What is PMDD?
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a cyclical, hormone-based mood disorder with symptoms arising during the premenstrual, or luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and subsiding within a few days of menstruation. It affects an estimated 5.5% of women and AFAB individuals of reproductive age. While PMDD is directly connected to the menstrual cycle, it is not a hormone imbalance. PMDD is a severe negative reaction in the brain to the natural rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone.
Those with PMDD are at increased risk for suicide and suicidal behavior. Many people with PMDD, though not all, have a history of sexual trauma or depression. There is no blood or saliva test to diagnose PMDD although these tests can rule out other underlying disorders. The only way to diagnose PMDD is by tracking symptoms daily for at least two menstrual cycles.
AFAB = assigned female at birth
(Definition from IAPMD website)
What is PMDD? Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. | IAPMD
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Useful Articles
​Emotion-focused therapy for women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder: a randomized clinical controlled trial ​
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Emotion-Focused Therapy for Women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: a Randomized Clinical Controlled Trial | BMC Psychiatry | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)
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Premenstrual Disorders: A Primer and Research Agenda For Psychologists by Tory Eisenlohr-Moul
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https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/tw4bd?goal=0_93fdc76a08-d8d7343a5d-338155453&mc_cid=d8d7343a5d&mc_eid=0dc8440cb9
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Your Period and Yoga: A Very Healthy Friendship, by Sarah Wheeler, Reiki Teacher and Practitioner, March 2o23
https://www.therapy-directory.org.uk/memberarticles/your-period-and-yoga-a-very-healthy-friendship?_gl=1*1ezxduj*_up*MQ..*_ga*ODgwMDY0MjY2LjE3MjI2ODI4ODg.*_ga_6Q8GVPHPVW*MTcyMjY4Mjg4NS4xLjAuMTcyMjY4Mjg4NS4wLjAuMA..
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Organisations
See Her Thrive
https://seeherthrive.com/
Mind
https://www.mind.org.uk/
IAPMD
https://iapmd.org/​​
Resources
An app to help manage and track your cycle​
https://www.livelycycle.com/
Self-screening tool
https://iapmd.org/self-screen
More about PMDD
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-pmdd/about-pmdd/
Podcast about periods
https://flowdownpod.com/
Episode 12 What it's like to live with PMDD
https://flowdownpod.com/episodes/pmdd-awareness-month?mc_cid=23331aefad&mc_eid=0dc8440cb9
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See Her Thrive Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olckoIRw0Es
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