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Why do i get emotional on my period: Why it happens, and what to do

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Why it happens, and what to do

Feeling depressed before and during a menstrual period is common. Experts believe that these emotional changes occur as a result of fluctuating hormone levels.

Most people who menstruate will experience some symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), including moodiness and headaches.

However, some individuals can develop more severe symptoms, such as depression and anger. Hormones can also cause people to feel nauseated during their period.

Severe PMS symptoms may indicate another condition, which is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Additionally, existing mental health conditions may temporarily worsen during a menstrual period.

In this article, we explore why some people feel depressed during a period. We also list home remedies and treatment options.

Hormonal changes during the second half of the menstrual cycle, called the luteal phase, may cause a low mood and irritability in some people.

After ovulation, which occurs midcycle, the levels of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to fall.

Rising and falling levels of these hormones can affect brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Examples of these neurotransmitters are serotonin and dopamine, which are both chemicals that influence mood, sleep, and motivation.

Low levels of serotonin and dopamine can cause:

  • sadness
  • anxiety
  • irritability
  • sleep problems
  • food cravings

All of these are common symptoms of PMS and PMDD.

When the levels of estrogen and progesterone begin to rise again a few days after the onset of a period, these symptoms often go away.

Despite the connection between neurotransmitters and sex hormones, it is still unclear why some people develop PMS or PMDD when others do not.

Research indicates that the levels of progesterone and estrogen are similar between people who develop a premenstrual disorder and those who do not.

Therefore, experts speculate that genetic differences may make some people more sensitive than others to changing hormone levels and the influence of these hormones on the brain.

PMS and PMDD are types of menstrual-related mood disorders. A period can also cause an existing mental health condition to worsen temporarily.

PMS

PMS causes both physical and emotional symptoms. These symptoms can begin at any stage between the end of ovulation and the beginning of the menstrual period.

Experts estimate that up to 75% of menstruating women experience some form of PMS.

The symptoms of PMS can vary greatly. Some people may have very mild symptoms, while those that others experience are debilitating.

PMS can cause:

  • aches and pains
  • acne
  • anxiety
  • bloating
  • bouts of crying
  • breast tenderness
  • changes in appetite
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • depressed mood
  • fatigue
  • headaches
  • irritability and anger
  • lack of concentration
  • sleep difficulties

PMDD

PMDD is a more severe form of PMS. PMDD may affect 3–8% of people with menstrual cycles.

The symptoms are so severe that they affect the person’s daily activities and, sometimes, their relationships with others.

Symptoms of PMDD include:

  • severe depression, anxiety, and irritability
  • panic attacks
  • severe mood swings
  • frequent episodes of crying
  • loss of interest in activities and other people

Suicidal ideation or attempts are a possible symptom of PMDD. According to the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD), an estimated 15% of women with PMDD will attempt suicide in their lifetime. Transgender people have an even higher risk.

Suicide prevention

  • If you know someone at immediate risk of self-harm, suicide, or hurting another person:
  • Call 911 or the local emergency number.
  • Stay with the person until professional help arrives.
  • Remove any weapons, medications, or other potentially harmful objects.
  • Listen to the person without judgment.
  • If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, a prevention hotline can help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255.

PMDD also shares many symptoms with PMS, including:

  • aches and pains
  • acne
  • bloating
  • breast tenderness
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • fatigue
  • food cravings
  • headaches
  • lack of concentration
  • sleep difficulties

Premenstrual exacerbation

Hormonal changes before a period can make the symptoms of an existing mental health condition worse. This effect is known as premenstrual exacerbation.

Common disorders that may co-occur with PMS include:

  • bipolar disorder
  • depression
  • persistent depressive disorder (dysthymic disorder)
  • generalized anxiety disorder
  • panic disorder

Research suggests that depression tends to be more prevalent among those with PMS than in those without this condition.

Individuals who experience depression during their period should speak to their doctor.

Various treatments are available for depression, PMS, and PMDD. The options range from home remedies to medication.

It can be useful to track symptoms before and during a menstrual period to help a doctor confirm a diagnosis and create a treatment plan.

People can keep a journal of their moods and their cycle, or they can use a period tracking app.

Learn about 10 of the best period tracking apps in this article.

Home remedies

Dietary and lifestyle changes may help in cases of mild PMS.

In more severe cases, or for PMDD, home remedies alone are unlikely to make a significant difference. However, they may help when individuals combine them with other treatments.

Potentially remedies include:

  • eating a balanced diet and limiting the intake of sugar, fat, salt, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol
  • exercising regularly
  • getting enough sleep and keeping a regular sleep schedule
  • reducing stress by eliminating sources of stress where possible and practicing yoga and mindfulness

Supplements may also help. Research suggests that a calcium supplement may reduce PMS-related symptoms, including depression, fatigue, and appetite changes.

It is important to speak to a doctor before taking supplements to treat PMS or any other condition.

Medication

A doctor may suggest using hormonal birth control to manage PMS symptoms. Sometimes, they may prescribe an antidepressant. Finding the right treatment can require a trial-and-error approach.

Hormonal birth control options include the pill or the patch. These may alleviate depression and other emotional and physical symptoms. In some cases, however, birth control can make depression worse.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first-line treatment for PMDD.

People may take SSRIs throughout their menstrual cycle or during the luteal phase only. They may also be helpful for more severe cases of PMS.

Research indicates that 60–70% of women with PMDD respond to SSRIs. This rate of effectiveness is similar to that in those with major depression.

If SSRIs do not work, or if they cause undesirable side effects, a doctor may prescribe another type of antidepressant.

Individuals who experience depression regularly before or during their period may wish to speak to a doctor. Treatment is available for people with PMS, PMDD, or co-occurring mental health conditions.

If someone is at immediate risk of suicide or serious self-harm, seek emergency help by calling 911 or the local emergency number.

Anyone with suicidal thoughts can access help from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Experiencing low mood, anxiety, or irritability during a period is common. These symptoms should resolve a few days after the onset of the menstrual period. In mild cases, lifestyle and dietary changes may be beneficial.

If these mood changes occur regularly, persist all month, or have a significant effect on a person’s life or relationships, they may require other treatment.

Many people can get relief from PMS or PMDD with appropriate treatment.

More support and information are available through the IAPMD.

Why it happens, and what to do

Feeling depressed before and during a menstrual period is common. Experts believe that these emotional changes occur as a result of fluctuating hormone levels.

Most people who menstruate will experience some symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), including moodiness and headaches.

However, some individuals can develop more severe symptoms, such as depression and anger. Hormones can also cause people to feel nauseated during their period.

Severe PMS symptoms may indicate another condition, which is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Additionally, existing mental health conditions may temporarily worsen during a menstrual period.

In this article, we explore why some people feel depressed during a period. We also list home remedies and treatment options.

Hormonal changes during the second half of the menstrual cycle, called the luteal phase, may cause a low mood and irritability in some people.

After ovulation, which occurs midcycle, the levels of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to fall.

Rising and falling levels of these hormones can affect brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Examples of these neurotransmitters are serotonin and dopamine, which are both chemicals that influence mood, sleep, and motivation.

Low levels of serotonin and dopamine can cause:

  • sadness
  • anxiety
  • irritability
  • sleep problems
  • food cravings

All of these are common symptoms of PMS and PMDD.

When the levels of estrogen and progesterone begin to rise again a few days after the onset of a period, these symptoms often go away.

Despite the connection between neurotransmitters and sex hormones, it is still unclear why some people develop PMS or PMDD when others do not.

Research indicates that the levels of progesterone and estrogen are similar between people who develop a premenstrual disorder and those who do not.

Therefore, experts speculate that genetic differences may make some people more sensitive than others to changing hormone levels and the influence of these hormones on the brain.

PMS and PMDD are types of menstrual-related mood disorders. A period can also cause an existing mental health condition to worsen temporarily.

PMS

PMS causes both physical and emotional symptoms. These symptoms can begin at any stage between the end of ovulation and the beginning of the menstrual period.

Experts estimate that up to 75% of menstruating women experience some form of PMS.

The symptoms of PMS can vary greatly. Some people may have very mild symptoms, while those that others experience are debilitating.

PMS can cause:

  • aches and pains
  • acne
  • anxiety
  • bloating
  • bouts of crying
  • breast tenderness
  • changes in appetite
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • depressed mood
  • fatigue
  • headaches
  • irritability and anger
  • lack of concentration
  • sleep difficulties

PMDD

PMDD is a more severe form of PMS. PMDD may affect 3–8% of people with menstrual cycles.

The symptoms are so severe that they affect the person’s daily activities and, sometimes, their relationships with others.

Symptoms of PMDD include:

  • severe depression, anxiety, and irritability
  • panic attacks
  • severe mood swings
  • frequent episodes of crying
  • loss of interest in activities and other people

Suicidal ideation or attempts are a possible symptom of PMDD. According to the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD), an estimated 15% of women with PMDD will attempt suicide in their lifetime. Transgender people have an even higher risk.

Suicide prevention

  • If you know someone at immediate risk of self-harm, suicide, or hurting another person:
  • Call 911 or the local emergency number.
  • Stay with the person until professional help arrives.
  • Remove any weapons, medications, or other potentially harmful objects.
  • Listen to the person without judgment.
  • If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, a prevention hotline can help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255.

PMDD also shares many symptoms with PMS, including:

  • aches and pains
  • acne
  • bloating
  • breast tenderness
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • fatigue
  • food cravings
  • headaches
  • lack of concentration
  • sleep difficulties

Premenstrual exacerbation

Hormonal changes before a period can make the symptoms of an existing mental health condition worse. This effect is known as premenstrual exacerbation.

Common disorders that may co-occur with PMS include:

  • bipolar disorder
  • depression
  • persistent depressive disorder (dysthymic disorder)
  • generalized anxiety disorder
  • panic disorder

Research suggests that depression tends to be more prevalent among those with PMS than in those without this condition.

Individuals who experience depression during their period should speak to their doctor.

Various treatments are available for depression, PMS, and PMDD. The options range from home remedies to medication.

It can be useful to track symptoms before and during a menstrual period to help a doctor confirm a diagnosis and create a treatment plan.

People can keep a journal of their moods and their cycle, or they can use a period tracking app.

Learn about 10 of the best period tracking apps in this article.

Home remedies

Dietary and lifestyle changes may help in cases of mild PMS.

In more severe cases, or for PMDD, home remedies alone are unlikely to make a significant difference. However, they may help when individuals combine them with other treatments.

Potentially remedies include:

  • eating a balanced diet and limiting the intake of sugar, fat, salt, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol
  • exercising regularly
  • getting enough sleep and keeping a regular sleep schedule
  • reducing stress by eliminating sources of stress where possible and practicing yoga and mindfulness

Supplements may also help. Research suggests that a calcium supplement may reduce PMS-related symptoms, including depression, fatigue, and appetite changes.

It is important to speak to a doctor before taking supplements to treat PMS or any other condition.

Medication

A doctor may suggest using hormonal birth control to manage PMS symptoms. Sometimes, they may prescribe an antidepressant. Finding the right treatment can require a trial-and-error approach.

Hormonal birth control options include the pill or the patch. These may alleviate depression and other emotional and physical symptoms. In some cases, however, birth control can make depression worse.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first-line treatment for PMDD.

People may take SSRIs throughout their menstrual cycle or during the luteal phase only. They may also be helpful for more severe cases of PMS.

Research indicates that 60–70% of women with PMDD respond to SSRIs. This rate of effectiveness is similar to that in those with major depression.

If SSRIs do not work, or if they cause undesirable side effects, a doctor may prescribe another type of antidepressant.

Individuals who experience depression regularly before or during their period may wish to speak to a doctor. Treatment is available for people with PMS, PMDD, or co-occurring mental health conditions.

If someone is at immediate risk of suicide or serious self-harm, seek emergency help by calling 911 or the local emergency number.

Anyone with suicidal thoughts can access help from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Experiencing low mood, anxiety, or irritability during a period is common. These symptoms should resolve a few days after the onset of the menstrual period. In mild cases, lifestyle and dietary changes may be beneficial.

