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The Mental Breakdown: More Than Hormones: Understanding PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder)
20 Plays2 months ago
In this episode of The Mental Breakdown, Autumn dives into PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) — a severe hormone-related mood disorder that affects up to 1 in 20 people who menstruate.
We’re unpacking how PMDD goes far beyond PMS, how it’s misunderstood and misdiagnosed (especially in Black and Brown communities), and how it impacts those juggling parenting, identity, and mental health.
Autumn also shares her lived experience with PMDD and offers a grounding practice to bring more compassion and awareness to your cycle.
What You’ll Learn:
- What PMDD actually is and how it differs from PMS
- Common emotional and physical symptoms of PMDD
- How PMDD is diagnosed (and why so many get misdiagnosed)
- The impact of PMDD on moms, identity, and self-worth
- Treatment options and supportive tools
- A grounding practice to bring calm and connection to your body
Resources & References: - IAPMD (International Association for Premenstrual Disorders): https://www.iapmd.org
- PMDD Diagnosis Guide: https://iapmd.org/diagnosis
- PMDD Treatment Info: https://iapmd.org/treatment-guidelines
- Me v PMDD symptom tracking app: https://mevpmdd.com
This episode is for educational purposes only. Please consult a licensed mental health or medical provider for diagnosis and care.
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Transcript
Introduction to The Mental Breakdown & PMDD Focus
00:00:20
Speaker
Hey mamas and welcome back to The Mental Breakdown, a short and intentional space where we unpack one mental health topic a week that impacts our community. I'm your host, Autumn Colon, founder of SoWell, counselor in training, maternal mental health advocate, and someone who lives with PMDD.
00:00:36
Speaker
This
Understanding PMDD Beyond Hormones
00:00:37
Speaker
week's episode is called More Than Hormones because PMDD is not just about mood swings or PMS or a bad period. It is a severe cyclical mood disorder and it's time we stop brushing it off and talk about it.
00:00:51
Speaker
So what is PMDD? PMDD or premenstrual dysorphic disorder is a hormone related cyclical mood disorder that affects about one in 20 people who menstruate.
00:01:03
Speaker
It
PMDD Symptoms and Daily Life Impact
00:01:04
Speaker
shows up in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. That is the two weeks between ovulation and menstruation or your period. And it causes intense emotional and physical symptoms symptoms that can make daily life feel literally and impossible.
00:01:20
Speaker
And unlike PMS, these symptoms can disrupt work, relationship, self-esteem, and even safety. So to understand PMDD just a little bit more, I want to note that PMDD is a severe negative reaction in the brain that is directly connected to the body's natural hormone fluctuations of the menstrual cycle.
00:01:43
Speaker
And it is not
Research and Misdiagnosis of PMDD
00:01:44
Speaker
a hormone imbalance. Many people often confuse it with such. And I want to make sure that we bring awareness and sensitivity to the topic that it is a it is the body's natural reaction um to these fluctuations.
00:01:59
Speaker
um And the reason that this happened have not yet been fully understand or It hasn't come up in research as much. um Researchers, however, have established that this extreme brain response is triggered by estrogen progesterone's natural rise and fall.
00:02:17
Speaker
So while PMDD is directly connected to the menstrual cycle, again, it is not a hormonal imbalance and it's important to recognize and address the symptoms effectively.
00:02:28
Speaker
so Let's back up a little bit and just kind of reestablish that the symptoms of PMDD go beyond PMS. PMDD for menstruating individuals can feel different and it is it is vast and it is a large list of symptoms, but the severity of the symptoms is what kind of helps establish whether or not you're dealing with PMDD.
00:02:54
Speaker
um For those living with PMDD, some of the symptoms include things like anger, irritability, anger, irritability, depression, anxiety, brain fog, fatigue, insomnia. There's even some uncommon ones, but notable within the community with things such as mutism, um, rage, crying spells, paranoia, sleeping too much, sleeping too little, um, not being able to get out of bed,
00:03:22
Speaker
um ah cyclical absences from work and school. So paying attention to like, is are you calling out a little bit more during these times? um Anxiety and panic attacks, um lack of concentration. So I mean, the list is pretty expansive when it comes to PMDD, um which is why I said it's important to kind of um look at the severity of these symptoms and when they are actually occurring.
