Bloating, mood swings, sore boobs and heightened emotions? It could be that time of the month. 90% of people who menstruate will experience at least one symptom of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) around their period and it’s thought that 5-8% of people have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
What is PMS?
PMS is a condition that can affect anyone who menstruates. It’s where you have physical and emotional symptoms in the lead up to and during your period. For most people, symptoms are only mild, but 30% of people experience moderate to severe PMS.
Here are some common symptoms of PMS:
What causes PMS?
Before we get into it, let’s talk about the menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period and ends the day before your next period starts. There are four phases in your menstrual cycle:
Across the menstrual cycle, hormone levels rise and fall. After ovulation, during the luteal phase, female sex hormones begin to drop dramatically if you’re not pregnant. This is when you’re likely to experience PMS symptoms. After menstruation, when hormone levels start to rise again, PMS symptoms go away.
Although the cause of PMS isn’t known for sure, it’s thought that it’s a result of these hormone changes. Hormones have a huge impact on our bodies and brains, and therefore, our mood, so it makes sense that as our hormones change, so does our state of mind.
What is PMDD?
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is often referred to as a severe form of PMS. People with PMDD experience similar symptoms to PMS but they’re far more intense. Experiencing PMDD can have a serious impact on your day-to-day life, making it difficult to work and socialise.
Living with PMDD can be extremely difficult, and you might have suicidal thoughts. In the event of a healthcare emergency, call 999, or if you want to talk, you can call Samaritans listening service free 24/7 on 116 123.
Taking care of yourself during PMS
Practice self-care
During this time, it’s important to take care of yourself and listen to your body. Make sure that you’re getting enough sleep, eating balanced meals, drinking plenty of water and exercising in a way that feels comfortable. Yoga and walking are gentle ways to move your body.
You could do something that helps you to unwind, like meditating, breathing exercises or having a warm bath. Maybe you could get all cosy on the sofa and watch a movie, read a book or listen to music. As long as you’re doing something that makes you feel relaxed, you’ll feel the benefit.
Journal your feelings
If you are feeling anxious or low due to PMS, journaling might help. Journaling is the process of writing down your thoughts and feelings, so that you can reflect on them and understand them better. It can also be relieving to get something out of your brain and down on the page. Hopefully, this will help you to work through negative thoughts, rather than dwelling on them.
Talk to someone
When you’re going through a difficult time with our mental health, it can be really helpful to talk to someone you trust, like a friend or family member. There’s a good feeling that comes from getting something out in the open, and making someone else aware of what you’re going through means that they might be able to support you.
Some people find it hard to talk about their emotions. If you can relate, we’ve written some advice here that we hope will be useful.
Keep track of your period
Keeping track of your period will help you to know which phase of your cycle you’re in and when you might experience PMS symptoms. It’s a good idea to make a note of your symptoms throughout your cycle, so that you can pre-empt changes to your physical and mental health.
Seek professional help
If symptoms of PMS or PMDD are interfering with your life, there is help available. As a first port of call, you can make an appointment with your GP. Write down the symptoms that you’ve been experiencing and when, and take this to the appointment with you.
If you’re struggling with mental health symptoms as a result of PMS or PMDD, your GP might recommend cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). At ieso, we offer typed CBT for common mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
Typed therapy is where the patient and therapist ‘speak’ by typing back and forward. It’s just as effective as face-to-face therapy and it’s completely remote, so you can join therapy sessions from home or anywhere that you have an internet connection. Find out more about what we do.
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