If these mood changes occur regularly, persist all month, or have a significant effect on a person’s life or relationships, they may require other treatment.

Many people can get relief from PMS or PMDD with appropriate treatment.

More support and information are available through the IAPMD.

Why it happens, and what to do

Feeling depressed before and during a menstrual period is common. Experts believe that these emotional changes occur as a result of fluctuating hormone levels.

Most people who menstruate will experience some symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), including moodiness and headaches.

However, some individuals can develop more severe symptoms, such as depression and anger. Hormones can also cause people to feel nauseated during their period.

Severe PMS symptoms may indicate another condition, which is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Additionally, existing mental health conditions may temporarily worsen during a menstrual period.

In this article, we explore why some people feel depressed during a period. We also list home remedies and treatment options.

Hormonal changes during the second half of the menstrual cycle, called the luteal phase, may cause a low mood and irritability in some people.

After ovulation, which occurs midcycle, the levels of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to fall.

Rising and falling levels of these hormones can affect brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Examples of these neurotransmitters are serotonin and dopamine, which are both chemicals that influence mood, sleep, and motivation.

Low levels of serotonin and dopamine can cause:

  • sadness
  • anxiety
  • irritability
  • sleep problems
  • food cravings

All of these are common symptoms of PMS and PMDD.

When the levels of estrogen and progesterone begin to rise again a few days after the onset of a period, these symptoms often go away.

Despite the connection between neurotransmitters and sex hormones, it is still unclear why some people develop PMS or PMDD when others do not.

Research indicates that the levels of progesterone and estrogen are similar between people who develop a premenstrual disorder and those who do not.

Therefore, experts speculate that genetic differences may make some people more sensitive than others to changing hormone levels and the influence of these hormones on the brain.

PMS and PMDD are types of menstrual-related mood disorders. A period can also cause an existing mental health condition to worsen temporarily.

PMS

PMS causes both physical and emotional symptoms. These symptoms can begin at any stage between the end of ovulation and the beginning of the menstrual period.

Experts estimate that up to 75% of menstruating women experience some form of PMS.

The symptoms of PMS can vary greatly. Some people may have very mild symptoms, while those that others experience are debilitating.

PMS can cause:

  • aches and pains
  • acne
  • anxiety
  • bloating
  • bouts of crying
  • breast tenderness
  • changes in appetite
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • depressed mood
  • fatigue
  • headaches
  • irritability and anger
  • lack of concentration
  • sleep difficulties

PMDD

PMDD is a more severe form of PMS. PMDD may affect 3–8% of people with menstrual cycles.

The symptoms are so severe that they affect the person’s daily activities and, sometimes, their relationships with others.

Symptoms of PMDD include:

  • severe depression, anxiety, and irritability
  • panic attacks
  • severe mood swings
  • frequent episodes of crying
  • loss of interest in activities and other people

Suicidal ideation or attempts are a possible symptom of PMDD. According to the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD), an estimated 15% of women with PMDD will attempt suicide in their lifetime. Transgender people have an even higher risk.

Suicide prevention

  • If you know someone at immediate risk of self-harm, suicide, or hurting another person:
  • Call 911 or the local emergency number.
  • Stay with the person until professional help arrives.
  • Remove any weapons, medications, or other potentially harmful objects.
  • Listen to the person without judgment.
  • If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, a prevention hotline can help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255.

PMDD also shares many symptoms with PMS, including:

  • aches and pains
  • acne
  • bloating
  • breast tenderness
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • fatigue
  • food cravings
  • headaches
  • lack of concentration
  • sleep difficulties

Premenstrual exacerbation

Hormonal changes before a period can make the symptoms of an existing mental health condition worse. This effect is known as premenstrual exacerbation.

Common disorders that may co-occur with PMS include:

  • bipolar disorder
  • depression
  • persistent depressive disorder (dysthymic disorder)
  • generalized anxiety disorder
  • panic disorder

Research suggests that depression tends to be more prevalent among those with PMS than in those without this condition.

Individuals who experience depression during their period should speak to their doctor.

Various treatments are available for depression, PMS, and PMDD. The options range from home remedies to medication.

It can be useful to track symptoms before and during a menstrual period to help a doctor confirm a diagnosis and create a treatment plan.

People can keep a journal of their moods and their cycle, or they can use a period tracking app.

Learn about 10 of the best period tracking apps in this article.

Home remedies

Dietary and lifestyle changes may help in cases of mild PMS.

In more severe cases, or for PMDD, home remedies alone are unlikely to make a significant difference. However, they may help when individuals combine them with other treatments.

Potentially remedies include:

  • eating a balanced diet and limiting the intake of sugar, fat, salt, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol
  • exercising regularly
  • getting enough sleep and keeping a regular sleep schedule
  • reducing stress by eliminating sources of stress where possible and practicing yoga and mindfulness

Supplements may also help. Research suggests that a calcium supplement may reduce PMS-related symptoms, including depression, fatigue, and appetite changes.

It is important to speak to a doctor before taking supplements to treat PMS or any other condition.

Medication

A doctor may suggest using hormonal birth control to manage PMS symptoms. Sometimes, they may prescribe an antidepressant. Finding the right treatment can require a trial-and-error approach.

Hormonal birth control options include the pill or the patch. These may alleviate depression and other emotional and physical symptoms. In some cases, however, birth control can make depression worse.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first-line treatment for PMDD.

People may take SSRIs throughout their menstrual cycle or during the luteal phase only. They may also be helpful for more severe cases of PMS.

Research indicates that 60–70% of women with PMDD respond to SSRIs. This rate of effectiveness is similar to that in those with major depression.

If SSRIs do not work, or if they cause undesirable side effects, a doctor may prescribe another type of antidepressant.

Individuals who experience depression regularly before or during their period may wish to speak to a doctor. Treatment is available for people with PMS, PMDD, or co-occurring mental health conditions.

If someone is at immediate risk of suicide or serious self-harm, seek emergency help by calling 911 or the local emergency number.

Anyone with suicidal thoughts can access help from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Experiencing low mood, anxiety, or irritability during a period is common. These symptoms should resolve a few days after the onset of the menstrual period. In mild cases, lifestyle and dietary changes may be beneficial.

If these mood changes occur regularly, persist all month, or have a significant effect on a person’s life or relationships, they may require other treatment.

Many people can get relief from PMS or PMDD with appropriate treatment.

More support and information are available through the IAPMD.

What Is Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)?

“I always know when it’s starting,” says Lily, 17, sighing. “I feel tired and sad and fat. I get angry and upset at the smallest, dumbest stuff. I know it’s not real, but it still feels so bad.”

For most women and teenage girls, periods are just a part of life. At worst, a monthly inconvenience, at best a reminder our bodies are on track, working like they’re supposed to be. But for girls like Lily who have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), the onset of menstruation can feel like a week of total hell.

What is PMDD?

Like its better known but less extreme cousin, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), PMDD is a constellation of physical and emotional symptoms. They occur during what’s called the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, right before your period, when the uterus preps for the possibility of pregnancy with a surge of hormones.

Symptoms of PMDD and PMS often appear similar and include:

Symptoms typically start 5-8 days before your period but can begin earlier, and go away once the period begins. Onset of PMDD can be any time after puberty.

So what’s the difference?

An estimated 75 percent of women and girls experience some emotional and physical discomfort around their periods, but the impact of PMS on their lives is usually relatively mild. The symptoms of PMDD are far more severe and often cause problems that persist even after the tampon box is back in the cabinet.

“We all can have mood swings before the start of our periods, but in the case of PMDD we’re talking about feeling like a different person,” says Dr. Stephanie Samar, a clinical psychologist who works with young women at the Child Mind Institute. It’s only PMDD if it is seriously impairing.

For example:

  • A girl with PMS might feel tired or a little out of it. A girl with PMDD might be almost unable to get out of bed, or struggle to concentrate on even simple tasks.
  • A girl with PMS might feel grumpy or frustrated. A girl with PMDD might feel moments of irrational rage, find herself fighting with loved ones out of nowhere, or end up damanging friendships or romantic relationships.
  • A girl with PMS might be more emotional and find herself crying at things like sad commercials. A girl with PMDD is likely to experience feelings more akin to a major depressive episode, including feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, misery and even suicidal thoughts.

PMDD is caused by a heightened sensitivity to the hormones estrogen and progesterone, both of which spike during the week before menstruation. In 2017, researchers at the National Institutes of Health found evidence that PMDD is likely genetic. Girls whose mothers have a history of severe premenstrual symptoms are more likely to have PMDD.

Fallout

When PMDD is in full swing, girls are extra sensitive and respond more rashly and more intensely to anything that reads as rejection. Something like an offhand comment from her boyfriend or a sibling’s unwillingness to turn off the TV can trigger a major meltdown.

One of the most difficult aspects of PMDD is that though the symptoms that cause these blowups disappear once girls get their periods, the resulting conflicts, academic difficulties and interpersonal problems don’t. “I’d get my period and feel okay again,” Lily says, “but by then I’d done so much damage it almost didn’t matter. I felt better, but the problems were still there.”

Tracking symptoms

After a particularly awful premenstrual week during which she’d missed an important homework assignment, blown off swim practice, and “fought with basically everyone,” Lily’s mother suggested they talk to her gynecologist. The doctor told Lily to start recording her symptoms.

Tracking is the first step to determining whether someone has PMDD. To make a diagnosis, experts require tracking for a minimum of two cycles showing consistent patterns in behavior and mood. If you think your daughter might have PMDD, work with her to mark down symptoms: what they are, how bad they get, and how long they last. Paper calendars work well, and many period tracking apps have a function that allows users to record symptoms. Teens can track by themselves, or parents can do it with them.

Talk to your doctor

 Once two or more cycles have been tracked, make an appointment to speak to a gynecologist. Let the doctor know that you think your daughter may have PMDD, and share the tracking information you’ve gathered. Since PMDD is still a relatively new diagnosis, some doctors may need time to research the best treatment options for your child.

It is important to find someone who’ll be thoughtful and thorough, Dr. Samar notes. “If you believe this diagnosis fits but your doctor isn’t listening or is minimizing your worries, consider asking for a second opinion,” she adds. “You need to find someone who understands your concerns and takes them seriously.”

Medication

 In some cases, doctors may recommend medication as a treatment for PMDD. Birth control pills are often the first choice because they can help regulate and balance premenstrual hormonal shifts. In some cases, doctors may prescribe antidepressants. If your child already takes antidepressants, her doctor may recommend increasing the dosage during the week when her symptoms are most intense.

Planning and managing

 The same information you collected in tracking can also make it easy to do some preemptive scaffolding at home. “Knowing how your PMDD affects you is powerful information,” says Dr. Samar. “Planning ahead can help minimize the impact.”

Planning how she’ll manage stress, interpersonal interactions and physical symptoms while she’s feeling good can help her navigate difficult situations when she’s feeling bad.

  • If she often gets into fights, she might avoid making big social plans, like parties or dates. If problems do come up, she might make an agreement to revisit upsets or conflicts when she’s feeling like herself again.
  • Stock the house with healthy food and plan to drink plenty of water.
  • Alcohol can often make symptoms worse. If she’s of age, she could pledge not to drink until after she gets her period.
  • Encourage exercise. “We know exercise is a big help when it comes to PMDD,” says Dr. Samar. Help her get moving. Signing up for a yoga class or planning to go for run can help relieve symptoms and help her feel more relaxed.
  • Girls can also use cognitive behavioral techniques to help manage some of the more unruly emotions, says Dr. Samar. “Try to challenge thoughts and emotions you know might be out of proportion where you can,” she suggests. “Slow down and give yourself a second to say, Am I responding this way because I’m really this upset? Or am I responding this way because I’m more sensitive right now?”

The more girls build and practice coping skills, the better they’ll become at mitigating the impact of PMDD, something that will become even more important as they grow up, says Dr. Samar. “PMDD doesn’t go away. So these are skills that they’ll need all their lives.”

