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The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have demonstrated clear efficacy in treating both the physical and mood symptoms of these disorders. Prozac has been approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of PMDD. Other drugs in this category, including Celexa , Paxil , and Zoloft , have also been shown to be effective.
In most cases, home treatment will help to reduce PMS symptoms. However, if your PMS symptoms have lasted for more than two weeks, it is advisable to visit your doctor to avoid any complications.
Why You Get Emotional Before Your Period
Do you get teary and depressed before your periods? It might be more serious than you realise.
Photo: iStock
Do you get teary and depressed before your periods? It might be more serious than you realise.
If you or someone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 131 114, Beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. In an emergency, call 000. For a correct treatment plan, book an appointment with your GP.
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‘like Someone Flicked A Switch’: The Premenstrual Disorder That Upturns Women’s Lives
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, only recently recognised, can cripple women emotionally, physically and mentally
For two weeks every month Rachel* would be engulfed in a depression so deep she felt like she was walking through treacle. As a gifted athlete and high achiever academically, it was entirely out of character.
Half the month I was extroverted, firing on all cylinders, Rachel says. Then I would hit ovulation. And at that time I became dysfunctional, shy and withdrawn. Its like I woke up one day and became a completely different person. And from then until I started menstruating I became utterly dysfunctional. Then I would get my period and I would be fine. And this happened again and again and again.
She says these symptoms which doctors have now attributed to premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD have affected intimate relationships and friendships over the years because she would withdraw socially if she felt the fog of depression closing in: I couldnt stand myself so how could anyone else?
PMDD affects between 3% and 8% of women of reproductive age. Its caused by fluctuations in hormone levels which affect brain chemistry and result in severe mood disturbances, says Prof Jayashri Kulkarni, a psychiatrist and director of the Monash Alfred psychiatry research centre at Monash University in Melbourne.
There are some women who are more sensitive to their hormone fluctuations than others
Theres Nothing That Cannot Be Fixed
If there are deeper problems in your relationship that will lead her to break up with you soon, you can fix them now.
Dont panic.
Instead, just become a better man and make her feel the way that all women want to feel in a relationship .
Make sure that the problems that are turning her off begin to go away in the next few weeks to a month and you will notice a big difference in her behavior during her period.
For example: During her period, a woman might get angry with her boyfriend and say things like, You are so needy! You are smothering me! Im your girlfriend, not your child! I can make my own decisions!
A guy might then realize that he is generally behaving in a clingy, needy, insecure and possibly controlling way.
He can fix this by
In this way, he will be fixing the root of the problem, and the next time she has her period, he will more than likely notice that shes not acting as crazy as before.
Of course, she will probably still get irritable or tearful, but rather than direct her tantrums and tears towards him, she might just cry over a sad movie, or call up her best friend to have a good whine with her instead.
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Key Points About Pmdd
PMDD is a much more severe form of t premenstrual syndrome .
The exact cause of PMDD is not known.
- The main symptoms that distinguish PMDD from other mood disorders or menstrual conditions is when symptoms start and how long they last.
- Symptoms of PMDD are so severe that it affects your ability to function at home, work and in relationships.
- Aside from a complete medical history and physical and pelvic exam, there are very few tests to diagnose the condition.
- Over the course of a year, during most menstrual cycles, 5 or more of the following symptoms must be present:
- Depressed mood
- Lack of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Moodiness
- Insomnia or feeling very sleepy
- Feeling overwhelmed or out of control
What Questions Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider
If you have PMDD, you may want to ask your healthcare provider:
- Why did I get PMDD?
- What is the best treatment for me?
- What are the treatment side effects?
- Should I change my birth control?
- What lifestyle changes can I make to manage symptoms?
- Am I at risk for major depression or suicide?
- What should I do if I feel seriously depressed or suicidal?
- Should I look out for signs of complications?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
PMDD is a serious disorder that can negatively affect your life, relationships and career. Women with PMDD may harm themselves or others. If you consistently experience severe depression and anxiety or other PMDD symptoms in the weeks leading up to your period, seek help from your healthcare provider. Medications can get hormone or serotonin levels in check so that you feel more like yourself. PMDD isnt a problem you have to live with. Dont put off getting the medical and mental health care you need.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/23/2020.
References
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Tips To Surviving Your Girlfriend When She’s On Her Period
Sometimes I’m an emotional bitch during my period. It happens. I’m even more emotional if I had a particularly rough month that month. It’s like every negative feeling I internalize decides to release itself in a week-long bender of crying and lashing out and weeping at videos of puppies.
I’m also a bloated, disgusting mess. I feel sluggish and irritable. All I want to do is sit on my couch in my stretchiest pajama pants and watch bad rom coms without anyone coming anywhere near me.
I know I’m not supposed to admit this, but girls on their period really do become undesirable assholes. However, fear not! You CAN survive your girlfriend during period week!
OK, I say that in jest . Having a period is not some weird anomaly that only happens to a small subset of diseased people. It happens to 50 percent of the human race. It’s happening right now. Like, I’m due this week.
But I also know that periods really are a very foreign concept to dudes. I blame this on the fact that literally no female character in any TV/movie/advertisement is depicted as ever, ever, ever having a period. Ever. EVER.
So you guys really have no clue what they’re about at all. You live in a culture in which periods not only don’t exist, but are seen as weird and shameful if they do.
Frankly, I am confused by this culture, as women get a reminder every month that our periods exist and that we’d better be OK with them .
