Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder AKA Period Anxiety: All You Need To Know About This Condition
Period anxiety is real and the intensity of the symptoms may vary from one woman to another.
You may be familiar with period mood swings, period cravings but have you ever heard of period anxiety? As rare as this condition may be, some women do face it and it affects their mental health, it could affect their work and productivity and it could also affect their overall health. Anxiety caused by periods is called Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This too is a genuine health problem that plagues many women. The symptoms may be similar to Pre-Menstrual Syndrome but it is a lot more severe than that. The symptoms may show up few days before the onset of menstruation and could go on till the first two to three days of periods.
The main symptoms that define Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability and mood
- Stress
What Is PMDD aka Period Anxiety?
Period anxiety is a very serious health condition and it comes with a wide range of physiological and mental symptoms. This particular health problem affects almost 30 to 80 per cent of women who go through menstruation. The intensity of it however may vary. The symptoms may be mild for some people while for others it may be so severe that they are unable to get through the day in a normal fashion. There are also few people who do not face these symptoms at all.
Here are some common psychological symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Changes in appetite
- Irritability
- Loss of interest in intimacy
- Mood swings
- Difficulties with memory or concentration
- Excess sleep or too little sleep
Here Are Some Physiological Symptoms
This may come as a surprise but anxiety also manifests into certain physiological symptoms:
- Swollen and tender breasts
- Your breasts may feel tender and swollen
- You may get constipation or diarrhoea
- Stomach and muscle cramps
- Bloating
- Backaches
- Headaches
- Low tolerance for loud noise and bright lights
How To Take Care Of Yourself When You Get Period Anxiety?
It is true that anxiety especially when you are on your periods can take over your whole body and disrupt your routine. You may be unable to work, unable to sleep, unable to think positively. On top of everything, periods bring along with it other symptoms like menstrual cramps, mood swings, depressive symptoms. All in all, you may feel like it is impossible to handle or cope with it. But, you can and here's how:
Experts say that there are different types of treatments available for this condition but it depends on the severity of symptoms that a person is facing. There are home remedies that one can try like:
- Exercising
- 8 hours of sleep
- No smoking
- Good diet
- relaxation techniques like meditation
Other Medical Treatments Include:
- Hormonal birth control
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Antianxiety medications
Disclaimer: The above mentioned medical treatments need to be recommended ad prescribed by a doctor and no one else.