What causes mood swings during a woman’s period? How can PMS and PMDD be treated to manage emotional distress? Explore the science behind menstrual mood changes and effective ways to find relief.

The Rollercoaster of Menstrual Mood Swings

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects a majority of women of childbearing age, with many experiencing significant mood changes in the days leading up to their period. While menstrual symptoms like irritability, anger, and mood swings are a monthly challenge for most women, severe PMS can be emotionally debilitating for some. Fortunately, treating PMS through medication and lifestyle changes can help women better control these mood fluctuations and other emotional difficulties.

Understand the Hormonal Roots of PMS Mood Swings

Although researchers are not entirely certain why PMS occurs, these emotional disturbances are thought to be connected to the rise and fall of hormones, particularly estrogen, throughout the menstrual cycle. Estrogen levels begin to slowly rise just after a woman’s period ends, peaking about two weeks later. Then, estrogen levels drop dramatically before rising again just before menstruation starts. These hormonal peaks and valleys are believed to be the primary cause of mood swings and other PMS symptoms.

Some research also suggests that female hormones may interact with brain chemicals in a way that can affect mood in those with PMS. Reduced levels of estrogen during the luteal phase of the cycle could potentially cause a drop in serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with depression, irritability, and carbohydrate cravings – all common PMS symptoms.

Severe PMS: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

Between 3 and 8 percent of menstruating women experience an even more severe condition called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). These women become seriously depressed a week or two before their periods, with major depression and extreme irritation as the primary symptoms. PMDD is considered a mental illness and is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

To be diagnosed with PMDD, a woman must have at least five of the following symptoms around the time of her period: deep sadness or despair (possibly with suicidal thoughts), lasting irritability and anger, feelings of tension or anxiety, panic attacks, mood swings, crying, disinterest in daily activities and relationships, trouble thinking or focusing, feeling out of control or overwhelmed, fatigue, low energy, and food cravings or binge eating. These symptoms disappear shortly after menstruation begins.

Treating Mild to Severe PMS Symptoms

For many women, lifestyle changes can be an effective part of PMS treatment. These include regular exercise, which can lift moods and improve depression by releasing feel-good endorphins, as well as eating smaller, more frequent meals to avoid blood sugar swings. Supplementation with calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B6 may also provide relief.

For women with severe PMS or PMDD, medication may be necessary. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and oral contraceptives are commonly prescribed to help stabilize mood swings and other emotional symptoms. In some cases, diuretics or anti-anxiety medications may also be used.

Seeking Help for Debilitating PMS

If a woman’s PMS symptoms are significantly impacting her quality of life, it’s important to seek medical attention. A doctor can help determine the appropriate treatment plan, whether that involves lifestyle modifications, medications, or a combination approach. With the right support, women dealing with severe PMS or PMDD can find relief and regain control over their emotional well-being.

Preventing and Managing PMS Mood Swings

While menstrual mood swings may be a monthly reality for many women, there are steps that can be taken to prevent and manage these emotional fluctuations. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, stress management techniques, and obtaining sufficient sleep can all help stabilize moods. Tracking one’s cycle and being aware of when PMS symptoms may arise can also allow for proactive self-care measures. For those with severe PMS or PMDD, working closely with a healthcare provider is essential to developing an effective treatment plan.

The Importance of Understanding Menstrual Mood Changes

PMS and its more severe counterpart, PMDD, are serious conditions that can have a significant impact on a woman’s emotional well-being and quality of life. By understanding the hormonal and neurochemical factors at play, as well as the available treatment options, women can take steps to better manage these monthly mood swings and find relief. Increased awareness and open dialogue around menstrual health issues are crucial to ensuring that all women have the support they need to thrive throughout their cycles.

PMS Emotions: Mood Swings In Women During Period

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects a high percentage of women of childbearing age, with many women feeling mood changes in the days before menstruation. And while menstrual symptoms like irritability, anger, and mood swings are a monthly bother for most women, severe PMS can be emotionally debilitating for some. Fortunately, treating PMS with medication and lifestyle changes can help women control mood changes and other emotional difficulties.