00:03:46
Speaker
um So PMDD can also, one thing to note, lead to in suicidal thoughts and behaviors. um This is something that's not often talked about, but studies have shown that up to 34% of those with PMDD have reported past suicide attempts, right?
00:04:04
Speaker
PMDD doesn't cause heavy periods, cramps, or period pain, though symptoms such as cramping, bloating, and tenderness are common. um So it's important to know also, like I mentioned before,
00:04:17
Speaker
that In order to receive a diagnosis of PMDD, it must occur within the luteal phase. So according to that, according to the DSM-5, these symptoms must appear during the luteal phase and resolve within ah few days of your menstruation starts.
00:04:35
Speaker
So that means, you know, it's happening um about two weeks before your period begins. And then once your period ends, once your period begins, the symptoms will subside or you start to feel better.
00:04:48
Speaker
um And these symptoms must also last for at least two consecutive cycles in order to receive a diagnosis. Now, when we get into diagnosis, we're talking about Black and Brown women because that's what we do at the So Well podcast.
00:05:03
Speaker
PMDD is underdiagnosed, especially in Black and Brown women. p mbd
Living with PMDD: Challenges and Management
00:05:09
Speaker
PMDD is often misdiagnosed with things such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or other mood disorders before anyone connects the dots between mood and cycle.
00:05:21
Speaker
And that's on top of the fact that our pain and our culture is often minimized. We're told things like, it's just PMS.
00:05:33
Speaker
This is what happens when you're a woman. Maybe you're stressed the worst. You need to calm down. But PMDD is a neurological condition driven by how our brain responds to hormonal changes.
00:05:46
Speaker
And we deserve care and we deserve to be heard and supported in our experiences. All right. So now let's talk about PMDD and motherhood because like all of these mental health disorders that we've been breaking down, they do not stop from motherhood. Okay. They keep going. They rear their heads.
00:06:04
Speaker
You still have to live with them. And so PMDD and motherhood can look like trying to keep up routine with routines but not being able to concentrate, managing tantrums and logistics but not being able to get out of the bed, all while feeling emotionally unrecognizable, exhausted, and even disassociated.
00:06:24
Speaker
I'll give you a little antidote here. My PMDD. Um, oftentimes in the past, I used to call it my Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde because i would wake up one day and just feel completely unlike myself, but still needed to show up as mom and wife and still needed to be on Zoom calls and still need to meet with clients.
00:06:43
Speaker
And so I have learned for myself to live according to my cycle, which is what we'll get into. But PMDD does not stop for motherhood. The guilt, the shame, the internal rage is not talked about. It's not shared.
00:06:57
Speaker
But I'm here to tell you that if you are living with PMDD, you are not alone. There is support out there. um It's possible for you to live with this and be happy and be healthy. um And it's not going to look the same for each and every one of us, which is the thing that sucks, right? um PMDD looks different. It'll look different for me and it'll look different for you.
00:07:17
Speaker
But naming it and normalizing it is an important first step. um And knowing also that you are not weak, you are not failing, and this is not your fault.
00:07:29
Speaker
who I needed to hear that. All right. So how is PMDD
Diagnosis and Tracking of PMDD
00:07:35
Speaker
diagnosed? We talked about it being diagnosed um about the symptoms that occur during PMDD and during the luteal phase.
00:07:42
Speaker
But I also want you to know that when you go to your doctor, you're not i like, hey, give me the blood test to see if I got PMDD. That is not what's happening here. PMDD is a diagnosed based on cycle tracking and a doctor will ask you to track your symptoms daily for at least two full cycles.
00:07:58
Speaker
And you can use tools like a handy dandy notebook, right? Or agenda or calendar, but there are also tools called the me versus PMDD, the flow app.
00:08:10
Speaker
And there's also the one that clinicians use, which is the DRSP. I will list all of these in the show notes. um So you don't got to write them down, but it's important to know that you must be tracking your symptoms every single day in order to bring them to your doctor to get a diagnosis.
00:08:27
Speaker
The symptoms must only appear during the luteal phase. They must disappear a few days after menstruation starts, and they must be severe enough to impact daily functioning. So your doctor, your clinician is going to be looking for those things when you're going to ask about diagnosis. So please go prepared.
00:08:46
Speaker
and take care
Treatment and Management Strategies for PMDD
00:08:47
Speaker
of yourself by being self-aware of your symptoms and tracking them yourself before you go into that appointment. But even if you don't even know how to do that, just bring it up to your doctor so they can help you get started is that's enough too.
