Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
When Your Cycle Affects Your Mental Health.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe hormone-related mood disorder that occurs in the second half of the menstrual cycle.
Symptoms can include low mood, anxiety, irritability, and feeling overwhelmed.
With the right diagnosis and treatment, PMDD is highly manageable. Our personalised, evidence-based approach helps you find the treatment plan that is right for you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Is PMDD?
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe sensitivity to the natural hormonal changes that occur after ovulation. Unlike PMS, PMDD primarily affects mental health and can have a significant impact on relationships, work, and day-to-day life.
Symptoms typically appear in the second half of the menstrual cycle and improve once your period begins.
What Are the Common Symptoms?
PMDD can cause intense low mood, anxiety, irritability, anger, mood swings, and a sense of feeling overwhelmed. Many women also experience fatigue, poor sleep, brain fog, and difficulty concentrating.
Symptoms can be severe enough to affect work, relationships, and daily functioning. Some women describe feeling like a completely different person for part of each month and needing extra rest, time alone, or even daytime naps to cope.
There can be overlap between PMDD and perimenopause, as hormonal fluctuations during this stage can worsen mood symptoms. A careful assessment can help distinguish between the two and guide the most appropriate treatment.
How Is PMDD Diagnosed?
PMDD is diagnosed by identifying a clear cyclical pattern of symptoms and assessing how much they affect your daily life.
Tracking symptoms over at least two menstrual cycles is often very helpful and can confirm the diagnosis while distinguishing PMDD from other mental health or hormonal conditions.
Associated Conditions
PMDD can occur alongside anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, and other forms of neurodivergence, which may make symptoms feel more intense or harder to manage.
What Are the Treatments?
Treatment is tailored to your symptoms and goals. This may include lifestyle and nutritional support, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), antidepressant medication (SSRIs), and hormonal treatments such as HRT or contraceptive options.
With the right diagnosis and treatment, PMDD is highly manageable, and many women experience significant improvement in both symptoms and quality of life.
Conditions
Using ultrasound guidance, with gas and air available for comfort if needed.
