Imagine you are a woman (if you are not one) who wakes up one morning and feels down without a reason. You believe you have taken really good care of yourself lately, eating right, getting enough sleep and all, but…still something felt wrong. “I don’t understand,” you may think, “Why?”
The “why” question could be a good starting point here. The next thing you might consider doing is pay closer attention to how often you have a similar experience like mentioned above. Does it seem to be every month? And to be more specific, does it begin some time before your menstruation starts?
If your answers to both questions are “yes,” you are advised to get in touch with a specialist on women studies or a psychologist. Because there is a possibility that you could suffer from PMDD or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.
PMDD is a hormonal-changed condition many women experience every month, about 7-10 days prior to their period starts. It causes extreme mood shifts, depression, anxiety, even suicidal thoughts.
The person with PMDD may feel fatigue, hopelessness, and amotivation without specific reasons. For instance, Praya Lundberg, Thai-Swedish actress shared her experience with PMDD that as she is an active person, “Two weeks before my period, I would get emotional and depressed.”
“Even if I exercised regularly, tried to think positively, and did meditation, I would often find myself in a shower and just cried, for example,” Lundberg said.
PMDD can directly affect one’s emotions and anxiety and it may cause changes in sleep and eating habits also.
After Lunberg observed her life’s pattern, she decided to consult the issue with a psychologist and got a test run. She shared that she did not take any medication in her treatment. What she did was “trying my best to be in the present moment and spending time with nature.”
The phrase, “being a woman is hard,” sometimes did not sound exaggerated at all as a lot of women are fighting with challenges posed by PMDD or other hormonal changes symptoms.
If you are someone who is dealing with some of the symptoms related to the condition, remember that you are not alone. Asking for help is normal, it shows your strength and self-love, not weakness.
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