With this in mind, it’s important to reach out to your health care provider for advice, assessment, and treatment if you think you might be living with the condition. In some very severe cases, it could also lead to suicidal thoughts. PMDD complicationsĭealing with PMDD can be incredibly challenging, and without treatment, it can lead to depression.

That being said, it’s important to remember that while these factors could be connected to PMDD, researchers are still working to understand this condition better. Having experienced traumatic events in the past, as well as preexisting anxiety disorders.PMDD is still fairly misunderstood and under researched, but some things that have been shown to increase the risk of developing PMDD include: So, it’s important to speak with your health care provider for an official diagnosis. Identifying PMDD can be tricky, as it shares similar symptoms with other conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and thyroid disorders. This isn’t an exhaustive list for more information on the physical symptoms of PMS that could also be present with PMDD, click here. The physical symptoms of PMDD can sometimes mirror those of PMS and include things like: These include at least one of the following: Severe emotional symptoms are usually what marks PMDD as being different from PMS. It’s also important to note that while PMDD is characterized by emotional symptoms, people may also experience some of the physical symptoms of PMS alongside these. As we’ve seen, the symptoms of PMDD can be so disruptive that they make working, socializing, and having healthy relationships difficult. Symptoms of PMDD usually show up in the week before your period before going away a few days after it begins. Some research also suggests that there could be a genetic component.

While we don’t know exactly what causes it, experts think PMDD might be related to an increased sensitivity to fluctuating hormones during the menstrual cycle.

This might sound scary, but rest assured that help and treatment are available. For this reason, the DSM-5 - the manual used to categorize and diagnose mental health disorders - lists PMDD as a “ depressive disorder. This can understandably get in the way of your daily life, like work, school, or relationships, and lead to extreme anxiety or depression. While both PMDD and PMS can cause physical and emotional symptoms, such as headaches, bloating, and disruption to sleep, PMDD has a bigger impact on someone’s mood. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a more severe form of premenstrual syndrome ( PMS ).

There’s no one-size-fits-all treatment for PMDD, but some options include antidepressants, therapy, or hormonal medications.

Your health care provider might ask you to track your symptoms for a few months to diagnose you with PMDD.

PMDD causes debilitating emotional symptoms that begin before your period and go away shortly after it starts.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a more severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

You’ve probably heard of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), but how about premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)? Here’s everything you need to know about the condition, from the symptoms to look out for to the treatment options available.

Menstrual cycle mood