It is PMS Awareness Week and leading charity PMS.org tells us why it is so important
By Jackie Howe from PMS.org
PMS is still too frequently a poorly recognised medical condition that is inadequately treated. It is estimated that in the UK, 800,000 women experience symptoms of PMS that interfere significantly with their lives.
Physical symptoms can be very unpleasant such as bloating or breast tenderness but it is the psychological symptoms that are the most distressing – anxiety, depression, tearfulness, anger, severe mood swings, irritability, paranoia, to name the most common.
Do you suffer cyclic symptoms of mental illness?
If the symptoms mentioned are absent once menstruation fully commences then they cannot be seen as symptoms of mental illness. However, in women with a 21 day cycle, with an irregular cycle or those emerging from Post-Natal illness there is no clear distinction.
For many PMS sufferers, unless they are made aware of their cyclical problem they believe that they could be mentally ill. Many indeed are treated as such and are inappropriately diagnosed not by PMS specialists but by psychiatrists, therefore not being treated with medication suited to their hormonal needs.
Women who do have a diagnosed mental illness can of course experience PMS and this may exacerbate that illness. To manage their PMS successfully would lessen their pain during that time of their cycle.
Further help and information
The National Association for Premenstrual Syndrome (NAPS) provides specialist information, advice and support to all PMS sufferers and is committed to proper diagnosis of the condition and to alleviation of symptoms. PMS Awareness Week gives NAPS the opportunity to promote a greater understanding of both PMS and its treatment. The NAPS website www.pms.org.uk is a source of invaluable information for all those seeking help for their PMS and to medical practitioners responsible for their care
