A small percentage of women experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). It’s a severe kind of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and may impact women of childbearing age. It’s a chronic medical condition that requires treatment and attention. In this blog, we will talk about premenstrual dysphoric disorder and PMDD treatment.
What’s Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)?
PMDD is a condition similar but much more severe than PMS. PMDD usually happens a week or two before your period. The main distinction between PMS and PMDD is symptom severity, which includes irritability and depression.
What Causes Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder?
A study in 2008 revealed that approximately 20% of menstruating women have clinically significant premenstrual symptoms. Around 5% of menstruating women experience severe premenstrual symptoms.
Although the exact causes of PMDD are not known, some believe it’s due to hormonal changes experienced during a menstrual cycle.
Symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
One or two weeks before the start of menstruation, a woman may experience symptoms of PMDD. These symptoms could last up to a few days after menstruation begins. PMDD can be severe and interfere with a woman’s ability to perform tasks of daily living.
Symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder include:
Psychological Symptoms:
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Agitation
- Fatigue
- Forgetfulness
- Poor self-image
- Loss of interest
- Moodiness
- Feelings of sadness or hopelessness
- Difficulties concentrating
- Sleep difficulties
- Emotional sensitivity
- Crying spells
Physiological Symptoms:
- Fluid retention
- swelling of the hands, feet, and ankles
- periodic weight gain
- reduced urine output
- Breast pain and fullness
- Respiratory concerns
- allergies or infections
- Eye complaints
- vision changes or infections
- Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms
- cramps
- constipation
- vomiting or nausea
- backaches
- Skin problems
- Acne
- inflammation and itching
- aggravation of skin disorders
- Neurological & Vascular symptoms
- Headaches
- faint
- dizziness
- tingling in the extremities
- easy bruising
- muscle spasms
- palpitations.
- Other
- Painful menstruation
- low libido
- food craving or decreased appetite
- Hot flashes
Treating Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Popular PMDD treatments include:
- Psychotherapy
- Medication
- Lifestyle changes
- Anti-inflammatory drugs
- Stress management and reduction
- Birth control bills
Seeking psychotherapy with a licensed clinical psychologist may help you manage symptoms and increase your coping. If you feel that you’re experiencing PMDD, you may benefit from keeping a journal to track your symptoms to help determine whether those symptoms occur solely around your menses. Individuals who already suffer from depression or anxiety may experience worse symptoms around the time of their menses. Tracking your symptoms may help you, and your clinician understands your symptoms better.
Get Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Treatment in Miami
If you’re seeking treatment, you’re taking your first step towards recovery. PMDD can wreak havoc on your life, but we are here to help.
Hello, I’m Dr. Carolina Raeburn, a licensed Clinical Psychologist with a subspecialty in neuropsychology in Miami. I help people with emotional concerns and those adjusting to life changes. I offer coaching and bespoke psychotherapy for individuals and couples, providing cognitive behavioral therapy, depression treatment, anxiety treatment, panic attack treatment, stress management, as well as help those going through life changes, such as grief and loss, chronic and terminal illness, injuries, retirement, perfectionism, and much more.
If you have any questions about my services, please feel free to reach out through the contact form. Or if you’re ready to start your path to a better tomorrow, please make your appointment today
*All the information published in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Any information provided here is offered in generic form. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns.