Do You Feel Out of Control Every Month? It Could Be PMDD

Understanding the difference between PMS and PMDD—and how a holistic approach can help

If you feel like a completely different person in the lead-up to your period—anxious, depressed, angry, or even despairing—you’re not alone. But you might be dealing with more than just PMS.

For many women, the emotional and physical changes they experience each month are far more intense than what’s commonly considered “normal.” If your symptoms feel overwhelming or out of control, it could be Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)—a serious but often misunderstood condition affecting up to 1 in 20 menstruating people.

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What’s the Difference Between PMS and PMDD?

Both PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) and PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) occur in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle—the weeks before menstruation begins. While PMS is common and typically includes mild mood shifts, bloating, or fatigue, PMDD is more severe, disruptive, and emotionally distressing.

Symptoms of PMDD may include:

• Sudden and intense irritability or rage
• Crushing anxiety or panic attacks
• Deep sadness or hopelessness, sometimes with suicidal thoughts
• Extreme fatigue or sleep disturbance
• Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
• Feeling overwhelmed, out of control, or unlike yourself

The difference is not just one of degree. PMDD is a cyclical hormone sensitivity affecting the brain’s response to natural hormonal fluctuations. For those affected, it is not “just hormonal”—it’s neurological, physiological, and deeply emotional.

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Why PMDD Is Often Misdiagnosed

Because it mimics mood disorders like anxiety and depression, PMDD is frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed. Many women spend years being offered antidepressants, the birth control pill, or being told “it’s just PMS” without anyone taking their symptoms more seriously, or looking into the cause of this devastating condition.

What makes PMDD particularly cruel is its predictability. For two weeks of the month, you may feel “fine”—even joyful. Then, as if a switch has flipped, darkness descends. You feel like a completely different person.  This cyclical nature is one of its key diagnostic features and also one of the most distressing.

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A Holistic Path to Healing

While conventional treatments for PMDD often involve antidepressants or hormonal birth control, many women are now turning to a more integrated and holistic approach—one that seeks not just to suppress symptoms, but to heal the root causes.

This includes:

1. Trauma Processing

Many women with PMDD have a history of unresolved trauma. The nervous system becomes more sensitive to hormonal changes when underlying stress or emotional wounds are unaddressed. Techniques such as somatic therapy, Family Constellations, EMI (Emotional Mind Integration), or other trauma-informed approaches can create lasting shifts in how the body responds to its hormonal rhythm.

2. Nutritional Therapy

A nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet supports hormone clearance, balances blood sugar, and fuels neurotransmitter production. Key nutrients like magnesium, B6, calcium, and zinc are crucial for mood stability. A whole food, plant-based diet can be incredibly supportive, especially when tailored to menstrual health.

3. Natural Medicine

Herbs such as Vitex agnus-castus (chaste tree berry), ashwagandha, and rhodiola can help modulate stress hormones and support progesterone sensitivity. These need to be used thoughtfully and ideally under the guidance of a naturopath or herbalist with experience in women’s health.

4. Lifestyle and Rhythm

Cycle-tracking, gentle movement, prioritising sleep, and honouring your inner emotional life can all make a profound difference. PMDD invites us to develop deep self-awareness and cyclical wisdom—a shift from battling the cycle to working with it.

“The body keeps the score,” says trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk—and with PMDD, that score is often played through the rhythms of the menstrual cycle.

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You’re Not Broken—You’re Sensitive

One of the hardest things about PMDD is how alone and ashamed it can make you feel. But you are not broken—you are deeply sensitive. And that sensitivity, when understood and supported, can become a profound strength.

Healing PMDD is not about “fixing” your hormones. It’s about creating safety in your body, nourishment in your life, and clarity around what your emotions are trying to tell you. With the right support, many women find that their cycles no longer feel like a curse, but a guide.

Final Thoughts

If you feel like you lose yourself every month—if anxiety, rage, or despair take over in ways that disrupt your life—it’s time to explore the possibility that you’re experiencing more than just PMS. PMDD is real. And it is treatable.

The most lasting healing happens when we address the whole woman—not just her hormones, but her story, her nervous system, and her inner ecology. A holistic, trauma-informed approach offers not just symptom relief—but deep emotional liberation.

Because you deserve to feel whole, all month long.

Image by Mircea Iancu from Pixabay