What Does Your PMS Have to Do With the Past?

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is often a convenient butt of jokes — a handy way to dismiss emotional expression as a transient byproduct of biology. However, for the 8 to 20 percent of reproductive-age people who get periods, PMS and its more extreme case, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), are not funny at all, but a life-altering set of symptoms that wreak emotional and physical havoc. PMS and PMDD both show up during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, which begins just after ovulation and can last up to 14 days. PMDD is like PMS on steroids.

Symptoms can include hypersensitivity to stimuli and pain, pelvic pain or cramping, and bloating. Where PMDD differs is in the intensity of mood symptoms, which are generally more severe and recurrent and interfere with a person’s ability to work, socialize, and have healthy relationships. Studies have shown that women with PMDD have diminished positive emotional processing, depression, and anxiety and are at an increased risk for postpartum depression and suicidal behavior. One study even estimated that the average costs of PMDD run about $4,300 per year in lost wages or additional health services.

Though the field of hormone sensitivity research is relatively young, one consistent link that repeatedly turns up is that women with PMDD have higher incidences of past physical and emotional…