Taking it seriously

 “This is a serious disorder, but historically we haven’t treated it as such,” says Dr. Samar. “A lot of women and girls who experience PMDD aren’t even aware that it’s out of the realm of normal functioning.” Lily counts herself among them. Since hitting puberty at 13 she’d assumed her symptoms were a normal, if horrible, part of having her period. “I thought this was what everyone went through,” she says, “and this was just how it had to be.”

One of the first things girls with PMDD — and their families and doctors — need to understand is that they can’t just “get over it,” Dr. Samar explains. “This is organic. It’s not something you can choose not to feel.”

Parents should take care to validate their daughters’ experience, even while trying to help them learn to manage their emotions in a healthier way. “Don’t say, ‘Oh you’re just saying that because you’re on your period, you’ll be over it soon,’ ” she explains. Instead, she suggests parents instead try something more along the lines of, “I can see how upset you’re feeling. Let’s take a break now and talk this over when you’re feeling a little calmer.”

Finding a way forward

For Lily, finding out that she had PMDD was a lifesaver. “Before I understood what was going on it was like I’d spend three weeks feeling more and more panicky, like oh, it’s coming, and the fourth just losing my mind. ” But after being diagnosed, she says, things have become brighter and easier. Lily’s gynecologist put her on birth control and she’s learned some techniques to help her manage her emotions. “Before it was like a tsunami,” she says, “uncontrollable and just totally devastating. Now it’s more like little waves. It’s not perfect, but it is a lot easier and I can deal with that.”

 

Related: How to Help Girls With ADHD Manage Periods

My daughter with anxiety issues is worried about getting her period. What can I do?

Mood Disorders and Teenage Girls

7 Reasons Your Period Is Making You Feel Emotional

Let’s get something straight before we get into this any further: there’s nothing wrong with getting emotional or feeling moody when your period is about to make an appearance, regardless of how many times society has told you that big girls don’t cry (thanks a lot, Fergie). That doesn’t necessarily mean you have free reign to stomp around and be cruel to everyone, Regina George style, but just remember that you’re not a weak person merely because you suddenly get tearful or feel upset. These are pretty typical experiences that come with having a menstrual cycle.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 85 percent of menstruating women experience at least one PMS symptom on a regular basis. Hopefully, knowing that you’re in the majority gives you some comfort. Some of the most common period symptoms include cramps, fatigue, changes in appetite, and, the real kicker, mood swings. For anyone who has ever menstruated, I doubt any of this is surprising.

But even though we’ve become accustomed to the emotional ups and downs every month, we may not know exactly what it is that causes such dramatic changes. Bustle spoke with Alyssa Dweck, M.D., gynecologist in New York, assistant clinical professor OBGYN at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and author of V is for Vagina, who says there are many different things that can “cause changes in your emotional wellbeing” right before and during your period. It helps to know what they are, because we may have more control over some of them than you might think.

Here are seven reasons your period is making you feel emotional.

1. Your Hormones Are Fluctuating Wildly

“Hormones are very volatile during certain parts of your cycle,” Dr. Dweck says. In particular, estrogen is known to take you for a rollercoaster ride. It rises slowly just before menstruation hits, but then drops suddenly when you start bleeding. Then it increases once again when your period ends, only to peak two weeks later. Dr. Dweck also names progesterone as another hormone affecting your mood swings, since it also drops significantly whenever your period starts. However, right before you menstruate, during your PMS days, your progesterone levels are pretty high, which could account for feeling dreary or hopeless.

I’m pretty sure even a robot couldn’t even manage to ward off mood swings if she were getting jerked around that much — and as we’ll see below, these changes directly affect your serotonin levels, so it’s no wonder you feel emotional.

2. Your Serotonin Levels Are Diminished

Strangely enough, the hormonal changes you experience also influence how the chemicals in your brain function. “Neurotransmitters in the brain probably have something to do with PMS symptoms,” Dr. Dweck says. Research suggests that serotonin drops when your period starts, due to all the hormonal fluctuations. Low amounts of serotonin in the brain are associated with depression, irritability, and intense cravings for carbohydrates, which is pretty much PMSing in a nutshell. In her book Moody Bitches, psychiatrist Dr. Julie Holland explains,

Lower estrogen levels cause serotonin levels to drop precipitously a few days before menstruation, which may be the basis of many PMS symptoms. Low levels of serotonin are implicated in depression, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder … you’re even more physically sensitive to pain than usual, and more emotionally sensitive to criticism. You’re less resilient in the face of stresses and feel sadder, hungrier, and more scared, tearful, and angsty.

On top of all that, as levels of estrogen and serotonin rapidly fall, dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) also start to disappear when your period arrives. These are two chemicals that boost your moods, put a pep in your step, and reduce anxiety. Without them, you don’t exactly have a recipe for calm, cool, and collected on your hands.

3. You’re More Susceptible To Pain — And You’re Experiencing More Of It

Physical pain is never a pleasant thing to endure. Think about someone who has a splitting headache or a gnarly stomachache. Do you find them to be a joy to be around? Are they smiley and up for anything? No, of course not. They’re probably easily annoyed by your antics and just want to be left alone. Not only are you dealing with cramps before and during your period, but hormonally, as Dr. Holland explains in Moody Bitches, “your pain tolerance is at its lowest point during PMS. Not a great time to go to the dentist or get waxed.” It’s a double whammy.

Dr. Dweck reminds us that being in pain can “make people irritable,” so don’t beat yourself up if you’re feeling emotional as you’re reaching for the Midol — nobody is happy-go-lucky when they’re experiencing discomfort. Put on an electric blanket and sip on some chamomile tea to relax yourself through the pain.

4. You’re Not Eating A Balanced Diet

“Sometimes it’s the habits you have around your period that cause the mood changes,” Dr. Dweck tells Bustle. Although the low levels of serotonin in your body may be nudging you (or yanking you, depending on how you want to look at it) in the direction of pasta, bread, and apple pie, all those foods can make you feel more emotionally unstable.

Dr. Dweck says you can encounter a nasty crash after eating foods that are packed with sugar or salt, and that will leave your mood swings in pretty bad shape. It’s particularly important to keep your blood sugar at an even level, because when that fluctuates, it causes you to feel icky, both emotionally and mentally. If you have a sweet craving that simply must be answered, reach for natural stuff, like dates and honey, or make your own desserts at home using only the best ingredients.

Also, try to stay away from all packaged foods in general, as these have inflammatory responses that worsen your cravings and your moods. They can intensify your cramps, and nobody wants that.

5. You’re Not Sleeping Enough

Beauty sleep takes a whole new meaning when your uterus is shedding its lining. Seven out of every 10 menstruating women say they struggle to get a good night’s sleep just before their period starts. Once again, blame it on the hormones. When your hormone levels change, your body can’t control its internal temperature in the same way it normally can, and this results in restless or interrupted sleep.

Getting less sleep can of course make you more prone to being irritable and moody. If you’re not getting enough shut-eye, there’s also more likelihood that your other PMS symptoms, such as cramps and bloating, will stick around longer. Try to get to bed earlier than usual when your period is coming up, but know that it’s not just about how many hours you spend under the covers. Leave the electronics at the door, shut out all the excess light, and make sure you’re nice and comfy. Every little detail counts for you to get all the quality rest you need.

6. You’re Not Exercising Regularly

It might not feel like it, but your period is a good time to beef up your exercise routine. It fights bloating, helps with digestion, and reduces the intensity of menstrual cramps. More importantly, though, working out can put you in a good mood. “Exercise enhances feel good chemicals,” Dr. Dweck insists. Research shows that the blood flow and increased heart rate keeps away fatigue and floods your brain with happiness-inducing endorphins you desperately need at this time of the month.

Choose what aerobic activity suits you best. It could be weight training, swimming, yoga, or even a stroll outside at sunset. Lower impact movements will probably be best for you when you’re bleeding. Don’t feel like you have to push yourself to the limit to get the results. Remember, you’re shooting for more energy and better moods, not a world record.

7. You Have Undiagnosed PMDD

In some rare cases, very noticeable mood swings are indicative of something more than just PMS symptoms. If you notice that your mood swings are out of control and they’re affecting relationships in your life, you may want to talk to your doctor about premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Up to 10 percent of menstruating women suffer from this disorder, and it often goes undiagnosed. According to Dr. Dweck, “This is like PMS on steroids, where people are absolutely debilitated” due to the emotional plummets.

Dr. Dweck tells Bustle that the key to knowing that you’re stepping into PMDD territory is whether your emotional ups and downs are affecting the relationships in your life. This includes anyone from your co-worker to your partner. As soon as you notice this happening, visit your OBGYN and see whether it’s time to think of some treatments for PMDD.

The Bottom Line

Nearly all of us have been taken on a wild emotional ride during our period and survived, as endlessly frustrating as it may have been. While you may not be able to control all the causes of your mood swings, there are certainly some things you can do that will reduce the misery of your period. Build a healthy, happy lifestyle for yourself and know your go-to period pain hacks, so when the moody PMS bully comes knocking, you’ll be ready to face it. Above all else, remember to be kind to yourself.

Images: Unsplash; Giphy (7)

Periods and weepiness, is it normal to cry?

An introduction to periods and weepiness

Do you feel particularly low or fed up around the time of your period? Some women instead find they become angry or frustrated, or a mixture of both, as mood swings can also take hold. It can be an emotional rollercoaster for many of you and often fluctuating hormones appear to be to blame as these changes in mood turn out to be cyclical. Keeping a symptoms diary can be useful to determine if your changing mood fall are in sync with your menstrual cycle. However, if your low mood is persistent and doesn’t seem to ease off, you may want to visit your GP.

On this page I discuss these feelings of low mood – it isn’t uncommon to feel sad, anxious or that your self-confidence is lacking at certain times of the month. I explain why you might suffer from low mood or weepiness around the time of you period, outline some self-help tips and then go on to discuss how herbal remedies can help you.

It is important to mention that if cyclical episodes of low mood or weepiness are particularly severe and / or occur in combination with a range of other symptoms around the time of your period, this could be a sign of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Click the link to learn more about the symptoms of PMS.

Causes

Menstrual emotions are commonly accepted by many, but, although feeling down is a common complaint, very often people struggle to understand why it is happening. Is it in your imagination? Is it an underlying issue that you can just blame on your period? Or are you particularly vulnerable at a certain time of the month for a reason.

The causes behind your changing moods aren’t completely understood but I explore some possible theories as to why you can be left feeling so teary-eyed.

  • Sex hormones – Female sex hormones are the number one reason you are likely to feel so emotional each month. Women experience lots of fluctuations throughout the month (and our lives for that matter) and this is generally thought to be the reason why women are more emotionally unstable than men! The second half of your menstrual cycle (in the two weeks leading up to your period) is generally when women suffer emotionally and get all teary, so what’s happening? Progesterone is at its highest here. Progesterone can be thought of as the ‘calming’ female hormone compared to oestrogen, but if it becomes too dominant, we can be left feeling down, de-motivated, nervous and lacking in self-confidence. The ratio of progesterone relative to oestrogen is also key. If oestrogen is diminished (menopause is a nice example) low mood can become apparent. The fluctuations in these hormones are really important and can have a significant effect on your mood, especially in vulnerable times such as in pregnancy or peri-menopause
  • Other hormones – Although sex hormones are thought to be the main cause of dips in your mood, they can also influence other hormones which can contribute. Cortisol is an example of this, a hormone which is released in times of stress. Progesterone is a precursor to cortisol and an imbalance could affect its production (you could end up with too much). Serotonin is also an important hormone which has a role in regulating your mood. Oestrogen has a role in regulation serotonin and the appropriate receptors in the brain, so, low levels of oestrogen could influence serotonin production
  • Underlying issues – Taking the effects of all of these different hormones into account, if you have some underlying issue already, fluctuating hormones could suddenly make your symptoms a whole lot worse. For example, if you already have a lot of stress in your life or suffer from anxiety, a hormone imbalance could exacerbate these issues.

