We all know the jokes about PMS. The craving for chocolate, the teary-eyed movie nights, the short temper. For many of us, Premenstrual Syndrome is a familiar, if unwelcome, monthly visitor. It’s a few days of feeling a bit off, crampy, and moody before things go back to normal.
But what if it’s more than that? What if, for you, the week before your period feels like a dark cloud descends, making it impossible to function? What if it’s not just a “bad mood,” but a deep, overwhelming sadness or rage that strains your relationships and makes you feel like you’re losing your mind?
If this sounds familiar, you might be dealing with something more than standard PMS. You could be experiencing Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a serious medical condition that is often misunderstood. At CrampCare, we want to help you understand the difference. Knowing what you’re dealing with is the first, most powerful step toward getting the right help.
PMS is a Rain Cloud. PMDD is a Thunderstorm.
Let’s think of it this way. PMS is like having a personal rain cloud follow you around for a few days. It’s annoying, gloomy, and might make you want to stay inside with a cup of tea, but you can still get through your day.
PMDD, on the other hand, is a full-blown thunderstorm raging inside you. It’s debilitating. The wind, the lightning, the downpour—it makes it feel impossible to leave the house or even function.
What is PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome)?
PMS is a collection of physical and emotional symptoms that many people experience 1-2 weeks before their period. It’s caused by the normal hormonal shifts of your cycle. Symptoms are usually mild to moderate and can include:
- Moodiness and irritability
- Feeling a bit sad or anxious
- Bloating and breast tenderness
- Cravings and fatigue
While annoying, PMS symptoms usually don’t stop you from living your life. You can still go to school, hang out with friends, and do the things you need to do.
What is PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder)?
PMDD is a severe, life-disrupting hormone-based mood disorder. It is NOT “bad PMS.” It’s a diagnosable medical condition that affects about 3-8% of people with menstrual cycles. [1] With PMDD, the emotional symptoms are the main event and are so severe they can damage your relationships, career, and quality of life.
The core symptoms of PMDD include at least one of the following, starting the week before your period and ending when it starts:
- Severe depression, hopelessness, or even suicidal thoughts.
- Intense anxiety, tension, or feeling constantly on edge.
- Extreme mood swings, like suddenly feeling very sad or angry for no reason.
- Persistent anger or irritability that affects your relationships.
Along with at least one of those, you would also experience other PMS-like symptoms, but at a much higher intensity.
How Do I Know If I Have It? A Quick Vibe Check
Ask yourself these questions about the week or two before your period:
- Does my mood interfere with my life? Does your sadness or irritability make it hard to function at work or school? Have you gotten into fights with loved ones that you later regret?
- Do I feel like a “different person”? Do you feel out of control of your emotions, like you’ve been hijacked by someone else?
- Do I feel hopeless? Do you experience feelings of deep sadness, despair, or worthlessness?
- Does it go away? Do these intense symptoms magically disappear within a day or two of your period starting, leaving you feeling like yourself again?
If you answered “yes” to these questions, it is a strong sign that you should talk to a doctor about the possibility of PMDD.
Your Secret Weapon: Tracking Your Symptoms
Here’s the tricky part about diagnosing PMDD: you can’t get a blood test for it. A diagnosis is made based on your symptoms and, most importantly, their timing. To get a diagnosis, a doctor will need to see that your symptoms are specifically tied to the premenstrual phase of your cycle.
This is why tracking your symptoms is not just helpful—it’s essential.
Using an app like CrampCare to log your mood and symptoms every day for at least two full cycles is the single most important thing you can do. When you go to the doctor, you won’t just be saying, “I feel crazy before my period.” You’ll be showing them a chart that says, “For the past two months, I have experienced severe anxiety and hopelessness starting on day 20 of my cycle, which resolved on day 2 when my period began.”
This data is your proof. It’s your power. It helps a doctor take you seriously and get you the right diagnosis and treatment, which might include therapy, SSRI antidepressants, or other medical interventions. [2]
You Are Not Alone, and There Is Hope
If you think you might have PMDD, please hear this: You are not broken. You are not “too sensitive.” You are not making it up. You have a real medical condition, and there is real help available.
Talking about it is the first step. Talk to a doctor. Talk to a trusted friend. You don’t have to navigate this thunderstorm alone.
Ready to start gathering the data that can change your life? Download CrampCare today and begin tracking your symptoms. It’s the first step on the path to feeling like yourself again, all month long.
References
[1] International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD). (n.d.). What is PMDD? https://iapmd.org/about-pmdd
[2] Reid, R. L., & Soares, C. N. (2018). Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: Contemporary Diagnosis and Management. Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada, 40(2), 215–223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogc.2017.05.018