PMDD aka Premenstrual Dsyphoric Disorder is a stigma illness - not only is it a ‘women's thing’ but it's also mental health AND menstrual health = patriarchy can’t handle this shit!
Yes there is lots more info around now and doctors are becoming more aware, slowly. Research is still developing but it is known to be a sensitivity that affects the brain chemicals that control mood when hormones change after ovulation.
10 years ago when I went to the doctors because I was feeling totally crazy it wasn't even known then; I was just sent off with antidepressants.
5 years after that I wasn’t convinced so I dug deeper and that’s when I found Menstruality and have lived ever since medication free, even retraining to share this natural method with as many women as I can. 🥰🥰
BUT What I really want to tell you is this, so LISTEN UP.
The extreme symptoms you're suffering with is your menstrual cycle shouting to you to actually come into a deeper relationship with it and change how you live your life.
For example, if you're struggling with anxiety and you find that these panicky freakouts are happening every month and you just want to completely escape your life - that day or two before your period where it’s just like, I literally want to just like run away from my life or burn the house down or break up with a partner or kill myself 😞
Actually what's happening is this:
You have a 28(ish) day cycle - meaning that you have a start and an end point to your cycle.
🩸Menstruation is the first day of your period and then when you get to the end of your cycle - it sounds really dramatic but there's a kind of death that's happening because that cycle is now ending in order for the new one to begin and that's why extreme feelings come. You’re literally entering a mini ‘death ’ of self.
Particularly anyone who is a high sensitive or has trauma in their system or any deep emotional experiences that they might be holding on to.
AND YET there is just no holding or permission for our feelings at this time of the month in
A) ourselves (through lack of awareness and education)
B) in society (the reason for A) 😤😤😤
WHATS MORE
The denial of this experience collectively through centuries of patriarchy has had a devastating impact on women’s mental health.
The high sensitive woman’s cyclical experience has been lacking the respect and reverence required for like hundreds of years and all of that has had an impact and that's why it can sort show up as as these extreme feelings
and that's where I believe the root of PMDD actually comes from; this lack of being held or witnessed and denied your cyclical rights.
It’s fucked up.
But you get to change it.
It’s starts now.
And I can help you :)
Love, Lisa x
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