Having PMS every month can be a dreadful experience! But what if it isn’t PMS? If you’ve ever felt that your symptoms may be more severe than they should be, this article is for you! Before being diagnosed with PMDD at 17 years old, I thought PMS was way more awful than it really is! These are the 10 Intense PMS symptoms that may actually be PMDD!
Mostly everyone has a good idea of PMS symptoms. Still, for a general overview, you can check out this article. PMDD is also Premenstrual but is slightly different in that the symptoms are much more intense.
Almost immediately, when I started my monthly cycle at age 12, I began dealing with symptoms of PMDD but didn’t realize that was what it was. It wasn’t until 5 years later, when I discussed my symptoms at my first OBGYN appointment, that I was told I had all the signs of PMDD.
I’m writing this article hoping that if you are suffering from PMDD, you will no longer suffer in silence, thinking it’s normal. This isn’t an extensive article on PMS or PMDD. I’ll link some great clinical articles throughout the article if you’re interested in additional info.
This article is all about the 10 Intense PMS symptoms that you didn’t realize could be PMDD!
Intense pms symptoms
1. Annoyed Easily
Though this is a common PMS symptom, it can be one of the symptoms of PMDD when it is intensified. Under normal circumstances, being easily annoyed will come and go throughout the days leading up to your period. Still, for me, it was more constant and extreme.
Any little thing that went wrong proved to be a massive inconvenience. Like, being 5 minutes late for a class, which was entirely normal for me, LOL; I would be so annoyed at myself, the teacher, and whoever else decided to mention it!
Not only would it annoy me at the moment, but feeling irritable would last all day long and progressively get worse throughout the day. Leaving me feeling out of control of my emotions (another symptom in itself)!
2. Incredibly Nervous or Apprehensive
This one is a bit harder to pick up on because you could be a nervous person in general, but the intensity of the symptom is what you should look for.
On most days, I am more apprehensive than most in making decisions. I've come to learn in recent years that I am what Gretchen Rubin calls a "questioner." If you haven't read her book The Four Tendencies, I HIGHLY recommend it. I'll link it below! I love all her books, but especially that one.
Ok, let's get back to the topic at hand. One of the ways I noticed that my nervousness was a bit overboard is that I would feel it throughout the entire day about everything. It wasn't just when making decisions. I was nervous about what to wear, choosing what to eat, apprehensive about assignments and tasks, and uneasy about conversations I was having. It was all-encompassing and unending.
3. Trouble Controlling Emotions
One of the things that made me realize that I was having more than just PMS symptoms was my complete inability to control my emotions. If anger was the emotion of the moment, it was INTENSE and unforgiving. If I was feeling sadness, it was overwhelming and made me feel like I was drowning in sorrow.
In fact, the night that I began to pray about my PMDD instead of managing it was one night when my emotions were so intense that I felt like I couldn't reign them in in front of others. Feeling nearly insane, I called out to God for help. If you've ever felt this symptom and had a moment of clarity, you know how desperate you are in those moments.
This is one of the more apparent symptoms of PMDD!
4. Anger Turns to Rage
Common anger and frustration is a typical PMS symptom, but if your anger turns into rage, it could be a symptom of PMDD.
I am a pretty intense person; I feel things deeply and experience emotions in more of an extreme manner. However, when anger turns into rage, you know it. Common signs of PMDD rage that I experienced were wanting to scream, throw objects, and feeling like hitting something. I even found myself saying very irrational things about myself or others.
If you feel this way every month, just know that you are not crazy or alone. Though this symptom can be humiliating to admit and difficult to face, it's not your fault, and you aren't crazy! It's a hormonal issue that you should talk to your doctor about.
If you're more of a "natural first" type person, here are some natural treatments for PMDD that you may be interested in first.
5. Difficulty Concentrating
With PMDD, I would deal with a lack of concentration for at least an entire week of the month. This symptom, though common standard PMS, was intensified for me. Instead of just normal difficulty, it would seem nearly impossible to focus on anything.
Lack of focus can lead to over-indulging in TV, binge eating out of boredom, and even emotional eating. I struggled with all of these over my most prominent years of PMDD, gaining nearly 80 pounds from high school to my late twenties! I have since got most of this under control with diet, exercise, and other natural treatments.
It's important to realize that some symptoms are typical for PMS. If you feel you cannot focus on any task or complete a thought, this could signify something more serious.
Aside from PMS or PMDD, if you struggle with Emotional Eating, I have written a great article to help you!
6. Severe Fatigue
Having a feeling of absolute exhaustion was very usual for me for a long time. I had no idea that this was abnormal. Experiencing extreme fatigue is more than just a symptom of PMS; it could be PMDD!