A Roller Coaster of Emotions

PMS can cause wild, uncontrollable mood swings in some women, who may go from crying spells to angry outbursts and anxiety attacks, then back to a stable emotional state — all in one day.

“You’ll know these emotional ups and downs are due to PMS if they start consistently a week to two weeks before your period and stop a day or two after menstruation starts,” says New York City gynecologist and fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Carol Livoti, MD. PMS symptoms, including mood swings, occur during the last (luteal) phase of the menstrual cycle, which starts after ovulation — typically day 14 to 28 of a woman’s monthly cycle. Once menstruation starts, mood swings usually disappear.

The most common emotional PMS symptoms are:

• Irritability
• Anger
• Depression
• Crying
• Oversensitivity
• Feeling nervous and anxious
• Alternating sadness and rage

Getting to the Root of PMS Mood Swings

Although researchers don’t know exactly why PMS strikes, these emotional disturbances are thought to be connected to the rise and fall of hormones, specifically estrogen, throughout the menstrual cycle. Estrogen levels begin to rise slowly just after a women’s period ends, and it peak two weeks later. “Then estrogen levels drop like a rock and begin rising slowly before dropping again just before menstruation starts,” explains Livoti. These hormonal peaks and valleys are thought to cause mood swings and other menstrual symptoms.

“Stressful situations, such as a divorce or job loss, don’t cause PMS, but they can make it worse,” adds Livoti. Some research suggests that female hormones interact with brain chemicals in a way that can affect mood in those with PMS. “Reduced levels of estrogen during the luteal phase of the cycle could possibly cause a drop in serotonin, although more research needs to be done to confirm this link,” says Livoti. Lower serotonin levels are associated with depression, irritability, and carbohydrate cravings, all of which can be PMS symptoms.

Severe PMS: Beyond Run-Of-The-Mill Mood Swings

Between 3 and 8 percent of menstruating women have an even more severe condition called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). These women become seriously depressed a week or two before their periods. “With PMDD, major depression and extreme irritation are the foremost symptoms,” says Livoti. “PMS is milder and usually involves physical menstrual symptoms, as well as emotional ones. ”

Women with a family history of depression or who have previously experienced postpartum depression are at increased risk for PMDD, which is included on the American Psychiatric Association’s list of mental illnesses (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). To be diagnosed with PMDD, a woman must have at least five of the following symptoms around the time of her period:

• Deep sadness or despair, with possible suicidal thoughts
• Lasting irritability and anger, which may include frequent outbursts at loved ones
• Feelings of tension or anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Mood swings
• Crying
• Disinterest in daily activities and relationships
• Trouble thinking or focusing
• Feeling out of control or overwhelmed
• Fatigue
• Low energy
• Food cravings or binge eating

These symptoms will disappear shortly after menstruation starts. “If they last all month, that’s not PMDD,” says Livoti. Instead, another mental or physical illness may be the cause.

Treating PMS Symptoms, From Mild to Severe

For many women, lifestyle changes can be a successful part of PMS treatment. For women with severe PMS, medication may be needed. The following PMS treatment options can help stabilize mood swings and improve a woman’s emotional health in the weeks before menstruation:

