Signs and Symptoms of PMDD

If you have, or suspect you have PMDD, you must be aware of the signs and symptoms of PMDD. Knowing what to expect, when it occurs and other essential information is vital to really understand the outward effects of this disorder. It is also important to know them to understand the root hormonal causes of PMDD as well which is less well understood but equally important.

Now, not all women suffer from all of these problems. There is in fact a very strict guideline on how to classify PMDD as a clinical condition that can be treated psychiatrically. You must for instance suffer from at least one of the psychological conditions such as depression or anxiety and others. You must also only get these problems during the last week (or thereabouts) of the menstrual cycle. These symptoms must also disappear after the onset of bleeding as well, if it does not do this - you might have another underlying condition.

The psychological and physical symptoms of PMDD are:

• Depression ranging from simply feeling low and sad, to extreme cases of clinical depression where you cannot even get out of bed.


• A feeling of loss of control. You may feel overwhelmed and unable to deal with anything without a sense of not being in control.


• Mood swings that can range from sudden crying fits to outrageous outbursts of anger and rage.


• Anxiety, nervousness and worry that can go as far as full blow panic.


• A loss of interest in the things you usually get inspired by, or enthuse you such as work, hobbies, school and other things.


• Irritability and anger that lasts for a long period of time.


• Appetite changes of eating binges, or lack of food intake. This can last those whole time or change at a moments notice.


• Lack of concentration and focus.


• Fatigue, tiredness, loss of energy.


• Insomnia or hypersomnia (sleeping too little, or too much)


• Weight gain and Bloating


• Breast tenderness or swelling


• Headaches and migraines


• Muscle or joint aches and pains.

As you can see this can be a nightmare to deal with. As mentioned though, not everyone suffers from all of these things, and some women suffer from many of them but with different levels of severity. Some women might only suffer one or two of these things but to a very bad level which has caused some problems. In any case, if you have PMDD, or even if you are very close and have very bad PMS the root causes are all the same and can all be dealt with in the same way.

Recognizing Depression Symptoms in Women

In so many households, it is the women that hold the house together. She is the organizer and planner, the cleaner, the caregiver, and so much more. When this very important person in the house isn't herself, however, everyone in the house can be off kilter. If depression is a concern for this special woman in your lives, you also should understand that the condition is very common yet can also be very serious for her own health and well-being, too. The first step to address your concern is to recognize depression symptoms in women.

Common Symptoms - There are a number of common depression symptoms in women that are similar to those in men. These can include a general feeling of depression and sadness, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, anxiety, and other such feelings. Other common symptoms include sleeping less, pulling away from social situations, finding less little to no enjoyment in things that once brought her pleasure, such as hobbies, spending time with family and friends, sex, and other such activities.

Female Symptoms - While many depression symptoms in women are similar to those in men, it is important to note that women are far more likely to experience atypical symptoms than men. Depression is a condition that doesn't affect everyone the same way, so while someone may feel sad and worthless, another person may lash out with anger at the drop of a hat. In women, it is more common to see depression with symptoms like eating more or less than usual, sleeping more or less than usual, and more. Plus, women are also far more common to be affected by seasonal depression, which generally is worse in winter months when sunlight exposure levels are lower.

What to Watch For - Any time you believe someone close to you is exhibiting depression symptoms in women, you will want to take steps to get your loved one to a doctor so treatment can begin. This is a very common condition indeed, and there are some excellent and highly effective treatment options available. More than that, however, you will want to keep an eye open for suicidal signs. Suicide attempts are more common with those who are depressed than those who are not, so extra vigilance should be taken on your part to try to spot these signs so that your loved one stays safe and healthy.

When you take time to first learn more about what the depression symptoms in women are and then attempt to identify them in the woman you are concerned about, you are taking proactive measures that can really set her on the path to heal and mend. It is estimated that over 340 million people around the globe are afflicted by depression at some point in their lives, and that over 14 million women in the U.S. alone will suffer from the condition. While this is a common issue, it is serious and entirely treatable, too. By recognizing the symptoms, you are on the right path towards getting your loved one back to health and happiness.

If I'm Not Bipolar, What Is Wrong With Me?

What is wrong with me?

