How PMS and PMDD Impacts Your Mental Health
Today we are talking about how PMS and PMDD impacts your mental health. You probably have a pretty good idea when your period is going to start, not because you looked at a calendar, but because of a sudden mood change. You might feel more sensitive, anxious, or snappy. Things that normally wouldn't bother you seem like a big deal all of a sudden.
PMS can make you feel emotionally unstable, but it's usually manageable. On the other hand, PMDD can make you feel like your brain has been highjacked for a week or two every month. It can be very intense. You might feel overwhelmed, extremely angry, stressed out or completely hopeless. Then your period starts, and you feel like yourself again. It can be hard to understand why you have such dramatic mood swings and to be honest, it’s pretty annoying.
But it’s not “all in your head”. Hormonal changes can have a big effect on how your brain handles emotions. Leading up to and during your period, you may have a lot more difficulty with managing stress, negative thoughts and be far more reactive.
How PMS and PMDD Change Your Daily Life
These changes in mood can affect how you see yourself, your work, and your relationships. You might be more likely to get into arguments or feel the need to withdraw from your partner or your friends. Things that are usually easy can suddenly feel very hard.
You might also notice that your self talk gets much harsher. During this time, negative thoughts about yourself can be more frequent and cause a stronger reaction. You might feel like your confidence has disappeared overnight. This can be really hard to deal with, especially if it happens every month.
It can also change how you deal with stress. Even small problems can seem huge and you might cry more easily, get angry more quickly, or feel like everything is just too much. And it’s not because there’s something wrong with you, it’s your hormones throwing everything out of whack and making your feel like someone you’re not.
Little Things You Can Do to Help Your Mental Health Right Now
You don't have to change everything about your life to deal with PMS or PMDD. Changes that are small but consistent can really make a difference. Start by paying attention to your cycle. If you know when your period is coming you can plan around it and make sure you take more time to relax during that time of the month. And don’t feel bad about having to adjust your life around your cycle. You should be making self care a priority anyway. It’s just needed more urgently during your time of the month.
Grounding yourself can also help when you are stressed out and hormonal. This could mean doing breathwork, going for a short walk outside, or focusing on something that makes you feel good, like enjoying an herbal tea or listening to calming music. If you are deliberate about your self care and grounding yourself during this time, then it will spill over into the other weeks of your month. And only good can come from taking better care of yourself.
Some other ways that you can alleviate your PMS and PMDD symptoms include reducing your caffeine and sugar intake, getting more sleep and of course exercise. But you don’t have to go to spin class to receive the benefits, a brisk walk will definitely help to reduce stress especially if you can get outdoors to do it.
Being aware of your thoughts can also help. When your inner voice gets nasty, get curious about it. Notice it and acknowledge that it’s just your hormones talking to you. Don’t take the negative beliefs about yourself as truth. That little bit of awareness can help put some space between you and those negative thoughts.
It's also helpful to reach out to people you trust. You don't have to share all that’s going on but by checking in with or spending time with someone who makes you feel safe, it can take some of the edge off.
How Therapy Can Help
Therapy can be a great place to deal with PMS or PMDD if you find that your mental health is being impacted. In therapy, you can look at how these patterns show up in your life, how they affect your relationships, and what strategies can help you feel more grounded and calm.
Therapy can also help you learn how to deal with strong emotions, lower your stress levels, and deal with the negative thoughts that tend to come up during this time. You can learn how to deal with these changes with more awareness over time instead of feeling like you have to endure the symptoms every month.
With the right support and planning, you can feel more in control and balanced, even on the worst days. Contact Wild Sage Therapy to set up a free consultation if you want to learn more about how we can help.