Hence, you need me to give you some tips.
Quick Read Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Is Legit
- PMS and PMDD resemble each other but PMDD is way worse.
- Mood-related symptoms interfere with everyday activities and relationships.
- The exact cause is unknown, but hormones play a role.
- PMDD wont go away on its own it requires treatment.
Ever have a day when everything in your life is exactly the same as yesterday but it suddenly feels like the bottom has dropped out? When your psyche feels like a raw wound?
Thats what premenstrual dysphoric disorderor PMDDfeels like. Its premenstrual syndrome to the nth degreewhen your feelings reach debilitating extremes that interfere with your relationships or your ability to function, and sometimes even your desire to go on living.
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Men Can Be Part Of The Solution
Following therapy sessions, women report they are less likely to lose control when expressing their feelings during times of PMS. They have increased awareness of the potential for relationship conflict describe relationship tension as less problematic and are more likely to talk to their partner about PMS and ask for support.
These improvements were evident in both therapy groups in our study. This suggests that even if women do therapy without their partner, it can still have a positive impact. The women will still learn self-care and coping strategies, develop a better understanding of PMS, and go home and tell their partner about the experiences in therapy.
However, the results of this study clearly indicate that the greatest positive impact is seen when a womans partner participates in the therapy sessions as well. So men may feel maligned by being blamed for PMS. But they can be part of the solution, rather than the cause of the problem.
How Is Pmdd Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will take a medical history and evaluate your symptoms. You may need to track your symptoms through one or two menstrual cycles. To diagnose PMDD, your provider will look for five or more PMDD symptoms, including one mood-related symptom. Your provider will rule out or diagnose other conditions such as anxiety, depression or reproductive disorders.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Pmdd
Symptoms of PMDD appear during the week before menstruation and end within a few days after your period starts. These symptoms disrupt daily living tasks. Symptoms of PMDD are so severe that women have trouble functioning at home, at work, and in relationships during this time. This is markedly different than other times during the month.
The following are the most common symptoms of PMDD:
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Psychological symptoms
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Neurologic and vascular symptoms
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The symptoms of PMDD may look like other conditions or medical problems, such as a thyroid condition, depression, or an anxiety disorder. Always talk with a healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
Hi It’s Me Lara The Girl With All The Vagina Problems A Few Weeks Ago I Asked People To Share Their Stories Of What Its Really Like Living With Pmdd Or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
For those of you who don’t know PMDD, according to the Gia Allemand Foundation, is a hormone-based mood disorder with symptoms arising several days before the menstrual cycle and lasting until the period actually begins. The NIH and Mayo Clinic define PMDD as a disabling, severe form/extension of PMS.
While some of the symptoms of PMS and PMDD may overlap, PMDD is a diagnosable psychiatric disorder and PMS is not.
Some common symptoms of PMDD can include:
* Feelings of extreme sadness or despair
* Feelings of tension or anxiety
* Panic attacks and/or mood swings
* Lasting irritability or anger that affects other people
* Lack of interest in daily activities and relationships
* Trouble thinking or focusing
* Feeling out of control
* Physical symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness, headaches, and joint or muscle pain
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Period Or Not Women Are Emotional Beings
The more feminine and girly a woman is, the more likely it is that she gets emotional while on her period or not.
For example: A woman might be the boss at her work where she is always serious and in control of her emotions.
Yet, when she comes home at night, she might break down and cry because she had a stressful day at work, or she might blow up at her boyfriend for something completely irrelevant simply because shes feeling moody and emotional.
For many guys, this type of behavior comes across as being crazy, because thats not how men behave.
Unlike a woman who will pick a fight with her man for no apparent reason, a loving, masculine man wont take out his bad mood on his woman.
A feminine or insecure man will, but a loving, masculine man wont.
A loving, masculine man will generally keep his emotions in check, and if he had a bad day at work, he will get over it immediately because unlike a feminine-minded man who wants to whine, bitch and moan, a masculine man doesnt feel the need to.
If he cant get over it on his own, he might go to the gym, go for a run, wash his car, or do something else that will help him to work off some steam and relax.
That way, when he interacts with his woman, he can have a positive, loving, fulfilling interaction with her, rather than taking out his negative emotions on her and ruining her respect for him in the process.
Your Serotonin Levels Are Diminished
Strangely enough, the hormonal changes you experience also influence how the chemicals in your brain function. “Neurotransmitters in the brain probably have something to do with PMS symptoms,” Dr. Dweck says. Research suggests that serotonin drops when your period starts, due to all the hormonal fluctuations. Low amounts of serotonin in the brain are associated with depression, irritability, and intense cravings for carbohydrates, which is pretty much PMSing in a nutshell. In her book Moody Bitches, psychiatrist Dr. Julie Holland explains,
Lower estrogen levels cause serotonin levels to drop precipitously a few days before menstruation, which may be the basis of many PMS symptoms. Low levels of serotonin are implicated in depression, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder … you’re even more physically sensitive to pain than usual, and more emotionally sensitive to criticism. You’re less resilient in the face of stresses and feel sadder, hungrier, and more scared, tearful, and angsty.
On top of all that, as levels of estrogen and serotonin rapidly fall, dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid also start to disappear when your period arrives. These are two chemicals that boost your moods, put a pep in your step, and reduce anxiety. Without them, you don’t exactly have a recipe for calm, cool, and collected on your hands.
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