstruate (although recent research from Oxford University suggests these figures are underestimated), and symptoms occur during the luteal phase, which is the 1–2 weeks leading up to the period.

Emotional symptoms of PMDD can include:

• Violent mood swings

• Irritability

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Inability to concentrate

• Feeling out of control

• Lack of interest in usual tasks

Physical symptoms of PMDD can include:

• Fatigue

• Low energy

• Inability to sleep

• Change in appetite

• Headaches

• Bloating & weight gain

Researchers still cannot identify a definitive cause for PMDD, which means that treatments can also be complicated. Like other mental health disorders, it works on an individual basis, where the patient determines what works best for them. Examples of treatments for PMDD are lifestyle changes, talking therapies, complementary therapies, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and hormone treatment to suppress ovulation.

If you suspect you have PMDD, or even just experience PMS symptoms, there are a few things you can do to cope with this. The first, most crucial step is to seek medical support, where you can discuss your symptoms with a medical professional and figure out the most suitable steps to take moving forward. However, reliable healthcare is not always accessible, and if this is the case, it can be helpful to track your period symptoms against the periods of your cycle in which they are most prominent. When doing this, with attention to substances consumed (e.g., caffeine or alcohol), the people you surround yourself with, and the places and activities that occupy you in this phase. Doing this can help you to work around your period symptoms, shifting your lifestyle to accommodate your specific needs whilst experiencing premenstrual symptoms.