Bipolar is characterized by severe mood swings. Some people only have a few drastic mood swings in their lifetime and other people have mood swings daily. Bipolar type 1 have more struggles with the mania side of things while Bipolar type 2 struggles more with depression and hypomania instead of full blown mania.

If you have been diagnosed with bipolar, I am sure that you have done some research about it, its symptoms, causes, and manifestations. If you have not been diagnosed with bipolar or any other form of mental illness you may be wondering if you have bipolar or not. Lets take a quick look at some of the other things that could make you wonder if you have bipolar based on your symptoms of depression and anxiety.

First off, depression can be an illness all by itself and manifest itself in many ways. You might feel sad, hopeless, have mild mood swings, lack of energy and motivation and brain fog. These things can all be because of a simple case of depression. Talk to your doctor and find out if a simple antidepressant could help you feel better. There is no reason to not deal with this, do not be afraid or ashamed of your depression. Be willing to talk about it and find a way to get better.

Borderline personality disorder is a disorder where you tend to make impulsive decisions and have unstable moods. This disorder is can have symptoms that are very similar to bipolar such as nervousness, mood swings, depression, anxiety, appetite problems, and aggressiveness. Don't diagnose yourself however, go see a professional and get them to take a look at your symptoms. Remember, that no matter what your diagnosis is, you can find help. There is always a solution to help make your life a little more bearable.

A few other common causes of depression are:

Alcoholism, Acute stress disorder, Menopause, Nicotine disorders, Bruxism, Opiate use, Dysthymia, PMS, Thyroid dysfunction, and many more.

As I mentioned earlier, it is not a good idea to self diagnose, this is just meant to help give you some ideas to talk to your doctor about. Over 22 percent of American's have some mental illness diagnosis. Mental illness is not shameful. Think of it as like any other illness you could have such as heart disease. Now heart disease can cause symptoms, but if you treat it with exercise, medication, and proper diet you can live your life like everyone around you. The same is true with mental illness, there are some things that you can do to help you live like you don't have a mental illness.

What to do to help you feel better:

Exercise daily - Even if it is just a walk down the block, be sure to get outside and move around for 30 minutes most days of the week. Exercise helps release endorphin's and feel-good hormones that will help battle your depression. Find things that you enjoy doing such as swimming, running, bicycling, playing tennis or golf to help make it easier to get out of the house and spend time doing it. I know it is hard to want to do anything when you are feeling depressed, but make a choice, go against what you are feeling and do it anyways. Your body and brain will thank you.

Eat good food - No, I didn't say food that tastes good, but actually good-for-you food. Avoid sugars that cause your blood sugar to crash and make you feel more depressed and moody. Focus on vegetables, low fat proteins, fruits, whole grains, and healthy oils. You will feel so much better if you go off of sugar and eat healthier foods. Don't worry if you mess up once in a while, its OK, just make sure you don't make a habit of it.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol - Both of these drinks that make you feel good when you drink them cause the opposite effect when you come down from them. They can both cause your blood sugar to crash and make you more irritable.

Manage the stress in your life - Do not let the stress-fullness of life come and overwhelm you time and time again. I know that there are times when you just cannot help but feel stressed, but you can do something about chronic stress. Learn to know yourself and what things help you feel less stressed. For some people it is going for a run, doing martial arts, or dancing. For other people it might be going someplace quiet and spending time with the creator. Whatever it is that helps you, do it and do it often.

Most importantly, give yourself some room. Allow yourself time to recover, this is not a sprint, its a marathon.

What It Means to Be Bipolar - Manic Depression Explained

For those who bear the label of bipolar, manic depression is a fact of life. The two terms "bipolar disorder" and "manic depression" can be used virtually interchangeably. They both refer to the same condition - one in which the sufferer experiences wildly extreme concern on both sides of the emotional spectrum.

Depression for the Bipolar

Manic Depression involves as noted, two extremes. One is depression. During some periods of life for the bipolar, manic depression will mean a period of extreme sadness and hopelessness. The depressive aspect of the illness brings with it all of the unfortunate symptom logy associated with clinical depression. One may lose their interest in previously enjoyed activities. They might find themselves in a face of increasing restless, nervous or agitated.

