What are PMDs?
Every 3 seconds, PMDD or PME disrupts another life around the world.
Premenstrual Disorders (PMDs), including Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and Premenstrual Exacerbation (PME), are cyclical neuroendocrine conditions in which individuals have an abnormal sensitivity to the natural hormonal fluctuations of the menstrual cycle. This heightened sensitivity can trigger a wide range of debilitating emotional, cognitive, physical, and even cellular-level symptoms that significantly affect daily functioning, relationships, and quality of life.
Symptoms of PMDs typically intensify during the luteal phase, or premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle (the one to two weeks before menstruation) and subside within a few days of menstruation starting. This cyclical pattern is a key feature of PMDs, helping distinguish them from other mental or physical health conditions.
While the specific symptoms and their severity vary widely from person to person, many report debilitating mood swings, anxiety, depression, irritability, fatigue, pain, or trouble concentrating during symptomatic phases.
📌 Symptoms switch off and are absent for a period during the follicular phase of the cycle.
Premenstrual Disorders (PMDs) include:
PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) is a cyclical hormone-based mood disorder.
A severe, chronic medical condition that affects around 1 in 20 menstruating individuals. PMDD is not just "bad PMS"—it’s a debilitating condition that includes extreme mood shifts such as:
→ Depression
→ Anxiety
→ Irritability
→ Rage
→ Feeling out of control
→ Suicidal thoughts
These symptoms arise after ovulation and resolve shortly after menstruation begins.
PME (Premenstrual Exacerbation) is the premenstrual exacerbation of the preexisting symptoms of another disorder, such as major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, in the luteal phase, or the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle.
PMDs are not caused by hormone imbalances; hormone levels are typically normal, but rather by how the body and brain respond to these changes, particularly in the systems that regulate mood and stress (like serotonin and GABA pathways).
Understanding PMDs is critical for validation, accurate diagnosis, and compassionate care.
📌 Note: The evidence and guidance on this website are primarily geared toward PMDD, this is because research is more advanced, and PME is a newer area of study. While premenstrual exacerbation can affect many conditions (for example, it has been noted in asthma and arthritis), IAPMD focuses on the exacerbation of psychiatric disorders.
