Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: A Guide

(Excerpt 1)

Do you have unpleasant, disturbing emotional and physical symptoms before your monthly menstrual periods? Do these symptoms disrupt your life and interfere with your usual activities and your relationships with others? Do the symptoms go away when your flow begins or shortly thereafter, only to return before your next period? If this description sounds like you, you may have a condition known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a condition associated with severe emotional and physical problems that are linked closely to the menstrual cycle. Symptoms occur regularly in the second half of the cycle and end when menstruation begins or shortly thereafter. PMDD is not just a new name for premenstrual syndrome (PMS), a condition that affects as many as 75% of menstruating women. It is, however, considered by many to be a very severe form of PMS that affects about 5% of menstruating women. Both PMDD and PMS share symptoms in common, including depression, anxiety, tension, irritability, and moodiness. What sets PMDD apart is its severity. Women with PMDD find that it has a very disruptive effect on their lives.