PMDD or Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome and is also known as premenstrual depression. Almost 75 percent of manstruating women in the general population are affected by mild to moderate premenstrual symptoms. But almost 10 percent of menstruating women ar diagnosed with PMDD, which can be an extremely disabling form of premenstrual syndrome. It is a mood disorder that is associated with the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and was originally called late luteal phase dysphoric disorder (LLPDD). This is a debilitating disorder and can cause great distress to the sufferrer.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is differentiated from Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) by the severeity of its symptoms and the kind of impact it can have on interpersonal as well as social relationships. The key feature of this disorder is that it results in tehdisruption of the normal functioning of the individual in daily life.
Symptoms of PMDD:
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) can cause severe disability dur to physical, mental or emotional symptoms and is accompanied by great misery and distress. Symptoms begin to appear at least a week befor the onset of menstruatuion and begin to subside after one bleeding begins. Major symptoms of this disorder include:
- Feelings of deep melancholy often accompanied by despair and sucide indication
- Feelings of anxiety
- Tension
- Severe mood swings
- Crying spells
- Panic attacks
- Hot flushes
- Shallow breathing
- Increased heart palpitation
- Persistent irritability. Anger and increased interpersonal conflicts
- Disinterest in regular activities and relationships
- Fatuge
- Lethargy
- Bodyache, headache and joint pain
- Breast tenderness
- Difficult in concentrating
- Bing eating
- Insomnia and hypertension
- Feeling of being out of control or on the edge
- Increase or decrease in sex drive
- Feelings of insecurity
- Increased need for emotional closeness
Five or more of any of these symptoms indicate that the woman is suffering from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