Lifestyle changes that can help

So what can be done to help curb the weepiness you experience around the time of your menstrual period? I describe some lifestyle advice which can help to support your mood

  • Do things you enjoy – It might sound simple but if you are most vulnerable around the time of your period then plan around it and make sure you are doing things you enjoy! Have a manicure, go for a fancy meal or read your favourite book. Take the time to have some treats and feel better about yourself
  • Exercise – Now keeping in mind tip number one, exercise is important, but, so is finding something you enjoy. Whether it’s an upbeat spin session at the local gym or a speed walk with your best friend (you can have a gossip at the same time), believe it or not exercise is good for both your mental wellbeing and for other symptoms of your period, such as cramp, for example. Exercise helps to increase blood flow around your body and increase feel-good chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins help to lift your mood

Herbal remedies to help

There are some herbal remedies available that could help you to lift your mood.

  • Soy isoflavones – Fermented soy isoflavones aren’t a universal solution for low mood but they can be useful to help address a hormone imbalance, particularly if low oestrogen is thought to be a problem. This is particularly useful for menopausal women, but a similar imbalance can occur in younger women too. The balance between oestrogen and progesterone is crucial and if you find you are particularly weepy, with low self confidence, very low in energy, potentially having problems with your skin and your periods are light or irregular, it could signal you need to better support your oestrogen levels. Please note, if you are taking hormonal contraceptives such as the pill, hormone-balancing herbal remedies may not be suitable for you
  • St. John’s Wort – If addressing your underlying hormonal issue doesn’t help, you may consider using St. John’s Wort. St. John’s Wort is a traditional herbal remedy used to relieve symptoms of low mood or anxiety as it gently supports the nervous system. However, if you are feeling depressed you should always see your doctor.
  • Valerian and Hops – Fresh extracts of Valerian and Hops come together in our formulation for Stress Relief Daytime drops. This product can be very useful if mild stress or anxiety is affecting your mood.

How can my doctor help?

If home or herbal remedies aren’t helping to address your low mood or weepiness around the time of your period, it may be worth to pay a visit to your doctor.

If the change in your mind is cyclical and is in sync with your menstrual cycle, your doctor might suggest trying a form of hormonal contraception, for example the pill.

If your low mood is more serious, and affects you at times which suggest sex hormones at to blame, anti-depressant medication might be an option.

Periods and mood swings – why are you so emotional?

An introduction to periods and mood swings

Many of us admit we get a little more, let’s say, unstable, at a certain time of the month. It is common knowledge that we can become a little more temperamental and, to some extent, it’s expected and we get away with it. But it isn’t nice – one minute you feel fine, quite happy, optimistic and the next minute, something minor leaves you feeling way too oversensitive, irritable, angry and sad; it might be just one of these emotions taking over or a delightful combination! Then let’s not forget the feelings of anxiety or even depression that some women have to endure, it just isn’t fair.

Your mood is critical to what you do and how you do it. It can affect everything from what you choose to eat for breakfast to how you interact with your partner.

So, why do your emotions run wild as a result of your menstrual cycle? I explore the possible mechanisms for mood swings around the time of your period and how home, herbal and conventional remedies can help.

How can your period cause mood swings?

It isn’t exactly clear what causes mood swings around the time of you period, although it is widely accepted that hormones have an important part to play. However, which hormones are involved and what effects they are having on other hormones and systems, isn’t well understood.

What we do know is that both oestrogen and progesterone hit rock bottom in the few days prior to each menstrual period. This is thought to be significant but there’s more to it than that.

Oestrogen is prone to fluctuating; around day 14 of the menstrual cycle oestrogen peaks in order to initiate ovulation. This is interesting in itself, as we believe this important hormone is somewhat responsible for regulating our mood, so it makes sense to have optimal amounts around the time of ovulation – this is when we should be at our happiest and ensure relationships are going well if we want any chance of becoming pregnant!

However, after ovulation, oestrogen starts to decline. It isn’t plain sailing though and over the next two weeks it fluctuates, until it eventually decreases enough to initiate menstruation. These fluctuations are thought to be critical – not only are the levels of oestrogen important but also the ratio of oestrogen to progesterone at any one time. If this ratio changes, it can result in one hormone becoming dominant over the other.

Oestrogen dominance is thought to be associated with mood swings involving more irritability and anger whilst progesterone dominance is more commonly associated with feelings of low mood, weepiness, anxiety and low self-confidence.

However, the interaction and metabolism of other hormones around this time is also important, although again, not completely understood. Serotonin is an example of this. A drop in serotonin is also thought to give rise to mood swings and is another important implication.

Diet and lifestyle factors

By implementing some dietary and lifestyle changes you can begin to take control of the mood swings; I explain how.

  • Eat well – A healthy, varied diet will help you in more ways than you think. Eating little and often (3 meals a day and healthy snacks in between) will help to keep your blood sugar more stable. Wobbly blood sugar can make you feel more irritable so avoid this as much as possible. Ensure you incorporate healthy sources of protein such as lean meats, eggs, fish, beans and lentils as well as healthy fats as these are vital for the production of sex hormones and neurotransmitters, serotonin is a good example. Finally, if you eat well, you’ll feel much better in yourself. Gorging on junk food can make you feel guilty and all sorts of other negative feelings can crop up. Avoid it and you’ll feel better for it!
  • Exercise – Taking part in regular exercise will benefit both body and mind! Yoga is particularly beneficial as it is known to exert positive effects on mood. Exercise causes the release of feel-good chemicals called endorphins which can help to give your mood a boost
  • Sleep – Aim to get 8 hours of sleep on average a night in order to support your mood. A lack of sleep can make you feel anxious, demotivated and irritable at the best of times, never mind around the time of your period when you are in the middle of hormonal turmoil as it is!
  • Caffeine – The effects of caffeine are underestimated and excess caffeine around the time of your period can push you to your limit. Caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and initiates the release of adrenaline. Over-consumption can make you feel nervous, jittery and anxious and can put pressure on your adrenal glands
  • Manage your stress – Stress can have a whole-body effect and it definitely won’t be helping those mood swings. Attempt to manage your stress and feel the benefits

Herbal remedies to help

So, you have tried to implement some positive dietary and lifestyle interventions but feel you still need a little extra help. Herbal remedies could be the answer.

Agnus castus is useful for helping to relieve symptoms of PMS, for example, irritability, mood swings, water retention, sore breasts and painful periods.

Agnus castus gently supports your progesterone levels which in many cases are overshadowed by oestrogen.

At the other end of the spectrum, if oestrogen is low, (symptoms can include suffering from low mood, low self confidence, and having light infrequent periods) fermented soy isoflavones can be effective in gently correcting this imbalance.

Please note, if you are taking hormonal contraceptives such as the pill, hormone-balancing herbal remedies may not be suitable for you.

Finally, if stress is an issue and isn’t helping your mood swings, try our Stress Relief Daytime Drops. This a fresh herbal tincture containing organic Valerian and Hops. The combination of these herbs is useful for helping to reduce symptoms of stress and mild anxiety. 

How can my doctor help?

If you are worried about your mood swings or they are affecting your work or personal relationships, it might be worth paying a visit to your doctor.

If hormones are to blame you may be offered a hormonal contraceptive in an attempt help to balance your hormones, although beware of any side effects.

If stress, anxiety or feelings of low mood are an issue, your doctor can explain some of the treatment options they have available such as anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medication.

How the menstrual cycle affects a woman’s mental abilities

  • Zaria Gorvett
  • BBC Future

Immediately after menstruation, women’s spatial imagination improves, and verbal skills peak in the middle of the cycle. Hormones do affect a woman’s brain, but this effect may very well be positive.

Photo Credit, Getty Images

This is an article from The Health Gap series on the issue of Ave. women and men in health and medicine.

First there was “hysteria”. From the priests of Ancient Egypt to the bearded philosophers of classical Greece, doctors attributed a wide variety of symptoms to this condition, from anxiety to erotic fantasies. Only one thing was clear: hysteria is an exclusively female disease.

Plato believed that hysteria is caused by the uterus, which is sad because she does not carry a child. His contemporaries argued that hysteria occurs when the uterus of a non-pregnant woman wanders around the body, getting stuck in different parts of it.

This latest concept persisted until the 19th century, when the disorder began to be treated by bringing women to orgasm with the first mechanical vibrators.

However, today the idea that hormones in a woman’s body affect her intellectual abilities and mood is firmly entrenched in the mass consciousness. Irritability is immediately explained by PMS, and sexual desire – by ovulation.

There is, of course, a good deal of truth in this. Some women do experience a lot of anxiety and irritability before and during their period, and libido does increase during ovulation.

But it is obvious that these symptoms are not always explained by hormonal changes. And most importantly, it is important to remember that the tradition of attributing any health problems to hysteria led to very dangerous consequences.

Author of the photo, Getty Images

Signs to the photo,

Some women do experience anxiety and irritability before menstruation, but on other days of the cycle hormones have a positive effect on the female body

However, much less is known about the fact that hormonal changes during menstruation cycles improve various types of mental activity.

It turns out that some cognitive skills, in particular spatial orientation, are significantly improved in women immediately after menstruation. In the third week of the cycle, women reach a peak in communication with others, they are especially good at detecting when others are experiencing fear.

And in other periods of the cycle, the woman’s brain even increases in size.

Let’s find out what happens in the female body.

The reason for such changes, of course, is not the uterus, but the ovaries, which produce estrogen and progesterone in varying amounts over the course of a month.The main task of these hormones is to thicken the inner lining of the uterus and release the egg. But they also seriously affect a woman’s mood and behavior.

Scientists have been studying the menstrual cycle since the 1930s. This is a surprisingly popular research topic, and thanks to it we now know a lot about the effects of the cycle on the female body – from when women should quit smoking, to the dreams they see on different days of the cycle.

Author of the photo, Getty Images

Signs to the photo,

Fluctuations in hormones – monthly in women and seasonal in men – affect the differences between the male and female brain

The close attention to this topic is obviously explained by the desire to understand what is the difference between a man and a woman, and above all – how their brains are different.

Scientists have long assumed that hormones are the root cause.

“Women’s brains are affected by the menstrual cycle, and men’s brains are affected by seasonal fluctuations in testosterone levels,” says Markus Hausmann, a neurologist at the University of Durham.

Women, for example, have better social skills. They have a more developed ability to empathize and understand that the worldview of other people may differ from theirs.

They also have the best communication skills. This partly explains why boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with mild autism than girls, while girls are able to mask the symptoms of the disorder.

“Female children start to speak earlier, women are generally more fluent in the language and learn spelling faster,” says Pauline Mackie, a psychologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Author of the photo, Getty Images

Signs to the photo,

Women have better verbal skills than men. Perhaps this is inherent in evolution, since women must transmit information to their children

This is, obviously, a consequence of evolution, because mothers are able to clearly formulate their thoughts, better transmit vital knowledge to their children, for example, about the dangers of poisonous plants.

But do hormones affect these skills? And to what extent?

Hormonal balance

Back in 2002, researchers found that at the peak of the female hormone estrogen, women performed much worse on spatial thinking tasks (usually good for men), but performed well on linguistic tasks (in which women usually have an advantage ).

When estrogen levels decreased, spatial imagination skills were restored.

Author of the photo, Getty Images

Signs to the photo,

A high level of estrogen in a woman’s blood impairs her ability to solve problems on spatial thinking

However, female hormones improve some other cognitive abilities, for example, “subconscious memorization”, which, according to scientists is very important for the development of communication skills.

“Subconscious memorization” is manifested when we suddenly use in our speech words that are not inherent in us or not quite clear that we have recently heard or read.

Estrogen actively affects two adjacent brain regions. The first is the hippocampus, which is involved in the storage of memories and is very important for social skills. The ability to remember your experiences helps you better understand other people’s motives.

Interestingly, this region of the brain increases monthly when the hormone estrogen enters the woman’s bloodstream.

The second area, the amygdala, is involved in the processing of emotions, primarily fear, and helps make decisions in critical situations.

Photo Credit, Getty Images

Signs to Photo,

Female Hormones Improve Linguistic Skills

It is also very important in communication, as understanding what the other person is afraid of and thinking about whether or not we should be afraid of it also contribute to vision situations from the point of view of the interlocutor.

