PMS & Mental Health

By: Kelly Halonen, MSW, RSW

​Women are all too familiar with the symptoms that their menstrual cycle can bring. Often people joke about women being “too sensitive” or “crazy” when it is their time of the month. However, many people can fail to realize just how this can affect a woman’s mental and physical health. 

​The physical symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) can range from bloating, tender breasts, headaches, acne, fatigue, appetite changes, weight gain, constipation or diarrhea, cramps, and joint or muscle pain. This alone can affect somebody’s mood. Anybody having to deal with a variety of these symptoms, which can be severe, would not be their normal selves. Some of the emotional effects can be feeling depressed, irritable, trouble sleeping, anger, mood swings, changes in libido, poor concentration, tension, anxiety, and crying spells or tearfulness.
 
As this is something women have to deal with often, we are taught to “suck it up” and go on as if everything is fine. Society has also taught us that it’s “gross” to talk about our menstrual cycle and what happens during it. So many women suffer in silence when they feel these symptoms.
 
But these symptoms can affect us greatly! And our symptoms can change from cycle to cycle. Some people have symptoms so severe that they are put on medication to help. Other people who are on medication (like birth control), find that this can make their symptoms worse. Not only is our body going through a lot during this time, but so is our mind. No matter how many cycles a woman has, this never gets easier, we just learn to “suck it up” and cope with what is happening

​I have had cycles where a dog in a commercial makes me bawl my eyes out. Other times, I have felt irritable and on edge for a week. Now that I am getting a bit older and am married, my hormones rage for me to have a baby when my time of the month rolls around. Women have to fight all of the symptoms that PMS brings while trying to carrying on with their normal responsibilities as if it is not happening or affecting us at all.
 
The truth is, it does affect us. Some cycles can be worse than others, but it is something that we go through. And this is not “disgusting” or “forbidden” to talk about. It is biology and should be talked about so it is common knowledge. While there are countless jokes about PMSing (don’t worry, I make them too), it should be acknowledged that it does and can affect women greatly both physically, mentally, and emotionally.

For more information about what is actually happening in the body during PMS, see below:
https://www.healthline.com/health/premenstrual-syndrome#symptom