Periods—among the many things we endure—are typically one of the greatest headaches for women. They arrive on schedule every month, just to ensure life goes haywire for a week or so. But beyond the literal bleeding, intense cramps, and muscle aches, periods come with a set of telltale symptoms that signal their arrival about a week in advance. If you haven’t already caught my drift, I’m talking about PMS—Premenstrual Syndrome.
A Little Bit About PMS…
PMS is extremely common—almost 3 out of 4 women experience it at some point (and yes, that’s a proven statistic). Many of us are all too familiar with the bloating, cramps, fatigue, and acne flare-ups (among other symptoms) that tend to strike about a week before our period. In addition to these physical symptoms, emotional and behavioral changes often come into play. These can include anxiety, crying spells, mood swings, depressive episodes, binge eating (or a loss of appetite), difficulty focusing, insomnia, and more. (Yes, there’s even more to that list!)
Generally, PMS symptoms begin about a week before your period and can last up to four days before subsiding. For a deeper dive into these symptoms and the research behind them, feel free to check out the linked resources.
What many people don’t know, though, is that PMS has an even more intense sister called PMDD. If you thought PMS was hard to endure, PMDD can feel like that—but on steroids.
There’s Another One? (Sadly, yes)
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is marked by intense emotional and behavioral symptoms that typically begin 1-2 weeks before your period. These can include anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, irritability, intense anger, mood swings, a lack of interest in everyday activities, and more. Like PMS, these symptoms usually subside a few days into one’s period.
The key difference between PMS and PMDD is the severity. While PMS can be frustrating, PMDD can be debilitating, disrupting daily routines, work, and even relationships.
When I first began researching PMS and PMDD, I was struck by how many stories I came across of women who, before receiving an official diagnosis or doing their own research, believed their symptoms were normal or common. It was shocking to see so many mistake suicidal ideation and other PMDD symptoms for regular PMS. On top of that, PMDD can be incredibly isolating due to the severity of its emotional symptoms. Imagine feeling like a switch in your body has been flipped on for 1-2 weeks every month, flooding you with intense symptoms, while the “off” button feels completely out of reach.
All of this goes to show that PMDD is a topic that desperately needs more awareness. Until about a year ago, when I started researching PMS and menstrual health more deeply, I hadn’t even heard of it myself. Clearly, there’s not enough knowledge about it among the general public.
If you’re reading this and suspect that your severe PMS symptoms might actually be PMDD, consider reaching out to your healthcare provider or gynecologist to explore your options for managing symptoms. While there’s no way to permanently eliminate PMDD (or PMS), that doesn’t mean you have to endure those 1-2 weeks feeling completely out of control. Support and treatment options are available.