This ability also allows us to make moral judgments and even lie.

Studies show that the ability to recognize another person’s fear coincides with the peak of estrogen in a woman’s body.This is confirmed by the fact that women in general have better social skills than men.

Psychologist Polina Maki is sure that the influence of the menstrual cycle on our brain is completely random.

Author of the photo, Getty Images

Signs to photo,

It is thanks to estrogen that women are able to empathize more and see the situation from the point of view of another person

For many years, researchers believed that changes in a woman’s body during the menstrual cycle are a consequence of evolution.

Researchers at one time came to the conclusion that during the period of the highest probability of fertilization, women prefer men with masculine, symmetrical features. The discovery, of course, received widespread publicity.

However, subsequently, none of the large-scale studies was able to confirm this hypothesis.

Girl power

Whatever the reasons for this monthly transformation, the female brain obviously has several other benefits.

So, unlike men, when solving any problem, such as a mathematical problem, women use both hemispheres of the brain.

The distribution of activity between the right and left hemispheres is relatively constant. “This is primarily manifested in the activity of the hands, – explains Markus Hausmann. – For example, if I am right-handed, language processes in my brain occur mainly in the left hemisphere.”

This specialization is no coincidence, as many animals, from fish to amphibians, have a similar brain structure.

Author of the photo, Getty Images

Signs to the photo,

Women use both hemispheres of the brain more often, which contributes to the flexibility of thinking

Why a woman’s brain is smaller is a big mystery. But perhaps the reason is its greater flexibility.

Back in 2002, Hausmann found that the tendency to use both hemispheres peaks when estrogen and progesterone levels are highest during a cycle.

“When a person’s brain works differently over the course of a month, this obviously leads to different strategies for solving a specific problem,” the scientist notes.

“If a person relies more on the left hemisphere, he thinks more logically, and if on the right, he has a more complex approach to solving the problem.”

Therefore, the next time someone jokes that your hormones are playing out, you can safely answer – yes, but there are huge advantages to this.

To read the original of this article in English, visit the BBC Future website.

Malaise and pain during menstruation: only to relieve pain or to treat?

Most often, gynecologists have to hear complaints from girls about general malaise and painful sensations before and during menstruation.This condition is called dysmenorrhea – it is a violation of the menstrual cycle, which is characterized by pain syndrome1: pain appears on the first day and can persist throughout and after menstruation. The attacks of pain exhaust the nervous system, reduce efficiency, and limit the woman’s usual level of activity.

NOT ONLY PAIN.

In addition to the already mentioned pain in the lower abdomen, patients during menstruation are often disturbed by other symptoms:

  • Emotional and mental disorders – irritability, drowsiness, insomnia, intolerance to odors, etc.
  • Manifestations of “vegetative storm” – nausea, chills or a feeling of heat, sweating, dry mouth, bloating, frequent urination, etc.
  • Vascular dysfunction – headache, dizziness, arrhythmias, numbness in the arms and legs, facial edema, etc.
  • Metabolic and endocrine disorders – weakness, itching, joint pain, swelling, feeling of “cottony” feet, etc.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

About 82% of the fair sex experience pain during menstruation.The production of prostaglandins (substances-mediators of pain and inflammation), typical before menstruation, significantly increases the contractile activity of the uterus, against which vasospasm, local circulatory disorders and irritation of nerve endings in the tissues of the uterus occur. As a result of all these changes, pain arises.

The development of dysmenorrhea is often associated with a hormonal imbalance, namely with an imbalance of sex steroids – estrogens and progesterone, and much more serious conditions – in the second phase of the cycle.However, primary dysmenorrhea can be a sign of abnormalities in the development of the genital organs or gynecological diseases: endometriosis, uterine fibroids, ovarian tumors, inflammation of the pelvic organs, pelvic varicose veins, etc.

HOW TO TREAT?

Treatment of dysmenorrhea (dysmenorrhea is a cyclical pathological process in which severe pain in the lower abdomen appears on the days of menstruation.) Involves a combination of non-drug methods and modern drug therapy.Thus, a woman’s condition objectively improves a full-fledged sleep, physiotherapy exercises, reflexology.

  • The leading place in the treatment of dysmenorrhea is occupied by three groups of drugs – gestagens, oral contraceptives and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
  • Gestagens (progesterone and its derivatives) – they increase the gestagenic “shoulder” of cyclic hormonal fluctuations (mediators of pain and inflammation) and affect the muscular wall of the uterus, reducing its contractile activity and excitability;
  • Oral contraceptives – they regulate the frequency and amplitude of uterine contractions, the volume of menstrual flow by suppressing ovulation, which reduces the secretion of prostaglandins by the endometrium.Taking contraceptives reduces the concentration of estrogen and, consequently, the severity of the symptoms of dysmenorrhea;
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – they have an analgesic effect and reduce the level of prostaglandins, directly affecting the cause of the pain.

Nevertheless, in the treatment of dysmenorrhea, it is extremely important that its cause is understood – if thoughtlessly “absorbing analgesics”, then this can mask the manifestations of the main disease, for example, endometriosis (endometriosis is a common gynecological disease in which the cells of the endometrium (the inner layer of the wall uterus) grow outside this layer), which must be treated seriously, thoroughly and by completely different means.And only a specialist can correctly understand the situation. By the way, from the point of view of modern medicine, pain during menstruation is not the norm, and it is really necessary to deal with its treatment, thoughtful and balanced.

Chemistry of mood: how emotions arise in the body and what to do about it :: Health :: RBC Style

© Kinga Cichewicz / Unsplash

Author

Varya Barkalova

15 February 2018 90 011

Biologist and journalist Varya Barkalova explains how the mechanisms that are responsible for our mood work, and which of these processes we can take control of.

Emotion is a psychophysiological process: it is not only the experiences that we experience in response to some event, but also the entire physiological “substrate” – what is happening in the body at this time.

The emotional process has three components: experience (awareness at the level of the psyche), physiological processes in the nervous, endocrine, respiratory and other systems of the body, and also “response” – a complex of expressing emotions, for example, in the form of facial expressions, laughter or crying.

That is, when the body reacts to some stimulus, reactions are triggered that ultimately lead to the manifestation of emotions. But the same reactions can be triggered in other ways, such as chemicals or other body processes that affect similar metabolic pathways.

This means that we can experience sadness or joy for no apparent reason. The absence of a “real reason” for sadness does not make the experience itself fake. But understanding how and why it occurs will help to control unwanted emotions and not be ashamed of them if it did not work out.

We analyze what is behind our emotions and what internal and external factors can affect them.

Internal processes: hormones and neurotransmitters

All organs in our body do not work by themselves.They are subject to neurohumoral regulation: all processes are controlled by the nervous system and the hormone system associated with it. Emotions are no exception. Hormones not only control the growth and functioning of cells, tissues and organs, but also serve as neurotransmitters – “mediators” between the nervous system and the body.

  • Fast reactions. When the body needs to react immediately – in case of danger or if the situation catches us by surprise – the level of adrenaline in the blood rises sharply. This is a “stress hormone”, it is responsible for the mobilization of the body.When the brain assesses the situation as stressful, neurons transmit a command to the adrenal glands – the glands that synthesize adrenaline. You may be familiar with the feeling of being “hot.” It is the adrenal glands that secrete adrenaline, and it is instantly carried through the body by the blood. Evolution has laid down a set of reactions that must occur in a living creature in order to help it avoid danger: under the influence of adrenaline, mental activity, nervousness, anxiety and anxiety increase. Adrenaline raises your heart rate and increases muscle tone.

    Tip. The popular advice to breathe deeply to calm yourself is not accidental: the heart rate is directly related to breathing, deep long exhalations (do not inhale!) Calm the heartbeat, and the body slowly triggers reactions inverse to adrenaline arousal.

  • Pleasure and encouragement. The adrenal glands produce another important substance, dopamine. By its chemical structure, it is close to adrenaline (strictly speaking, adrenaline is “made” from dopamine molecules), but it acts differently.Dopamine is involved in the “reward system” of the body: it is produced when the body does something useful for itself, such as having sex (important for procreation) or eating sweet food (gets a lot of energy), and fixes the action in the mind as pleasant. Thus, it is this neurotransmitter that is responsible for the feeling of pleasure. Since a person is social and highly developed enough to experience pleasure not only from sexual intercourse and eating, the “reward system” works in other situations, including communication with loved ones, success in creativity and much more.Unlike artificial stimulation of this system (for example, with the help of drugs – dopamine analogues), repetition of pleasant situations does not dull it.
    Serotonin is also responsible for a positive state and joyful emotions. Compared to dopamine, it has a different structure and functions in a different way. While dopamine induces feelings of pleasure up to euphoria, serotonin is responsible for the feeling of confidence and calmness. It is its deficiency that leads to depressive states, and many antidepressants just work with serotonin metabolism: they block its reuptake receptors, and serotonin molecules circulate in the blood longer.

  • Tip . It sounds trite, but it is doing what you love that causes the longest and most stable release of dopamine and, accordingly, a feeling of satisfaction. Take the time to do what you really like.

  • Hormonal background. Women’s bad mood is often attributed to “hormones,” but what is behind this generalization? The hormonal background – the concentration and relative content of various hormones in the blood – is cyclical, and there are several such cycles, each of a different scale.The fastest is the daily cycle. It involves growth hormone, testosterone and cortisol. The latter is also called the stress hormone, but it works differently than adrenaline in a stressful situation. In the morning hours, the concentration of cortisol rises, due to which the heart contractions intensify and carbohydrate metabolism is activated, and the body receives a “push” to awaken. By the evening, the amount of cortisol drops, and we become less active, but calm. If you do not get enough sleep for a long time or force the body to work “for wear and tear”, the daily hormonal cycle gets lost, which, in turn, leads to increased sleep problems and other consequences, including emotional ones: unreasonable fears and anxiety, despondency, apathy.Chronic stress occurs – a vicious circle that is sometimes difficult to break without outside intervention.

    Tip. It is important to understand that in such situations it is pointless to scold yourself for negative emotions and say “Pull yourself together!”, But it is better to seek medical help.

  • Circadian rhythm and lighting. melatonin is responsible for the general regulation of the circadian rhythm. This is the substance that controls our “biological clock”. Although it is not a neurotransmitter and does not directly affect the nervous system, it releases many other substances, including dopamine and serotonin.Experiments have shown that melatonin injections relieve stress, reduce anxiety and generally remove negative emotions. However, melatonin has such a broad effect on the body that it is difficult to trace the path of its influence. Its deficiency leads to a number of negative consequences, mostly not in the emotional sphere, including premature aging and an increased risk of tumors. Excess is also not helpful and can lead to depression. The synthesis and release of melatonin depend on lighting: an excess of light reduces its formation, and a lack of light increases it.In humans, 70% of the daily secretion of melatonin is accounted for at night.

    Tip. Make sure your sleep is comfortable. Reduce artificial lighting in the evening before bed and minimize light noise at night. If outside light bothers you at night, consider using blackout curtains or rearranging your bedroom.

© Michał Grosicki / Unsplash

  • Hormones and menstruation. Another hormonal cycle is associated with the menstrual cycle in the female body. The hormones that every month prepare the body of a woman of reproductive age for conception also affect the psyche. However, their effect on emotions is often overrated. The hormones that work during the cycle – estrogens, luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones, and others – are not neurotransmitters and cannot directly evoke emotions. A fair amount of negative feelings during menstruation itself appear for indirect reasons: due to constant pain, faintness and general weakness.The brain receives similar signals during illness and suppresses any excitement. And the reasons why severe premenstrual syndrome occurs are still not exactly known.

    Tip. If you know you will experience mood swings on certain days, try to create the most comfortable environment for your body and mind. Avoid additional stress from the outside: cyclical changes in the body are stress in themselves.

  • Hormonal changes. Hormonal activity changes throughout life. Changes occur in both the male and female body, but in women they are expressed more actively in the form of the onset of menopause. This is a natural process associated with the cessation of estrogen secretion. As in the case of the menstrual cycle, the onset of menopause can be tolerated in different ways – from completely asymptomatic to significant changes in the body and severe mood swings.