An example of this in my own life that is most prominent in my memory was when I worked in the office of a home health care facility. I was a high school student and got out each day for a half-day to go to work. I would enter the facility at about 1 pm and receive a company break around 3 pm. For 1-2 weeks of the month, every single day at 3 pm, despite having a gravy schedule every day, I would fall asleep at the break room table.
I felt the type of exhaustion that you can't move from, almost like jet lag or a vitamin deficiency. It turns out I had PMDD and didn't realize it!
7. Anxiety and Panic Attacks
PMS usually brings on a bit of anxiety just before a woman's monthly cycle begins. But for me, it was the Panic Attacks that were brought on that made it more evident that I was dealing with something more.
Uncontrollable fear and panic wrecked my life for nearly a week of every month. The worst part of the panic attacks was feeling irrational and out of control, wondering if I had a heart attack or other serious medical issue.
Suppose you regularly have extreme anxiety and panic attacks each month before your period. In that case, it may be good to speak with your doctor about the potential of having PMDD.
If you're reading this article, you've likely experienced some of the same feelings of loneliness, panic, fear, and questioning of your sanity like I have. You aren't alone in this. There are many women like us who have struggled silently in the name of normal PMS.
A few ways that I treat panic and fear in my own life are daily prayer, journaling, diet and exercise, and essential oils! Here's an article and link to some of my favorite essential oils for women!
8. Low Self-Esteem and Worth
It may come as no surprise to you that low self-esteem resulted from years of confusion and struggle with PMS and PMDD. An obvious conclusion can be drawn with the previous symptoms occurring every month would indeed make you feel worthless and cause self-esteem to plummet!
My experience with this came in the form of self-hatred. For years I felt like I didn't know the person I stared in the mirror at daily. I would look at myself and think, "you are crazy; something is REALLY wrong with you!" It never occurred to me that it could be a hormonal issue. I could be quoted MANY times about a week before my period saying, "I feel crazy."
There's very little in this world that makes you feel down on yourself, like feeling crazy.
If this is something you feel every month around the same time, just know, you aren't crazy, you aren't damaged goods, and there is help for you! I was able to overcome it, and you can overcome it too!
Here's an article I've written on Low Self Esteem that may help you; check it out!
9. Isolation from Family and Friends
Being overwhelmed with emotional instability and other symptoms that you think are PMS may cause you to self-isolate and become depressed.
In my experience with Intense PMS and PMDD, I felt like I should isolate myself from friends and family to hide my mental health struggles. If I could fight it alone, no one would have an opportunity to think I was as crazy as I felt that I was. This led me to a year of deep dark depression that I would not wish on my worst enemy.
Sadly, many women struggle with these same feelings and desires to self-isolate! If you've been trying to hide during the week leading up to your cycle. This could lead you down the road to intense depression. In that case, you should seek someone to talk to or possibly even a counselor to help you out of the lonely place you find yourself.
As in most of my articles, I like to leave some online options for counseling because it feels safer and less invasive. Here are a few I recommend!
10. Crying Uncontrollably
Emotional regulation is complicated when you are struggling with PMS symptoms but nearly impossible when facing a diagnosis like PMDD.
For YEARS I thought I was just a super emotional person and cried too much. Though that may be somewhat true, I noticed that I would describe myself that way during the week before my menstrual cycle most of the time.
Crying spells would be so intense that sometimes I couldn't control them in school or work environments! I would often find myself asking for a bathroom break or finding a reason to go to my car. If the crying spells were associated with a panic attack, I would frequently call in sick.
If you frequently find yourself having to explain your crying to others or find yourself sobbing alone for little or no reason. Instead of dismissing it, do some tracking, see if it happens at a specific time each month.
If you struggle with any of these symptoms, I encourage you to do more research on PMDD! It's easy for women to dismiss a diagnosis if it is nearly related to PMS at all. Thinking it's normal and feeling crazy all at the same time is no way to live! Below the article are some extra resources for you to check out that will hopefully lead you to the answers and solutions you seek!
This article was all about the 10 Intense
PMS Symptoms That Could Be PMDD!
What are some other symptoms you've noticed that seem to be more extreme than regular PMS? Let me know in the comments below how this article helped you!
Saying Goodbye to Anxious,
Kristina G.
A few extra clinical articles about PMDD
that may help you!
Here are a few things I've used to help
deal with symptoms over time:
1. Prayer! I genuinely believe in the power of prayer, and I prayed for years that God would heal me of all psychological symptoms of PMS/ PMDD. I truly believe He did that through various means.
2. Diet! In 2017 I started my journey to research a particular diet, the Ketogenic diet. I have been doing it since June 2018 and have seen fabulous results mentally and physically, but especially during the time of my menstrual cycle! Here is an excellent article with an overview of info on it!
Some Related Articles from Goodbye Anxious
BEING THANKFUL | 21 INCREDIBLE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS
EXPRESSING EMOTIONS IN CONFLICT | THE BEST STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
