IS IT JUST A CASE OF PMS OR IS IT PMDD?

PMDD is a little heard of phenomenon which a lot of women go through. We’re all used to undergoing PMS just before we hit our menstrual period. But have we ever treated it as the basis of a disorder?

PMDD or premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a mood disorder which is generally seen to occur at various times in the menstrual cycle of a woman. The important piece of information that may make all the difference here is that the symptoms of PMS are very similar to that of PMDD.  In the case of the latter, however, the symptoms are severe and are capable of impairing or reducing the quality of social and personal life. Women suffering from this condition may not be able to function normally and it may amount to absence at work or college.

PMDD is known to affect around 3 to 5 % of women around the world.

The Symptoms of PMDD –

The symptoms of PMDD are known to be similar to that of depression. It is can be differentiated from depression, primarily by the cyclical pattern and the physical symptoms that are seen to be typical.

• Intense feelings of being unhappy
• Inability to see positive things in the future (chronic pessimism)
• Chronic feelings of worthlessness
• Being increasingly sensitive about criticism
• Unable to deal with rejection of any sort
• Crying at times without any real reason to do so
• Increase in tension or anxiety
• Increased irritability which will lead to conflicts with the people around you
• Losing interest in activities that you otherwise enjoy
• Sleep more than usual
• Headaches or muscle pain
• Tenderness of the breast or a slight swelling
• Binge eating or comfort eating
• A sensation of bloating, which may make you feel fat
• Actual weight gain in some cases

The last two points are specific to PMDD and not as much to depression.

When Will These Symptoms Occur?

It is of importance that you realize, women do not have cycles of the same length. Typically speaking, a woman’s cycle will last anything from 24 to 35 days. In some women, however, it can be as short as 21 days; and on the other hand, some women might have cycles as long as 42 days.

Given this difference in length of the cycles, the symptoms would come in at different times in a woman’s month.

The PMDD pattern will be like this in most cases:

• The symptoms are most likely to occur a week before menstruation
• The symptoms will decrease with the menstrual bleeding
• The week that follows the menstrual period will see a subsequent lowering in the number of symptoms
• In the case of women with longer cycles, the symptom-free period will be longer

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