Disruptions are sleeping, and eating habits are common. These and many other potential symptoms combined with a truly profound sense of sadness. This is one of the "poles" for the bipolar; manic bipolar depression takes its sufferers deep levels of despair.

Mania for the Bipolar

Manic depression has a flip side, and that is euphoria, or mania. During these times, the sufferer may experience an indescribable sense of well-being and happiness. Joy will surpass the individual and a sense of near-omnipotence and confidence in all things will develop. As nice as that may sound in the abstract, it is a horrible situation for disease sufferers. The euphoria pulls them to emotional heights that are out of touch with reality. Bipolar people tend to make weird assumptions and to act with a sense of impunity. They lack perspective and can become so induced into their perfect manic fantasy that they lose all touch with reality.

Living with Bipolarity

Those suffering from manic depression can find maintaining a normal life to be extremely difficult. The severe depressive periods of their lives make them disproportionately, and likely to commit suicide and the poor decision making present during times of euphoria can produce numerous eventual challenges.

Bipolar disorders have existed for centuries. Over that time, treatment methods for the disorder have improved considerably. Not only have we long dispensed with the bizarre notions of the Middle Ages, when manic depression a sign of demonic possession, we have also largely given up on other ineffective treatments. Modern medical professionals are primarily relying upon a combination of reasonably effective pharmaceutical products, therapy and occasional use of ECT treatments to fight manic depression.

The results of treatment are not uniform. All evidence tells us, however, that those with the disease who avail themselves to professional treatment are better able to function with the disease and to control its symptom logy.

Thousands are able to enjoy their lives within normal, reasonable emotional boundaries thanks to quality treatment options for the bipolar.

Manic depression is a serious condition, but its intense symptoms can be mitigated.

Wonder How to Know If Your Spouse is Depressed? 4 Signs and a Solution

Have you ever wondered how to know if your spouse is depressed?

Exactly why this is relevant is because if this is not dealt with, it can cause severe problems in even the best of marriages. Therefore it is important to recognize signs that your spouse is depressed. We are talking about prolonged characterizations of these signs. Everyone exhibits some of these things from time to time.

You want to understand how to know if your spouse is depressed, and if it is a serious state of depression.

If you recognize and deal with these signs at an early enough stage, it might just save marriage. See, when depression depression is serious, even the best of marriages can be threatened.

I understand how you feel. There have been times when I have seen my wife exhibit one or more of these signs, and I wondered if trouble were on the way. On the other hand, I also have exhibited one or more of these signs, and I may have caused worry for my wife.

So, how do you discern whether the signs he or she is exhibiting is of a serious nature?

People who are successful at learning how to know if their spouse is depressed have discovered a secret.

What is that secret?

Here it really is: Four characteristics that are prolonged (for weeks or months at a time) and not just temporary in nature can be signs of serious depression in your spouse. Let's check out those four characteristics of depression, and then let us look at a solution.

1. Sadness

First of all, you are able to see signs that your spouse is depressed when he or she appears sad all the time. This is an ongoing sadness. No matter what you do, you cannot seem to cheer up your spouse. All the old things that brought happiness and laughter do not work anymore.

2. Tiredness

Not only can you see prolonged sadness. In addition, you can see prolonged tiredness in a spouse who is depressed. We all get tired from time to time, but we can usually explain why. We can point to things out of the ordinary that we have done, or we can point to long periods of work; however someone who is experiencing serious depression may feel tired all the time--without normal explanations for that condition.

3. Anger

Besides sadness and tiredness, you also can see prolonged anger in a husband or wife who is going through depression. Those individuals may not be able to explain, even to themselves, why they are angry all the time. (This may not fit every case of depression, but many times it does.)

4. Withdrawal

We all like some solitude from time to time, but a seriously depressed person can move more and more into a state of withdrawal. These people get to where they don't want to be around anyone from the outside, and they may get to where they will withdraw from you too.

5. Understand and Encourage to Get Help

Having seen the signs of prolonged sadness, tiredness, anger and withdrawal, you really need to be sensitive to what is going on with your spouse. If you react wrongly, you will probably compound the situation.

These four signs that your spouse is depressed are serious enough to give you cause for concern.

