Am I having depressive episodes due to my period?
I’ve struggled with anxiety my whole life and before/during my periods I will get horrible symptoms. My anxiety will spike till I border on/have panic attacks several times a day and feel constant nausea and discomfort.
But during particularly bad episodes I will feel hopeless, like a waste of space, I will have trouble getting out of bed and doing work and feel no motivation. I’ll feel sad and cry off and on for hours and find no joy from things that usually make me happy.
Do these sound sound like depression symptoms, because if they are, I want to find ways to deal with period induced depressions.
@issii
Hi! I think this is common, our emotions often are magnified during this time, and feel more out of control/extreme.
I find it helps to work on this at other times, through daily practise (relaxation techniques, DBT, exercise, good food), supportive people, therapy, doctor etc. Then just be very gentle and patient with myself at that time of the month, and remember that intensity will pass, and use techniques that help.
That sounds really tough, general anxiety itself can be debilitating, even without panic attacks, nausea and depressive symptoms. 💛
@issii I find I get flare ups of depressive symptoms a lot like yours, just before my period and during part of it. I've mentioned it to doctors and they have dismissed it, but I have tried to manage it myself by rationalising my extreme emotions during that time (i.e. telling myself I probably feel terrible because of my period, not becaause my life is bad) and I try to eat well, sleep well, take herbal remedies (period tea), rest, and avoid stress during that time.
I think you should look into it more if its affecting your life. You can find many PMS or PMDD symptom trackers to download online, maybe use one of these to keep track of how you feel and it might be helpful to you, or to show to your doctor.
Wow this is me every month. I’m more than willing to track moods over months to prove this to the. doc. But as i’m already on a dose of anti anxiety/ depression pills i’m not sure what they will say. But this is a thing that definitely needs to be addressed. No one should feel that they can’t get out of bed and relate to the world and feel like death and dark every month.
@issii
I would highly recommend you research PMDD. I have it, and you are not alone feeling like your period makes your mental health worse. Having some moods swings is normal, but not ones that are severe. I would get extremely graphic, distressing intrusive thoughts right around my period, but am now on medication and now my symptoms are more like normal PMS and not as severe. It shocks me how little awareness there is about it
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