• Exercise. Physical activity can lift moods and improve depression. It’s believed that endorphins — feel-good brain chemicals that are released during exercise — may help counteract some of the hormone changes that may trigger severe PMS. “Exercising can also boost energy and help with cramps and bloating, which may help you feel better,” says Livoti. Aerobic exercise such as walking, running, bicycling, or swimming is recommended.
• Small, frequent meals. Eating small meals throughout the day rather than two or three big meals may also help ease PMS symptoms. A large meal, particularly one high in carbohydrates, can cause blood sugar swings, which could worsen PMS. “Low blood sugar may contribute to crying spells and irritability that are often seen in women with severe PMS,” says Livoti. Try to eat six small meals a day to keep your blood sugar levels steady.
• Calcium supplements. In a 2009 double-blind clinical trial of college women with PMS, those who supplemented their diet with 500 milligrams of calcium twice daily had significantly less depression and fatigue than those who didn’t. In fact, “a number of studies have shown that getting plenty of calcium can help ease mood changes related to severe PMS, although we don’t know exactly why,” says Livoti.
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and sweets. Staying away from coffee and other caffeinated drinks for two weeks before your period may make a difference in your mood because caffeine can increase anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia. Cutting down on alcohol may also be helpful because alcohol acts as a depressant. And steering clear of candy, soda, and other sugary foods, especially in the week before your period, may help ease severe PMS symptoms by preventing mood swings associated with blood sugar fluctuations.
• Stress management. Stress can make severe PMS symptoms worse, so finding ways to give stress the slip can help treatPMS. Try relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga. Individual or group therapy has also been found to be an effectivePMS treatment for women with severe mood swings and debilitating emotional changes.

  Antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that change serotonin levels in the brain have been shown to be helpful for women with severe PMS and PMDD. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved three of these medicines — Zoloft (sertraline), Prozac or Sarafem (fluoxetine), and Paxil CR (paroxetine) — for the treatment of PMDD.

  Talk to your doctor about which of these approaches might work best for any moderate or severe emotional PMS symptoms you’re experiencing.

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Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) can cause mood swings about a week before your period. You might wake up in great spirits but find yourself becoming irritable an hour or two later for no reason. This is likely related to hormonal fluctuations.

PMS is a collection of physical and emotional symptoms that start a week or so before your period. It makes some people feel moodier than usual and others bloated and achy.

Other emotional symptoms of PMS can include:

• sadness
• irritability
• anxiety
• anger

Two related conditions can also make you feel moodier before your period:

• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMDD is very similar to PMS, but its symptoms are more severe and tend to involve emotions. For some, it causes intense mood swings that interfere with daily life. While recent research estimates about 75 percent of women have PMS during their reproductive years, only 3 to 8 percent have PMDD.
• Premenstrual exacerbation. This refers to when symptoms of an existing condition, including anxiety, bipolar disorder, or depression, become worse in the weeks or days leading up to your period. About half of all women who receive treatment for PMS also have either depression or anxiety.

Read on to learn more about the connection between PMS and mood swings.

Experts aren’t sure about the exact cause of PMS, but it’s likely linked to hormonal fluctuations that happen during the second half of the menstrual cycle.

Ovulation happens about halfway through your cycle. During this time, your body releases an egg, causing estrogen and progesterone levels to drop. A shift in these hormones can lead to both physical and emotional symptoms.

Changes in estrogen and progesterone levels also influence serotonin levels. This is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate your mood, sleep cycle, and appetite. Low levels of serotonin are linked to feelings of sadness and irritability, in addition to trouble sleeping and unusual food cravings — all common PMS symptoms.

Mood swings are one of the most common and most severe PMS symptoms.

Track your symptoms

If you don’t already, start keeping track of your menstrual cycle and your emotions throughout its different stages. This will help you confirm that your mood swings are indeed linked to your cycle. Knowing there’s a reason you’re feeling extra moody can also help keep things in perspective and offer some validation.

Having a detailed log of your last few cycles is also handy if you want to bring up your symptoms with your doctor. There’s still some stigma around PMS. Having documentation of your symptoms might help you feel more confident about bringing them up. It can also help your doctor get a better idea of what’s going on.

You can track your cycle and symptoms using a period-tracking app on your phone. Look for one that allows you to add your own symptoms.

You can also print out a chart or make your own. Across the top, write the day of the month (1 through 31). List your symptoms down the left side of the page. Put an X in the box next to the symptoms you experience each day. Note whether each symptom is mild, moderate, or severe.