00:09:00
Speaker
So do that. um There is no single solution. I mentioned earlier that PNDD looks different for you. It'll look different for your friend. and look different for your sister. It it will look different. And there's no simple single solution, but it is treatable, you can live with it, you can experience joy with PMDD.
00:09:18
Speaker
And some of those treatments may include things like SSRIs. So that would be medication, right? Hormonal birth control to suppress ovulation. So I've read studies and I've heard antidotes from people that that isn't something that has worked for them.
00:09:32
Speaker
There's also CBT therapy or other or other kinds of talk therapy, anti-inflammatory diets and lifestyles. And then there's also the PMDD-focused peer support with organizations like I Am PD Global. They are an amazing organization doing lots of great research and work and support peer support for menstruating folks who need support with PMDD.
00:09:56
Speaker
And then, like I mentioned earlier, for me, it has been a lifestyle change. And what that looks like is living according to your cycle. And for me, that means if I know that I'm in my loyal phase, that means taking things a little bit easier. That means ordering dinner out. That means not taking appointments.
00:10:13
Speaker
That means not going to the gym or running six miles if that's what my body does it that that what my body needs for that moment. um And that mean look that may look like doing a little bit more during the other phases of my life. So the other two weeks that I have during the month, I may be a little bit more active. That way I allow my body to restfully and take the take care of myself during my luteal phase. um Caring for yourself, it's going to look different.
00:10:40
Speaker
I mentioned earlier that the symptoms are there's a list There's a long list, um but starting with self-screening is really, really important. IMPD Global, they have a self-screening tool, which is you know not to replace getting evaluated by a healthcare care provider, but it's a really great tool to get started with, um to track your symptoms.
Empowerment and Self-Management of PMDD
00:11:01
Speaker
um And if you think that you have PMDD, just know that many people live and undiagnosed with PMDD for years. But like I said, naming it can bring relief, but it can also bring uncertainty.
00:11:16
Speaker
It's a learning curve, but knowing and naming is so one of the most important things because once you know a thing, you're able to potentially get control of it.
00:11:29
Speaker
Because once you know a thing, you're able to understand, research, and be more aware of your symptoms. And so with that, I want to now bring you into our grounding practice of the week.
00:11:41
Speaker
And it's called Name and Normalize. To do this exercise, you're going to want to just sit where you are or stand where you are. If you're driving or exercising, not in a place to sit down. not in a place to do this exercise. Please take ah to take a pause and come back to this later.
00:11:58
Speaker
But the first thing you're going to do is place your hand on your chest and take a deep breath and repeat after me.
00:12:10
Speaker
This is my body's response to a cycle. This is not all of me. And now you will repeat that as needed.
00:12:21
Speaker
Whenever you're in your cycle, you're in your luteal phase, you're not feeling that great. um Just take a moment to pause, put your hand on your body and connect with yourself, connect with yourself and tell yourself that this is this is just your body's response. It's not all of who you are.
00:12:37
Speaker
take that deep breath so you can just pause and just be in the moment the goal of this exercise is not to fix your feelings but it's also to witness them and to witness them without shame to name them without shame to normalize them because they are there that is what this is for every episode i like to close you out with the affirmation and i wanted to have this affirmation this week be specific to PMDD because it is my lived experience. Um, and if you feel like you're crashing out every month, if you've ever said, um my God, like I'm struggling, but then your period come and you're like, oh my God, I'm happy. I'm free. I'm chilling.
00:13:18
Speaker
Um, you're not a alone. You might have PMDD. You might not, but if you are feeling that way, you deserve care that believes, validates and supports who you are.
00:13:29
Speaker
And so the affirmation for this week is, I honor my cycle. i trust my symptoms. I trust myself. And I deserve care that believes in me.
Conclusion and Mental Health Encouragement
00:13:40
Speaker
Thank you for joining me on the mental breakdown.
00:13:42
Speaker
Until next time, take care of your mind. ah hope you heal well. And I'll see you next time on the So Well Podcast. Bye.
00:14:09
Speaker
The Saulwell podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes. And the content shared here is based on personal experiences and research, and it should not be taken as medical or therapeutic advice.
00:14:22
Speaker
Please consult a qualified professional for any mental health or medical concerns.