I guess I didn't realize when I created this chart of symptoms almost a year ago that not only can PMDD be completely overlooked (women can be misdiagnosed with bipolar or depression etc etc)... but it can go both ways!
What I mean is a person can believe she has full blown PMDD but only really have PMS or bipolar or depression or even a personality disorder. I've seen it happen!
How can you tell the difference, you might ask? Well, the severity is usually the key. If a person can get over her PMDD symptoms by "breathing through it", exercising (try hula hooping!), getting better sleep, splashing in some water out in nature, deciding one day "I'm not going to have PMDD anymore!", or even some light supplements (evening primrose oil works wonders! ha!), she might not have PMDD. I mean, there is a really high chance that she does not have PMDD.
You see, controlling PMDD is a huge problem. That is what makes it such a huge issue. That is why I'm even here writing this post. If we could control it with something as simple as breathing, obviously we wouldn't have a problem in the first place.
Call me naive, but I had no idea there were people out there who thought they had PMDD but really did not have it. It didn't take long to see that, yep, there are people who are faking it or seriously believe they have it. My question is WHY?? It is not a glamorous disorder by any means! Is it the lack of helpful or available treatment? The torture? I suppose it is ideal for someone who is looking for a painful experience.
There is also another type of PMDD faker. Not "faker" really.. I mean, these people had PMDD at one time, but they no longer have it. They have recovered either by having surgery, natural menopause, or by medical menopause with medication that stopped either their periods or shut down their ovaries altogether. Have you ever heard of people talk about forgetting what it's like to be depressed when they are happy or forgetting what it's like to be happy when they are depressed? It's like that. These people have forgotten what it's like to have PMDD. But they continue to give advice as if they remember. And it's not helpful in many cases and can even be very insensitive. (I'm not referring to all recovered PMDDers. Some still offer very helpful advice.)
I was pretty upset that people were parading around telling people what treatments work best or what a horrible time they were having during their "episodes" when after a while it became obvious to some of us that they did not have PMDD at all!! I have no idea why someone would want to lie about having PMDD. UNLESS that person has a personality disorder. THEN maybe I can understand it. But even then, these people are undermining our attempts at PMDD being taken more seriously. They are making it look like PMS!
But what can I do? Honestly? What can I do when a person has a personality disorder? Nothing.
Coming soon: Clean anger vs pmdd anger.
What I mean is a person can believe she has full blown PMDD but only really have PMS or bipolar or depression or even a personality disorder. I've seen it happen!
How can you tell the difference, you might ask? Well, the severity is usually the key. If a person can get over her PMDD symptoms by "breathing through it", exercising (try hula hooping!), getting better sleep, splashing in some water out in nature, deciding one day "I'm not going to have PMDD anymore!", or even some light supplements (evening primrose oil works wonders! ha!), she might not have PMDD. I mean, there is a really high chance that she does not have PMDD.
You see, controlling PMDD is a huge problem. That is what makes it such a huge issue. That is why I'm even here writing this post. If we could control it with something as simple as breathing, obviously we wouldn't have a problem in the first place.
Call me naive, but I had no idea there were people out there who thought they had PMDD but really did not have it. It didn't take long to see that, yep, there are people who are faking it or seriously believe they have it. My question is WHY?? It is not a glamorous disorder by any means! Is it the lack of helpful or available treatment? The torture? I suppose it is ideal for someone who is looking for a painful experience.
There is also another type of PMDD faker. Not "faker" really.. I mean, these people had PMDD at one time, but they no longer have it. They have recovered either by having surgery, natural menopause, or by medical menopause with medication that stopped either their periods or shut down their ovaries altogether. Have you ever heard of people talk about forgetting what it's like to be depressed when they are happy or forgetting what it's like to be happy when they are depressed? It's like that. These people have forgotten what it's like to have PMDD. But they continue to give advice as if they remember. And it's not helpful in many cases and can even be very insensitive. (I'm not referring to all recovered PMDDers. Some still offer very helpful advice.)
I was pretty upset that people were parading around telling people what treatments work best or what a horrible time they were having during their "episodes" when after a while it became obvious to some of us that they did not have PMDD at all!! I have no idea why someone would want to lie about having PMDD. UNLESS that person has a personality disorder. THEN maybe I can understand it. But even then, these people are undermining our attempts at PMDD being taken more seriously. They are making it look like PMS!
But what can I do? Honestly? What can I do when a person has a personality disorder? Nothing.
Coming soon: Clean anger vs pmdd anger.
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