To track mood swings, make a note when you experience any of these symptoms:

• sadness
• sudden, unexplained changes in your mood
• crying spells
• irritability
• poor sleep or too much sleep
• trouble concentrating
• lack of interest in your daily activities
• tiredness
• low energy

Hormonal birth control

Hormonal birth control methods, like the pill or patch, can help with bloating, tender breasts, and other physical PMS symptoms. For some people, they can also help with emotional symptoms, including mood swings.

But for others, hormonal birth control can make mood swings worse. If you go this route, you might have to try out different types of birth control before you find a method that works for you.

If you’re interested in the pill, opt for a continuous one that doesn’t have a week of placebo pills. Continuous birth control pills can eliminate your period, which sometimes helps eliminate PMS, too.

Natural remedies

A couple of vitamins may help relieve PMS-related mood swings.

A clinical trial found that a calcium supplement helped with PMS-related feelings of sadness, irritability, and anxiety.

Many foods are good sources of calcium, including:

• milk
• yogurt
• cheese
• leafy green vegetables
• fortified orange juice and cereal

You can also take a daily supplement containing 1,200 milligrams of calcium, which you can find on Amazon. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results right away. It can take about three menstrual cycles to see any symptom improvement while taking calcium.

Vitamin B-6 might also help with PMS symptoms.

You can find it in the following foods:

• fish
• chicken and turkey
• fruit
• fortified cereals

Vitamin B-6 also comes in supplement form, which you can find on Amazon. Just don’t take more than 100 milligrams a day.

Lifestyle changes

Several lifestyle factors also seem to play a role in PMS symptoms:

• Exercise. Try to be active for at least 30 minutes more days of the week than not. Even a daily walk through your neighborhood can help with feelings of sadness, irritability, and anxiety.
• Nutrition. Try to resist the junk food cravings that can come with PMS. Large amounts of sugar, fat, and salt can all wreak havoc on your mood. You don’t have to cut them out completely, but try to balance out these foods with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This will help keep you full throughout the day and help avoid drops in blood sugar, which can make you irritable.
• Sleep. Not getting enough sleep can kill your mood if you’re weeks away from your period. Try to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night, especially in the week or two leading up to your period. See how not getting enough sleep affects your mind and body.
• Stress. Unmanaged stress can worsen mood swings. Use deep breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga to calm both your mind and body, especially when you feel PMS symptoms coming on.

Medication

If other treatment options aren’t helping, taking an antidepressant may help. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most common type of antidepressant used to treat PMS-related mood swings.

SSRIs block the absorption of serotonin. This increases the amount of serotonin in your brain. Examples of SSRIs include:

• citalopram (Celexa)
• fluoxetine (Prozac and Sarafem)
• paroxetine (Paxil)
• sertraline (Zoloft)

Other antidepressants that work on serotonin might also help treat PMS mood swings. These include:

• duloxetine (Cymbalta)
• venlafaxine (Effexor)

Work with your doctor to come up with a dosage plan. They might suggest you only take an antidepressant during the two weeks before your symptoms tend to start. In other cases, they might recommend taking them every day.

Your gynecologist might be the first person you turn to for help when you start noticing mood swings before your period. It’s important that your doctor is someone you trust and who takes your symptoms seriously. If your doctor doesn’t listen to you, search for another provider.

You can connect to a physician in your area using the Healthline FindCare tool.

You can also turn to the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders. It offers blogs, online communities, and local resources that can help you find a doctor familiar with PMS and PMDD.

Mood swings during menstruation. Women’s Health Education Portal Women First

Mood swings during menstruation: how to deal with it

Known to almost every woman, the word PMS or premenstrual
Syndrome is a whole set of disorders of the psycho-emotional
condition of a woman that occurs on the eve of menstruation
bleeding and passing immediately after them.

PMS has many causes and can manifest
due to external and internal factors. Despite
cyclicity of symptoms, pathology greatly reduces labor
women’s activity and quality of life. One of the most negative
sides of the syndrome, its greatest activity is considered to be in
the reproductive age of a woman from 20 to 45 years.

