Living with PMDD is like having the Grim Reaper visit every month

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Living with PMDD is like having the Grim Reaper visit every month 44 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleRuth CleggHealth and wellbeing reporterAnnikaAnnika has had premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) for more than eight yearsWarning: This article contains discussion of suicideThe morning after she tried to end her life, Annika Waheed's period started. The feelings of despair left her and the "weight of the world", as she describes it, lifted. "Did I really do that?

" she asked her sister, who had hugged Annika close to keep her safe as she slept off an attempted overdose. "Annika would spend two weeks of every month haunted by suicidal thoughts, and then, like the flick of a switch, the darkness would dissipate as soon as she started her period and she would "be able to see and function again". "How can my hormones do this to me?

The Details

The 42-year-old has had premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) for more than eight years. PMDD is a mental health disorder which causes severe psychological and sometimes physical symptoms. It can affect women at any point in their lives but often coincides with moments of significant hormonal changes - including puberty, having a baby, or going through the menopause.

Similar to premenstrual syndrome (PMS), it occurs in the one to two weeks leading up to a period, the luteal phase, but it is far more severe. While PMS might leave you feeling tired, irritable and bloated, PMDD can trigger severe anxiety, depression and intense psychological distress. Women can also experience physical symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and joint pain, but to be diagnosed with PMDD you must also have a mood-related symptom.

'There is nothing you can do about it'The International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD) - a global research charity - estimates more than a million women in the UK may be affected by PMDD, but only a fraction have received a diagnosis. Suicide is a complex issue, but some studies suggest those with PMDD are more likely to have suicidal thoughts and attempt to take their own life than the general population. "PMS can be really hard," says Annika, who also experiences physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, severe backache and bloating.

What Experts Say

This is something else. "It is like the Grim Reaper coming for us every month. You can feel it, and there is nothing you can do about it.

"It's believed women affected by PMDD have a severe and negative reaction to the natural hormonal fluctuations happening in their bodies before a period. That reaction is mainly driven by changes in progesterone levels, which peak, and oestrogen, which fluctuates, triggering strong feelings of despair, loss and a lack of control. And while there is still very little scientific understanding about why PMDD is triggered in some individuals, researchers in Scotland have devised a groundbreaking suicide prevention tool aimed at helping clinicians identify signs of women displaying PMDD symptoms.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.