    Tip. Hormone replacement therapy effectively fights negative symptoms of menopause.It involves taking small doses of hormones – estrogens, progestins and sometimes androgens: their ratio and dosage are prescribed by the doctor based on the results of biochemical analysis.

External chemistry: food and smell

Our feelings are influenced not only by hormones produced by our own body, but also by some substances that we receive from the outside.

  • Food as a source of neurotransmitters. Few substances in our body are synthesized from scratch. Usually complex molecules are obtained from simpler or similar ones – the so-called precursor molecules. Neurotransmitters are no exception. So, the precursor of dopamine is the amino acid tyrosine, which in turn is formed from another amino acid, phenylalanine. Phenylalanine belongs to essential amino acids: the human body is not able to synthesize it on its own and can only be obtained from food. Serotonin is formed from the essential amino acid tryptophan.Tryptophan is also a precursor to melatonin. That is, without a number of amino acids entering the body from outside, neurotransmitters simply cannot appear, and the processes for which they are responsible will be disrupted.

    Tip. A varied diet thus contributes to not only physical health, but also mental health. Make sure that there are enough protein-rich foods in the diet: the body “disassembles” proteins into their constituent amino acids, and already uses them for its own syntheses.

  • Sugar. Common sugar is a simple carbohydrate: the sucrose molecule is made up of glucose and fructose and is easily broken down into them in the body. Many already know how glucose “works”: it serves as a source of energy for all processes occurring in the body, from muscle movement to the functioning of organs. Fluctuations in blood glucose levels are associated not only with physical condition, but also psychological. Firstly, hypoglycemia – low blood sugar – leads to the inhibition of all energy-consuming processes, primarily muscle contractions and mental activity.There is a headache, depression. The second effect of sugar on emotions is direct: when it gets on the tongue, simple carbohydrates activate receptors that command the release of dopamine. Roughly speaking, I ate a chocolate bar – I felt joy. Unfortunately, as soon as the sweet tooth is eaten, the receptors are released and dopamine stops flowing.

    Tip. It is important to maintain a stable blood glucose level. It is the sharp jumps in the level (it does not matter, up or down) that lead to mood swings.Do not overuse simple carbohydrates or skip meals.

  • Caffeine. In addition to increased blood pressure, increased heart rate and other attributes of vigor, coffee causes mood elevation. This also happens thanks to dopamine, but not as straightforward as with sugar. Caffeine molecules sit on a specific group of receptors and block them, and this, in turn, activates dopamine receptors – they become more receptive to the neurotransmitter, even if there is little of it in the blood.Caffeine also has another property: it blocks the action of the enzyme phosphodiesterase, as a result of which the destruction of the secondary neurotransmitter, which helps adrenaline to act, does not occur. A secondary neurotransmitter accumulates in cells, and adrenaline, even in small amounts, works harder – coffee excites the nervous system.

    Tip. Small amounts of coffee and tea tone blood vessels well and are a good way to slightly improve your mood. But don’t forget that increased consumption of caffeine can lead to sleep disturbances that can lead to prolonged stress.

  • Alcohol. Ethyl alcohol has the property of accumulating in the brain: soon after consumption in the brain tissue, its content exceeds that in the blood. In low doses, alcohol activates inhibitory neurotransmitters, resulting in muscle relaxation, drowsiness, and mild euphoria. An increase in ethanol concentration leads to the release of endorphins (these are substances similar to opiates, but produced by the body itself), which, in turn, are associated with the release of dopamine.It also plays a role in generating euphoria. Finally, upon reaching a certain concentration (it is individual for each person), there is a clouding of consciousness up to hallucinations, a failure of the adrenaline system with subsequent unpredictable occurrences of fear and anxiety, memory impairment and a number of other negative consequences for the psyche. The constant use of alcohol leads to the death of neurons.

    Tip. The Ministry of Health warns about the dangers of alcohol for a reason. However, one glass of wine occasionally will not cause irreversible consequences.Just take it responsibly.

  • The role of odors. As mentioned earlier, the body “remembers” pleasant situations and reacts to their repetition with a sense of joy. The same applies to negative cases: imprinting occurs – the imprinting of the situation. With the repetition of the conditions in which a certain situation arose, the feelings associated with it are repeated – there is a joint activation of neural pathways.Smell is the most ancient sensory system, it appeared in the evolutionary path of our ancestors earlier than others, therefore the reaction to smells is the most “deep” – neural pathways-associations are firmly established. This means that, for example, the scent of mother’s perfume will always evoke childhood joy in the memory, even if you accidentally feel it while crossing the metro at rush hour. And the smell of disinfectant in the dentist’s office can lead to involuntary fear. Such reactions are always individual and associated with personal experience.
    However, there are some more or less general patterns. Roughly speaking, pleasant smells evoke pleasant emotions and vice versa. This is the basis of scent marketing – a technology that allows you to attract customers to the store and encourage them to buy. This includes simply maintaining a pleasant scent in boutiques or salons, and creating a specific scent for a company – a brand’s “aromatics”, and using special scents that evoke certain emotions and desires. So, sellers of kitchen appliances often spray the aromas of cinnamon and vanilla in the sales area – the buyer has a feeling of the coziness of home cooking and the desire to buy a new stove or oven for it.And marketing research in the US and Germany showed that in shopping malls, shoppers spent 20% more time in scented rooms.


    Tip. The ubiquity of scent marketing doesn’t mean that you should only shop with a bad cold. But understanding the background odor in such situations can help avoid impulsive waste.

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90,000 What causes female aggression – Snob

In his new book The Biology of Good and Evil, published by Alpina Publisher, Stanford professor of biology and neuroscience Robert Sapolsky explains how and what factors influence human behavior.Snob publishes chapter on female aggressive behavior

Bartolome Esteban Murillo, “Two Women at the Window”
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

… What is the effect of hormones on the brain and other sensory systems discussed in the previous chapters? To what extent do hormones determine our behavior, both good and bad? In this chapter, we’ll look at different hormones, but we’ll mostly focus on one, which is one that’s inextricably linked to aggression – testosterone.Looking ahead, I will immediately note that testosterone has much less to do with aggression than is commonly believed. And on the other end of the row, the hormone oxytocin is usually located: it has a status associated with warm, kind-hearted and prosocial behavior. So, and with oxytocin, everything is not so simple and obvious as it is believed …

Maternal aggression

In female rodents, the degree of aggressiveness increases during pregnancy and reaches its peak during childbirth. Obviously, such aggression reaches its maximum values ​​in those species for which the threat of infanticide is characteristic.

In late pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone increase the level of maternal aggression by secreting more oxytocin in certain parts of the brain, which again brings us back to oxytocin, which promotes maternal aggression.

Here are two examples that illustrate the complexity of the endocrine processes involved in aggression. Estrogen is involved in the generation of maternal aggression. But he is also able to weaken aggression, increase responsiveness and improve the degree of recognition of emotions.It turned out that there are two types of receptors for estrogen in the brain, and they regulate its oppositely directed behavioral effects. In this case, the quantitative expression of these effects is adjusted independently of each other. What we see: the same hormone, the same amount of the hormone, but with a different final effect. And it depends on what the brain is pre-configured for.

Next complication: as we already know, progesterone, acting together with estrogen, promotes maternal aggression.However, progesterone alone reduces aggression and anxiety. One hormone, the same amount – and a diametrically opposite result depending on the presence of another hormone.

Progesterone reduces anxiety in a very clever way. Once in a neuron, the hormone turns into another steroid, which, in turn, binds to the GABA receptors, which makes them more sensitive to the inhibitory effect of GABA, and thus the brain calms down. Here’s an example of a direct dialogue between hormones and neurotransmitters.

Female aggression with fists

Female aggression – apart from maternal aggression – is traditionally seen as passive, hidden. As Sarah Bluffer Hrdi, a leading primatologist at the University of California, Davis, noted until the 1970s. almost no one even thought of researching competition among women.

Nevertheless, females are often aggressive towards each other. This observation is simply dismissed by an argument from the field of psychopathology: if, say, a female chimpanzee behaves aggressively to the point of killing, this behavior is explained by the fact that she is – um … – abnormal.Or female aggression is seen as a hormonal “surge”. In female chimpanzees, small amounts of androgens are synthesized in the adrenal glands and ovaries; supporters of the “release” believe that the synthesis of “real” female hormones is somehow inaccurate and some male hormones are also released through an oversight. And since evolution is a lazy lady, she did not bother to remove male hormone receptors from the female brain, this is how testosterone aggression in women turns out.

Such judgments are incorrect for a number of reasons.

It is wrong to think that the female brain contains or does not contain testosterone receptors simply because it has the same prototype as the male brain. In females and males, androgen receptors are distributed differently, and in females they are located more densely in some areas. Evolution has been very active in selecting for the action of testosterone in females.

And more importantly, female aggression is comprehended from the point of view of evolution: strategically adjusted aggressiveness increases fitness.Depending on the species, females fight for resources (food, nesting areas, etc.), bring rival comrades below them in the hierarchy to infertility, kill other people’s cubs (this is what chimpanzees do, for example). And in birds and (rarely) primates, whose evolution has commanded males to be caring fathers, females compete with particular fury for such a treasure.

In the world, interestingly, there are animal species – among them primates (bonobos, lemurs, marmosets, tamarins), Cape hyraxes, rodents (Californian and Syrian hamsters, naked mole rats), in which females are socially dominant and behave more aggressively than males ( they are often physically stronger).The most famous example of social gender inversion is spotted hyenas; they were studied by Lawrence Frank and colleagues from the University of California at Berkeley. Typical social predators (lions, for example) are hunted by females, and males only “go down to dinner”, and they get the first piece. In hyenas, males in a subordinate position hunt; the females then drive them away from the food they get and give the cubs the opportunity to feed first. Just imagine: in many mammals, an erection is a signal of dominance, they say, “come-man-with-the-tool.”In hyenas, the opposite is true: the male begins an erection if the female terrorizes him. (“Don’t attack me! Look, I’m just a harmless male!”)

How can we explain female competitive aggression (it does not matter, in “normal” species or shape-shifters with inverted social roles)? It would be logical to assume that androgens are to blame; indeed, females with modified sex roles have testosterone levels that are the same or even higher than males. Baby hyenas are born “pseudohermaphrodites” – this is not surprising, because before birth they were in the mother’s stomach, and there is so much testosterone there! Female hyenas have a false scrotum, no external vagina, but a clitoris the size of a penis, which in addition is able to erect.And even more – some of the differences that are usually found between the brains of male and female mammals, hyenas and naked mole rats do not. This reflects the fact that their embryos receive a lot of male hormones.

From the above, it could be concluded that females in species with inverted gender roles behave aggressively because they are exposed to increased exposure to androgens, and, accordingly, a decrease in aggression among females of other species is explained by a reduced level of androgens.

And immediately objections arise. To begin with, we are familiar with species (for example, Brazilian guinea pigs), in which females have high androgen levels, but they behave non-aggressively and do not dominate males. Conversely, females of some inverted bird species do not have elevated androgen levels. In addition, as in males, individual differences in the amount of androgens do not predict more or less aggressiveness in the female, be it a species with classical or inverted sexual behavior.And in general, in females, androgen levels do not increase during periods of aggressiveness.

And there is logic in this. Female aggressiveness is mainly associated with reproduction and survival of offspring: first of all, it is maternal aggression, but also competition for a sexual partner, “home” places, food during gestation and feeding. Androgens disrupt the processes associated with childbirth, confuse the established maternal behavior. As Hrdi noted, the presence of androgens puts the female in a quandary: she needs to balance the benefits of aggressiveness with the disadvantages of reproduction.Ideally, androgens in females should affect the “aggressive” areas of the brain and not touch the “reproductive-maternal” areas. This is exactly what evolution did, as it turned out.

