What the heck is PMDD?
Often dismissed as ‘bad PMS’ (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome), Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a menstrual mood disorder that can trigger panic attacks and depression so severe, it can make some women suicidal. Even if it doesn’t lead to a severe psychiatric crisis, PMDD can impact a woman’s ability to function, causing problems at work, home and in close relationships.
How do I know? Because for more than a decade, my PMDD raged undiagnosed, unmanaged, unmedicated and with me in deep-seated denial. Not only is PMDD prevalent but commonly misdiagnosed. Most women suffer on average for over a decade before finding relief and according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 90% of cases go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. It can take upto 12 years to get an accurate prognosis.
A 2024 review by Oxford University finds that around 1.6% of women and girls have symptomatic (PMDD) but notes this is likely an underestimate. Experts at Harvard report that many women with PMDD are told their symptoms are “all in their heads,” or get wrongly diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The picture is even bleaker for women of color.
What I think is really striking about PMDD is the uncomfortable question it forces us to face— are women actually ruled by their hormones? Even though women have fought decades to dismantle the dangerous “hysterical woman” stereotype that strips us of our credibility, it continues to define us, particularly in healthcare. But is the stereotype partly true? Could it be that some women are at the mercy of their hormones? I know I am. I cannot be alone.
I am so honored and grateful that Britney Marsden, aka "The PMDD Chick," a dedicated Women's Health Coach specializing in Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), invited me as a guest on her podcast, “Her Health Confessions.” I came out with my own struggles with the health condition for the first time, publicly. It was so therapeutic and freeing.
By drawing from her own experience overcoming severe PMDD, Britney has become a trusted source of support and knowledge for women facing this too often misunderstood and misdiagnosed condition.
Check out the episode here. Do you or someone you know suffer from PMDD?