PMDD

PMDD is Premenstrual Disphoric Disorder, and refers to a severe, disabling form of PMS.

What happens during PMDD?

In the last phase of the menstrual cycle before bleeding, the individual can experience

• depression-like symptoms
• disruptive thoughts and worse mental health
• hopelessness, worse self-image than usual, feeling like a failure
• irritable mood, heightened emotional impulsivity: you get upset or angry very easily
• executive dysfunction: it is harder to start of finish tasks, remember information, plan or stick to schedules
• sleep related problems: insomnia or hypersomnia, nightmares or sleep terrors,
• breast pain
• and migraines.

These symptoms usually appear 7-10 days before the period and go away almost instantly when the bleeding starts.

ADHD and periods

PMDD is highly co-occurring with ADHD. ¹ In this phase of the menstrual cycle, estrogen levels drop, and since estrogen is connected to dopamine, dopamine also plummets. This is why ADHD challenges seem to be more frequent or severe during this period.

Getting help for PMDD

Many doctors don’t take PMDD seriously and people suffering from PMDD often think they are alone with this problem or it is normal to suffer this much before their period.

The treatment of PMDD can include taking SSRIs, and creating accommodations for those 7-10 days.

Often just knowing you are not alone and you are not just imagining your symptoms helps a lot. Finding community among folks who also go through PMDD can be very empowering.

However, PMDD can also be very dangerous and life-threatening when it severely affects the individual’s mental health. For this reason, sometimes stopping periods altogether with contraceptives can be beneficial, and in very severe cases as a very last resort, hysterectomy can also save lives.

If you notice signs of PMDD in yourself, please consult with your doctor and if they dismiss you, go for a second or third opinion.