Book cover
Publishing house “Alpina Publisher”

Premenstrual aggression and irritability

Here we inevitably come to the topic of premenstrual syndrome (PMS): this is a complex of symptoms that accompanies menstruation, when mood spoils, irritability grows, and even the stomach swells due to fluid accumulation, acne pops up … There are a lot of all kinds of implausible rumors and legends about PMS.(The same is true for PMDD, a premenstrual dysphoric disorder whose symptoms are so severe that a woman is unable to function normally; it affects 2-5% of women.)

This topic bogs down in two contradictions at once: what is the cause of PMS / PMDD and how is this syndrome associated with aggression? The first question is some kind of horror. In general, PMS / PMDD – physiology or social superstructure?

According to extreme views (“it’s just a social phenomenon”), PMS is entirely a product of specific cultural conditions.This opinion was initiated by Margaret Mead, who argued in her 1928 book Coming of Age in Samoa that Samoan women do not change their mood or behavior during their periods. Mead sang the blissful pictures of Samoan life, in which the Samoans were portrayed as the most peaceful, kindhearted, sexually free primates east of the bonobos. Anthropologists immediately continued the thought, suggesting that women from any “loincloth” culture do not experience PMS.Well, if, accordingly, in some culture there is an unrestrained spread of PMS (in the American one, for example), this means that the interests of women are infringed upon and their sexuality is suppressed. Such views can be criticized even from the standpoint of socioeconomics; take, for example, such a pearl: “With the help of the PMS, women express dissatisfaction with their oppressed position in American capitalist society.”

If we take the opinion of such extremists as a starting point, then it turns out that in “repressive” societies, those women who are most oppressed will suffer the most from PMS.That is, women with severe PMS symptoms should experience anxiety, depression, be neurotic, hypochondriac, sexually squeezed, obedient to religious prohibitions, they hide from difficulties instead of solving the problem. In general, there is not a single decent Samoan among them.

Fortunately, the wave of such ideas has largely subsided. Numerous studies have identified shifts in brain chemistry and behavior that accompany the normal process of the reproductive cycle; and the behavior changes both during ovulation and during menstruation.And PMS is an extreme, painful case of such modulations. At the same time, we take into account that the symptoms of PMS, this natural physiological phenomenon, differ from culture to culture. Chinese women, for example, describe not as strong the effect of PMS as Western women (and it is not known whether they really do not feel so bad, or whether they just got used to not complaining). Given that PMS has over a hundred symptoms, it’s no surprise that they are accentuated differently from society to society.

Other primates also have perimenstrual changes in behavior and mood, so it is clear that this is a matter of biology.Female baboons and vervet monkeys become more aggressive and less friendly before estrus (monkeys, as far as I know, American capitalism does not oppress). It is curious to note that in baboons only dominant females become more aggressive; subordinate females simply have no opportunity to express aggression.

These findings directly indicate that shifts in behavior and mood are biologically based. The social aspect lies in the fact that they were transferred to the jurisdiction of medicine, received the names of “pathologies”, “syndromes”, “disorders” and acquired “symptomatology.”

What is the basic biology of PMS? The generally accepted theory points to a sharp drop in progesterone levels when regulation approaches, which means that its sedative, calming effect is weakened. Based on this, PMS is the result of too much drop in progesterone levels. Nevertheless, there are not so many confirmations of this theory.

Another theory, which has some facts in its asset, is built with an emphasis on the hormone beta-endorphin: it is known to be released during physical exertion and triggers a kind of intoxication similar to light.n. runner’s euphoria. According to this theory, the cause of PMS lies in abnormally low levels of beta-endorphin. In general, many explanations have been proposed, but none of them gives certainty.

Now let’s turn to the question of how PMS is associated with aggression. In the 1960s. studies by Katharina Dalton (who introduced the term “premenstrual syndrome” in 1953) showed that women committed crimes during the perimenstrual period more often than at other times (perhaps this only means that during such periods it is easier to detain them, rather than a greater propensity for criminal acts).Another study, a study of girls in boarding schools, found that a disproportionate number of complaints about bad behavior occurred during the menstrual period of the offenders. Note that the studies conducted in prison did not distinguish between violent and non-violent crimes, and at school, both hooliganism and tardiness were considered as violations of order. Thus, it is not yet very clear whether women become more aggressive during menstruation or if women are aggressive by nature act more assertively during these periods.

Nonetheless, lawyers have been quite successful in using the ICP as a valid excuse to mitigate punishment and in pursuing “limitation of liability” in the courts. Here, for example, is the sensational case of Sandy Craddock in 1980: she killed a colleague, and in addition, she could boast a list of more than 30 convictions for theft, arson and assault. At the trial, it turned out that Sandy did not understand why, but fortunately for herself, for years, she carefully wrote down in her diary not only the days of her period, but also recorded exits to the city “in search of crimes.”As it turned out, these days coincided so much that she was given a suspended sentence and prescribed progesterone treatment. But the story did not end there: when her doctor reduced her dose of medicine, during the next menstruation, Sandy was arrested for trying to stab someone with a knife. And what: again conditional and again drip progesterone.

Indeed, judging by the results of all these studies, a small number of women experience PMS of such intensity that their behavior can be classified as psychotic, and the court must take this into account as an extenuating circumstance.The usual pre- and post-menstrual changes in behavior and mood are not particularly correlated with increased aggressiveness.

Translation: Julia Abolina, Elena Naimark, Dr. Biol. Sciences

90,000 It’s time to grow up, or why PMS occurs

All women during PMS behave differently – some cry, others show aggression

“Why are you so nervous, what do you have – PMS?” – it is this phrase that men most often like to say when their woman is out of sorts or turns on the “queen” regime.Surprisingly, according to the study Gedeon Richter Women’s Health Index -2019, 61% of women also believe that many women use PMS to justify their intemperance and bad mood.

In the previous issue, “Russian West” touched upon the social aspect of this phenomenon (“The main myth: PMS ?!”, 07/01/2019). This time, the publication is talking with clinical specialists.

So, what is premenstrual syndrome – an ordinary feminine whim or a serious psychological disorder, can men distinguish real PMS from simulated PMS, and what (and, most importantly, why) subconsciously provokes the appearance of this syndrome in women?

Inevitable evil or natural selection?

Many have heard the abbreviation PMS, it will also not be difficult to decipher it, but what lies behind these three letters.Why does premenstrual syndrome occur?

“It has not yet been possible to establish a single cause for the development of premenstrual syndrome,” says Dmitry Loginov, obstetrician-gynecologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist, reproductologist. – It is known that it most often occurs in women 18-45 years old, and the older a woman becomes, the higher the likelihood of developing PMS. The most recent theories speak of hormone imbalance, “water intoxication”, an allergic component, increased adrenal activity and impaired functioning of the autonomic nervous system.All these theories try to explain the reason for sodium retention in the body, which leads to an increase in the amount of intercellular fluid and edema – of the mammary glands, arms, legs. Retention of fluid in the brain leads to headaches, poor health and mood changes. ”

PMS exists, and this syndrome is a whole complex of pathological manifestations of a different nature, which can be combined into three groups of symptoms: neuropsychic, autonomic and endocrine-metabolic.

Group 1: irritability, tearfulness, depression, aggressiveness, insomnia, headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, itching.

Guppa 2: sweating, heart pain, tachycardia, changes in blood pressure.

Group 3: decreased urination, thirst, edema, painful engorgement of the mammary glands, flatulence.

The most common of the listed symptoms in women are irritability and aggressiveness, depression, swelling and headache.If the compensated form of PMS passes with the onset of menstruation, and the woman can somehow put up with it, then with the decompensated form, life turns into a real hell – feeling unwell begins long before menstruation, and passes after them, and the periods of “calm” tend to shorten …

During PMS, women may be depressed, irritable or aggressive

According to the Gedeon Richter Women’s Health Index -2019 study, 78% of women notice changes in their physical well-being shortly before menstruation, including complaints of back or pelvic pain, and breast tenderness.

“Do not think that any deterioration in well-being before menstruation already speaks of PMS,” says Dmitry Loginov. – Almost all women become more nervous, crying, emotional before menstruation, which is explained by a change in hormonal balance. It is possible to diagnose “premenstrual syndrome” only with a combination of at least three or four symptoms that appear 2-14 days before menstruation and reduce the ability to work. “

The gynecologist separately notes that serious diseases can be hidden under the mask of PMS, for example, endometriosis, chronic venous insufficiency, diseases of the uterus and ovaries, hyperprolactinemia, endocrine diseases. Even with mild manifestations, which are mistaken for PMS, it is worth going to a gynecologist-endocrinologist.

There is an interesting hypothesis of the Australian biologist Michael Gillings, who suggests that PMS exists from the point of view of natural selection: with this nervous and irritable state preceding menstruation, the chances of a woman breaking up with an infertile partner increase, which is an evolutionary advantage due to which PMS has been preserved in the population.

“PMS is more often observed in emotionally labile women with a lack of body weight and intellectual exertion,” says Svetlana Lizunova, leading reproductive specialist, gynecologist, endocrinologist at the Leib-Medic medical center. – It has also been proven to reduce the content of magnesium in the erythrocytes of women with PMS, in contrast to healthy women. One of the likely factors in the development of premenstrual syndrome is vitamin deficiency, in particular, a deficiency of vitamins B6, A and trace elements calcium and zinc.The genetic factor is also of great importance, that is, the nature of the course of PMS can be inherited. ”

How to diagnose PMS

Reproductologist Svetlana Lizunova calls the main criterion for diagnosing PMS – the cyclical nature of complaints and their disappearance after menstruation. The form of premenstrual syndrome will help to establish a study of the level of hormones (estrogen, progesterone, prolactin) in the blood.

Electroencephalography (EEG) is also recommended.For an accurate diagnosis, it is recommended to be examined by various doctors: gynecologist-endocrinologist, neurologist, cardiologist, therapist, psychotherapist, ”says Svetlana Lizunova.

“Denial by a woman of her essence”

According to official statistics, according to various sources, from 50 to 80% of all women in the world are susceptible to premenstrual syndrome. By the way, many of them faced this problem only after giving birth, although before that they did not feel any symptoms.

Marina Bykova, a clinical psychologist with 17 years of practice, believes that the nervous system is closely connected with the endocrine system, therefore, the psychological state affects the level of hormones.

“It is known that PMS is especially troubling for women who want a child, but for various reasons do not give birth. Using the language of metaphors, her body grieves over the failed pregnancy, says Marina Bykova. – Another psychological reason for painful sensations associated with menstruation can be a woman’s subconscious denial of her essence and physiology.If there are attitudes like “Being a woman is bad / dangerous / stupid / uninteresting”, then this all aggravates the situation. ”

As another psychological reason for the manifestation of PMS, Marina Bykova called a woman’s unwillingness to grow up, because for a long time the onset of menstruation has been a symbol of a girl’s growing up, the beginning of adulthood. Some women develop PMS after an abortion or miscarriage. In this case, menstruation becomes a constant monthly reminder of these traumatic events that the woman is trying to avoid.

PMS is severe in women without a family or partner

“From the point of view of psychology, PMS is a woman’s reaction to the death of an unfertilized egg. Interpretation of the course of premenstrual syndrome in a woman from this point of view makes it possible to observe the dependence of symptoms on her female life situation. If a woman wants to get pregnant, but for some reason she does not succeed, PMS proceeds more severely, with emotional stress or breakdowns, with a deterioration in physical well-being, ”says Anastasia Popova, psychologist, perinatal psychologist, systemic family psychotherapist at the Leib-Medic medical center …- PMS can be just as difficult in women without a family or partner, when menopause is approaching, when experiencing a conflict in the family – as an aggravated reaction to loneliness, conflicts with a partner or fear of approaching old age. In another life situation, if pregnancy is undesirable, and femininity is harmoniously accepted and not perceived as a problem, premenstrual syndrome, like other stages of the menstrual cycle, is perceived calmly and passes almost imperceptibly. ”

Do women who turn to psychologists themselves consider PMS a problem and do the weaker sex often project symptoms onto themselves after reading about them on the Internet?

