Mood & Depression
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Also known as PMDD
Severe mood symptoms in the week or two before a period that lift sharply after bleeding starts, distinct from ordinary premenstrual tension.
What it can feel like
- Marked irritability, tearfulness or despair before a period
- Anxiety, tension or a sense of being overwhelmed
- Sleep and appetite changes
- Symptoms that fade soon after the period begins
- Impact on work, relationships or sense of self
Not everyone has every symptom, and you do not need a label to deserve support.
Things that help
Track at least two cycles
Symptom timing is the key diagnostic clue. A simple daily log turns a feeling of 'every month I fall apart' into clear evidence.
Plan lighter around the luteal week
Schedule fewer commitments and more rest where you can, so the week does not compound the symptoms.
Prepare scripts for hard days
Write ahead of time what you can postpone or delegate, and what you will tell people when you need space.
Want to actually do these? Save them to your practices and tick them off as you go.
Add to my practicesWhen to reach for more support
PMDD is under-recognised. Take several months of tracking to a GP or gynaecologist; effective treatments exist.
Often looked at together
Bipolar I Disorder
Episodes of mania, where mood and energy escalate far beyond normal for a week or more, usually alternating with periods of depression.
Bipolar II Disorder
Repeated depressive episodes with milder episodes of elevated mood (hypomania) that feel productive rather than out of control. Often mistaken for depression for years.
Cyclothymia
Two years or more of shifting between mild highs and mild lows that never quite reach full episodes, but still unsettle stability.