Therefore, PMS is considered by society as one of the global problems.
humanity together with diseases such as arterial
hypertension, stroke, diabetes mellitus, overweight and
atherosclerosis. An important factor contributing
progression of premenstrual syndrome are considered
human urbanization and an increase in stress loads on
woman.

The causes of the syndrome are not yet well understood, but
they are partly related to the hormonal system. First of all
This is due to an imbalance in estrogen levels and
progesterone. In addition, vegetative
disorders and psychosomatic problems.

PMS symptoms

From the side of the nervous system, a whole symptom complex can be distinguished,
which characterizes premenstrual syndrome. The most obvious
manifestations:

• increased anxiety and fatigue
• mental instability
• feeling of apathy towards others
• depression
• aggressive behavior
• decreased concentration and coordination.

Depending on the severity and symptoms of PMS, there are
several forms of pathology:

Neuropsychiatric characterized by
tearfulness, irritability, muscle weakness, apathy and
depressive state. The woman has an increased sense of smell
and sensitivity to sounds, bouts of depression and decreased libido.

Cephalgic form manifested by head
pains like migraines, violation of the vestibular apparatus,
decreased concentration, increased pain threshold.

The edematous form indicates pain in
chest, swelling of the lower and upper extremities, bloating,
increased sweating, sudden weight gains, increased
density of blood and urine.

The fourth, crisis form is expressed in
changes in the cardiovascular system. To them
include an increase in heart rate, jumps in blood pressure,
anxiety attacks, tachycardia, etc.

As you can see, premenstrual syndrome affects all major
systems of the female body, limiting not only
ability to work, but also the possibility of normal self-service.

According to the severity of manifestations, several varieties are distinguished
PMS:

Slight course – several
symptoms, usually 3-4 a week before the onset of menstruation.

Severe – number of symptoms
reaches 5-10 a week before the onset of bleeding and most
3-5 signs are expressed.

According to the stages of premenstrual syndrome, there are:

Compensatory stage – onset of symptoms
in the luteal phase of menstruation, which pass when
bleeding.

Subcompensatory stage – symptoms go away
after bleeding, but aggravated each time.

Decompensatory stage – persistent presence of all
manifestations of PMS before and after menstruation.

It should be noted that in particularly severe cases of development
premenstrual syndrome, disorders such as
signs of arthritis or arthrosis, skin rashes, increased
pigmentation and itching. On the part of the digestive tract, there may be constipation,
nausea, vomiting.

To combine all the variety of signs of PMS into one diagnosis,
it is necessary to establish the cyclicity of their manifestation before and after
menses. On average, the duration of the syndrome can reach up to
15 days, and it is directly related to the duration of the luteal
phases of menstruation.

The most pronounced symptoms are observed directly
before bleeding and disappears immediately after discharge.
Really pronounced manifestations of premenstrual syndrome
are diagnosed only in 30% of women, the rest feel only
individual signs.

Treatment and prevention of PMS

All women who suffer from premenstrual pain
interested in the question: how to alleviate the uncomfortable condition and remove
emotional stress? towards the development of therapeutic
activities should be tailored to each individual
case. However, the normalization of labor
regimen, dosed rest and physical activity.

To this should be added a balanced diet with
inclusion of low-calorie foods, fortification of food
B vitamins, carotenoids, tocopherol, ascorbic
acid and minerals. From the point of view of the correction of psychological
violations an important place is occupied by the psychotherapy of PMS.

It is necessary to organize a dialogue with a psychologist who will talk about
causes of the syndrome, methods of its prevention and
behavior patterns during the peak of the disease. It will be useful
conduct joint psychotherapeutic work with a partner
women, it will add efficiency.

Often, for the treatment of premenstrual syndrome include
hormone therapy based on non-gestagen preparations.
Additionally, non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce inflammation and
pain. In addition, with increased psycho-emotional stress
the doctor may prescribe adaptogens, multivitamin complexes and
sedative medications.

