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Is this PMDD?

What PMDD is, how it differs from PMS, and the five things a diagnosis needs. Sourced from IAPMD and the DSM-5 criteria.

PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) is a severe, cyclical mood disorder. Symptoms start in the week or two before a period and ease within a few days after it starts. It is a strong reaction in the brain to normal hormone changes, not abnormal hormone levels, which is why a blood test cannot diagnose it.

It is recognised in the DSM-5 and in the World Health Organization's ICD-11. About 5.5 in 100 women and people assigned female at birth of reproductive age are estimated to have it.

To be diagnosed, symptoms need to:

• include at least one of: mood swings or sensitivity to rejection, irritability or anger, depressed mood or hopelessness, or anxiety and tension
• add up to at least five symptoms in total, such as low interest, poor concentration, exhaustion, appetite changes, sleep changes, feeling overwhelmed, and physical symptoms
• be present in the week before most periods and lift after the period
• cause real distress or get in the way of work, study, relationships or daily life
• be confirmed by daily ratings across at least two cycles. That is exactly what Jellybean records.

Sources: IAPMD facts and figures