“Those who are particularly responsive to PMS certainly see it as a problem.Irritability, mood swings, tearfulness, resentment. Of course, if a woman reacts to PMS, then this will be a problem not only for herself, but also for her entire environment, including her husband, children, and work colleagues, – Marina Bykova answers. – Especially suggestive, suspicious women come up with PMS, project its symptoms onto themselves. Or it occurs in such cases when it is convenient for a woman to hide behind PMS, pursuing some of her interests. ”

I wonder if there were cases when families were on the verge of divorce due to a woman’s PMS?

“There has never been such a situation in my practice that it is precisely because of PMS that a marriage breaks up,” says Marina Bykova.- But here you need to understand – if a couple is already on the verge of breaking apart, if partners are constantly in conflict and collide with interests, cannot find a common language, then PMS can become an indirect cause of discord in the couple. So to speak, the last straw. In addition, some women hide behind PMS in order to come off on a partner and “with impunity” be rude to him, shout at him, lead him to conflict. ”

According to the Gedeon Richter Women’s Health Index -2019 study, 37% of men who have heard of PMS believe that many women use it as an excuse for their intemperance and bad mood.

Imitation of PMS, or when the unloved is around

Going to bed with someone for whom you have not felt anything for a long time is terrible, but it is even more terrible to admit it to yourself. In order to avoid physical intimacy with an unloved man, women imitate PMS. How often?

“Often. For some, it is typical to go into symptoms: headaches, pains in the lower abdomen, thrush, says Marina Bykova. – Being abandoned and divorced in society is not quoted and even often censured, therefore some women, in order to remain in the status of a wife, maintain relationships, although in fact these relationships do not suit them.As a result, they imitate PMS to avoid intimacy – both physical and emotional – with their partner. ”

Marina Bykova admits that it is not so easy for a man to distinguish a woman’s real PMS from a simulated one.

“Perhaps, if a man monitors his partner’s cycle, then he may suspect that something was wrong, when PMS is already today, but it should be – only in a week,” says the psychologist.

Psychologist Anastasia Popova believes that imitation of premenstrual syndrome, like any lie, can still be exposed:

“People often use diseases and health problems to manipulate others, so you can distinguish imitation of PMS like any lie: by inconsistency, depending on the situation.Like a schoolboy: if the stomach has gone after being allowed not to go to school, then this is not appendicitis, most likely. If a woman uses PMS as a manipulation tool, she will use other health disorders as well. ”

The main thing is that the partner is not an anchor pulling to the bottom …

According to Anastasia Popova, it is important to understand:

1. Not every PMS experience is imitation or manipulation, and therefore you need to delve into and understand.Perhaps you are dealing with a very real problem, and not with whims at all.

2. If this is manipulation, then why did it appear in the relationship? What is going wrong and what you can’t talk about differently, more openly and consciously?

Here are just a few statistics from the study “Gedeon Richter Women’s Health Index -2019”: according to a survey of the male target audience, only 57% of men see changes in the physical well-being of their spouse / partner with PMS, emotional changes in the second half shortly before menstruation are noticed by 66% of respondents, and every fifth male interviewed noted female aggressiveness and intemperance during this period.

To love, feed and not offend

At the same time (according to the data of the same study) 42% of respondents who notice changes in the physical or emotional state of their woman try to psychologically support her during PMS, and every fourth (24%) – to free her from household chores.

Others should understand one simple truth: the period of PMS is temporary, and right now it is necessary to provide support to your loved one.

“It is also important for a woman these days to listen to herself and understand what she needs: sleep, take a walk, talk to an understanding person or just cry,” says psychologist Maria Yelets. In addition to crying, moderate physical activity, meditation, a warm bath, or a glass of wine can also help relieve stress. The main thing is that after any of the means the woman feels relaxation. If you know for yourself a certain monthly emotional course of PMS, then you just have to wait a couple of days, trying not to splash out on the household, and everything will return to normal. “

Support and understanding from a loved one will help a woman overcome all difficulties

PMS symptoms can be relieved by the woman herself. Elena Petrunina, a psychologist at the Embryo reproductive clinic, believes that physical activity, for example, fitness, yoga, swimming, or at least daily walks in the fresh air for 60 minutes, diet therapy (more fiber, less fat and salt , simple carbohydrates), B vitamins, magnesium, a relaxing massage course, and also classes with a psychologist, psychotherapist (aimed at reducing anxiety levels, improving stress resistance).

“Meditation and breathing techniques, art therapy, auto-training have proven themselves well,” says Elena Petrunin. “The simplest technique that will help relieve tension and irritability, overcome stress is breathing in a square.”

Find a square or rectangular object in the room, or just imagine a square. Look at one corner of it and inhale in four counts. Move your gaze to the next corner and hold your breath for 4 counts.Then move your gaze to the 3rd corner and exhale for 4 counts. Move your gaze to the 4th corner and hold your breath for 4 counts. Breathe in this way for 3 to 5 minutes.

Another simple technique is meditative. Turn on audio recording of pleasant sounds. It can be the sound of the sea, birdsong in the forest, other sounds of nature. This is an affordable method that will quickly help relieve irritability and restore a good mood.

We sorted out the symptoms, learned to breathe, and understood the causes of PMS.What to do next? Men – to accept a woman as she is, helping to overcome temporary psychological difficulties with compliments and attention (possibly gifts), and women – to control themselves, cutting bad thoughts at the root and redirecting energy to something pleasant, both for the soul and for body.

(c) IA Russkiy Zapad / Anna MIKHAILOVA

90,000 Female syndrome (PMS)

Olga Alekseevnoa Stambulova, Deputy Chief Physician for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Leading Obstetrician at the Scandinavia Clinic, talks about the common but still a mystery premenstrual syndrome.

Sometimes it is so difficult to pull yourself together and not yell at someone, not slam the door, not cry from the slightest offense … And even the realization that these emotions are due to quite definite physiological reasons does not help. We talked with Olga Alekseevna Stambulova, the deputy chief physician for obstetrics and gynecology, and the leading obstetrician of the Scandinavia clinic, about the common but still a mystery premenstrual syndrome.

– Olga Alekseevna, what is premenstrual syndrome (PMS) from a medical point of view?

– Premenstrual syndrome is a wide range of vegetative-vascular, neuropsychic and metabolic-endocrine disorders that appear in the second half of the menstrual cycle. Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome are individual for each woman, but the most common of them are swelling and changes in the emotional background.Moreover, the mood changes for each woman in different ways: some become aggressive, others – whiny, others – irritable. Some of the fair sex during this period fall into depression. Also, typical complaints include swelling of the face, legs, engorgement and soreness of the mammary glands, headaches, and even an increase in body temperature. There is a clear relationship between the complex of the above symptoms with the cycle: the manifestations of PMS become noticeable a few days before menstruation, and disappear with its onset.Women of any age can suffer from premenstrual syndrome, but most often it is noticeable at the age of 30-40.

Usually, women do not attach much importance to the symptoms of PMS, considering such processes to be normal. But I would advise you to listen carefully to the signals given by the body, since some manifestations of painful sensations on the eve of menstruation may indicate certain disturbances in the work of the female body. So, especially intense pain in the lower abdomen on the eve of menstruation can be the result of endometriosis, inflammatory processes, hormonal imbalance.To exclude these diseases, you need to consult a gynecologist.

– What Causes PMS?

– There are many theories on this score, but none, unfortunately, fully explains the occurrence of premenstrual syndrome. It is believed that PMS is based on hormonal changes occurring in the second, luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, when there is an excess of the ratio of prolactin and estrogen relative to progesterone.There is also an opinion that PMS can be caused by a deficiency of vitamins and minerals, as well as endorphins – substances responsible for our good mood and well-being. At the same time, there is a psychophysiological side of the issue: premenstrual syndrome is more typical for women who have emotional or physical overload – stressful work or a tense family environment. A certain effect on the occurrence of the syndrome can be exerted by such provoking factors as the consequences of unsuccessful pregnancies, abortions, and infectious diseases.

In any case, PMS is a consequence of a number of reasons, individual in each case, which is why the diagnosis of the syndrome is specific for each woman.

– Olga Alekseevna, tell us about the diagnosis and therapy of PMS.

– First of all, you should carefully listen to the patient, then conduct a thorough gynecological examination and ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs. In the most difficult cases, MRI diagnostics is used.After this, a hormonal examination should be carried out. It is also advisable for patients with complaints of PMS symptoms to recommend consultations of doctors of other specialties – a psychologist, endocrinologist, neurologist, mammologist, therapist.

Most often, when premenstrual syndrome is detected, hormonal treatment is prescribed. But each case is special, and it is possible to say what treatment is needed only after a full examination. However, there is one general recommendation: women with premenstrual syndrome should normalize their lifestyle – half of the success of treatment depends on this, especially if a woman works a lot.It is necessary to sleep at least eight hours, systematically, but within reasonable limits, to play sports, not to abuse fatty and carbohydrate foods, coffee and strong tea, to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked to the possible minimum, and it is better to quit smoking altogether.

– Tell me, what can mean pain in the lower abdomen already during menstruation? Are these painful sensations similar to PMS pain, do they have the same nature?

– The cause of such pain can be endometriosis (especially if pain occurs on the eve and on the first day of menstruation), inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs.In any case, such pain is a good reason to consult a specialist, especially if it appears with the arrival of each menstruation. In no case should you self-medicate while taking pain medications. It is believed that pain that occurs before and during menstruation disappears after pregnancy and childbirth. This is possible because pregnancy and lactation is a physiological process, in which the hormonal background of a woman is often leveled. However, pregnancy is not a panacea, and often the pain comes back again.To understand the nature of pain and help cope with it, a woman needs a comprehensive examination under the supervision of a gynecologist.

90,000 How the brain changes during the menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle is usually associated only with the possibility of conception, but hormonal changes also affect other bodily functions, including memory, emotion and learning.

All these changes are caused by fluctuations in hormone levels during the cycle.In the first days – during menstruation and before ovulation – the level of estrogen and progesterone is low. In the middle of the cycle, in the ovulation phase, estrogen increases, and after ovulation ends, in the luteal phase, both estrogen and progesterone increase.

These hormonal fluctuations make a woman think, feel and act differently.

Below we will analyze what changes during the cycle.

Conscious and unconscious memory

With an increase in the amount of estrogen in women, implicit (procedural) memory improves.This is a type of memory in which you take actions based on past events, but are not aware of it. It helps you perform actions automatically.

In addition, female sex hormones affect the brain structures responsible for conscious memory: the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. Estrogen increases the amount of gray matter in the hippocampus’ memory store and increases the activity of the prefrontal cortex , which is responsible for working memory – the ability to hold information in your mind while you work with it.In addition to working memory, the prefrontal cortex also affects the ability to control our emotions and overcome fear.

Ability to control emotions and cope with fear

At the beginning of the cycle, when the number of female sex hormones decreases, the amygdala , which is responsible for emotions, is less subordinate to the cerebral cortex. Therefore, before menstruation and before ovulation, it can be more difficult for a woman to control emotional manifestations.

In addition, estrogen helps to cope with fear.At a reduced level of this hormone, the expression of the HDAC4 gene, associated with learning, long-term memory, and behavior, increases. At the same time, the memory of fear lasts longer, so anxiety increases during the premenstrual and menstrual periods.

During and after ovulation, estrogen decreases HDAC4 gene expression, helping to quickly forget fear and cope with anxiety.

Moreover, estrogen increases the ability of to feel fear of others.This explains why women have more developed empathy.

Ability to view a problem from different angles

The human brain works asymmetrically: when performing some tasks, more activity is observed in one of the hemispheres. For example, in right-handers, the left is mainly responsible for speech, and the right for musical abilities. This functional asymmetry is called brain lateralization.

In men, lateralization is more pronounced, the interaction within the hemispheres is higher than , due to which the connection between perception and action is more developed.In women, however, the connection between the hemispheres is stronger and the interaction between analytical and intuitive perception is better.

But if in men the lateralization of the brain is always approximately the same, in women it depends on the phase of the cycle. With an increase in the level of sex hormones, the lateralization of the brain increases. Hormones activate the left hemisphere, and the work of the right hemisphere is inhibited.