Premenstrual syndrome is included in the international classification
diseases – ICD 10, therefore it is an independent
disease requiring careful diagnosis and treatment.
Therefore, if for some reason you cannot
to cope with his symptoms, it is necessary to urgently
seek medical help.

Psychological problems and PMS: how to tell the difference

Expert comment
Psychologist Elizaveta Zaikina

“PMS can be different. There may be pain and changes in mood, but you need to understand that this is not always associated with hormones. We have the right to be angry or sad any day of the cycle.
Important! If PMS is affecting your life (you can’t work or communicate with loved ones without quarrels), then this is an occasion to consult a gynecologist to correct your condition, as this may be a symptom of premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
To understand whether your psychological instability is related to menstruation, you need to keep a diary. Write in it about your emotional well-being and compare the readings with the days of the cycle. Regular exercise and a daily routine can also help.”

Mood swings are one of the common symptoms attributed to PMS.

PMS itself is poorly understood and is largely attributed to all women in general, and this is one of the stereotypes that needs to be combated, because it attributes negative emotions to female biology, while in fact, not all women and far from each cycle experience the psychological symptoms of PMS.

What’s more, research suggests that, on average, men and women are equally affected by the same mood swings.

How exactly do hormones affect mental health?

There is no exact answer to this question, but, apparently, the cyclical monthly work of the ovaries plays a key role, producing different amounts of the hormones estradiol and progesterone in each part of the cycle, which, in turn, can affect neurotransmitters, that is, how signals travel through our brains.

Rapidly changing levels of these hormones can affect mood not only before and during menstruation, but also after childbirth and before menopause, leading to a cascade of reactions in the body that cause such hormone-dependent depressive states in predisposed people.

How to distinguish PMS from other psychological problems?

It is important to remember that the stereotypes that surround PMS are similar to those that surround people who have experienced mental health problems, and this stigma needs to be addressed.

From a psychological point of view, it is important to distinguish whether the symptoms are caused specifically by hormonal changes characteristic of PMS or by some other pre-existing mental state. Both women with and without mental health problems can suffer from PMS. Many women are simply afraid to talk about their mood swings and depression just because they believe that they will simply be written off as PMS and supposedly inevitable female biology, they will be called weak and simply devalued.

In rare cases, mood swings and depression can be so severe that they can develop into a serious problem and have a very negative impact on a woman’s psychological well-being, which is why it is important to know and be able to recognize the signs that you need qualified help.

PMS and PMDD and their impact on the psychological well-being of women

A severe affective disorder with severe psychological symptoms of PMS is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder. About 3-5% of women suffer from it. PMDD can cause extreme mood swings and intense feelings of hopelessness, deep sadness and depression, and anxiety so severe that it interferes with women’s daily lives.

If you’re not sure if your symptoms are normal, you can ask other women how they feel during PMS and compare their answers with your own and analyze the differences.

Remember that PMDD is not fiction, but a condition that must be taken seriously and requires medical attention because it interferes with normal life.

How to deal with PMS and its psychological aspects?

It is important to be able to recognize and manage the psychological symptoms of PMS and the additional stress it can put on you.

1. Try to maintain physical mobility and lead an active lifestyle: when moving, endorphins are released, and even a short walk can improve your mood a little.

2. It may seem that a huge chocolate cake or an extra portion of fried potatoes will quickly improve your mood if things are really bad, but in fact it is not, especially if such food has a “forbidden fruit” flavor for you and you will scold yourself for it later . In any health condition, it is better to stick to a balanced diet and not to spread rot on yourself if something did not go as planned.

3. Try to find things that help you relax or calm down. It even makes sense to have a special list of activities and things that make you happy, so that if you are completely sad and at a loss, there is somewhere to look and do something good for yourself. Relaxation helps relieve stress and distract from intrusive thoughts, and the ability to properly rest and recover is one of the most important skills in taking care of yourself.