Be understanding of your spouse. He or she does not even know why this is happening. Without creating sparks and raising defensiveness, in a calm manner, begin to talk to your husband or wife about the situation. When he or she comes to the point of admitting that he (she) is depressed and that he (she) does not seem to be able to improve things on his (her) own, suggest that he (she) receive professional help. All the while, being understanding (to the best of your ability) while you suggest this.

If he or she agrees, you may see a dramatic recovery. Is this something that can save marriage--specifically, your marriage? It can be.

We now have seen that observing prolonged sadness, tiredness, anger and withdrawal will help you to learn how to know if your spouse is depressed. Then after that, you can take steps to deal with the situation.

Warning: Only reading about these signs just isn't enough. You'll have to act.

Get all the details you can to to help maintain and enrich your marriage.

Depression or Depressive?

Is it depression or are you a depressive? This is a probably a difficult question to answer as the symptoms are exactly the same for each condition.

Spirituality developed as the result of recognizing that some conditions are actually a 'soul sickness'.

What this means is that the condition we suffer from is not ancillary to our being but is actually an indistinguishable part of it. To be a depressive means that the depressive reaction to life is a part of your being and is something that has become automatic.

Depression for me falls into the same category. Am I suffering from depression or am I a depressive? To be instinctively reacting to situations in a depressive manner and then being unable to stop or change that behaviour, requires a personality change to fix it.

A personality change can be brought about by the practise of spiritual principles. When I feel victimised by life I feel depressed. In order to change this state of affairs I need to change my attitudes and practise new ones.

Practising gratitude is the best defence against depressive thinking and if practised long enough and hard enough will become a working part of your mind. This is then a fundamental personality change. What this personality change means is that your automatic reactions to life are now different. A change in your thinking can be brought about by first changing your actions. No matter how depressed or victimized you may feel, or want to feel, about certain situations in your life, you can actually practise reacting differently. If you persist in the new behaviour then it will soon become a working part of your mind.

Motivation follows action. If you persist in practicing the new and positive reaction then the thinking will catch up, even if at first you feel the new reaction is a phony. It will feel phony for a while because it is so different to how you usually have felt.

Depressive reactions may have been learned very early on in life or developed through a traumatic episode. Depression is useful to humans as a means of controlling extreme emotional disturbance such as elation but when it continues on long after the original event it was used for, you may have become an automatic depressive. This is why depression becomes paralyzing and is so hard to get rid of. Just like fear or any other normal human emotion, if the condition lasts long after it is required, it can become an automatic reaction, even when it is not needed.

Depression and Emotions Anonymous

Depression can have both biological and circumstantial causes. Physiological causes my include:

• Thyroid disorders - Thyroid deficiency can cause depression. A simple blood test can determine levels of thyroid hormones.


• Iodine deficiency - An iodine deficiency can cause depression. A urine test called an iodine loading test can determine levels of iodine in the body.


• Vitamin deficiencies - Vitamin deficiencies, particularly a lack of B vitamins can cause both depression and psychosis. A blood test can determine levels of vitamins in the body.


• Neurotransmitter deficiencies: A lack of serotonin, norepephrenine, and epephrenine can cause depression. A test called a neurotransmitter test can determine levels of these important elements in the brain.

Depression can be triggered by:

• Chronic trauma, which has a long term basis of six months or more.


• Acute trauma, which lasts two weeks or less.

Disorders connected with trauma may include:

• Anxiety disorders, involving both both generalized and specific anxieties.


• Panic disorders,characterized by rapid breathing, heart palpitations, profuse perspiration, and feelings of unreality.


• Dissociative Disorders including fugue disorder, depersonalization, and multiple personality disorder.

Sufferers need a safe place to find acceptance, guidance, and direction.

Emotions Anonymous provides such an atmosphere. Often held in hospital settings, these groups offer safe venues for the expression of deep seated feelings.

Sufferers, such as myself, may feel the gap between us and people who have never had mental health challenges. Therefore find acceptance in a well facilitated group can be an essential part of learning to cope with our special circumstances.

Blessings to all who have experienced mental health challenges. It isn't easy, but it's not impossible to cope with these situations with good support from both the medical and the alternative healing communities