What is PMDD
PMDD stands for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
PMDD is a cyclical, hormone-based mood disorder that affects an estimated 5% of people with ovaries. It goes far beyond PMS, causing intense emotional, mental, and physical symptoms such as depression, anxiety, extreme fatigue, irritability, brain fog, and, for many, suicidal ideation. These symptoms usually show up in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (roughly 7-14 days before a period) and can have a huge impact on work, relationships, social life, and overall wellbeing.
Despite how debilitating PMDD can be, it still isn’t included in the UK medical curriculum, meaning most healthcare professionals have never been trained to recognise or treat it. As a result, many people face long and painful delays in getting help, often being misdiagnosed with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or personality disorders.
In fact, it takes an average of 12 years to receive an accurate diagnosis (IAMPD).
Phoebe, the founder and CEO of The PMDD Project, knows this struggle first-hand.
Like so many others, she spent years trying to understand what was happening to her – dismissed, misdiagnosed, and left to manage overwhelming symptoms alone. The few resources she could find were often confusing or incomplete, leaving her feeling even more lost.
Phoebe’s own experience is what drove her to create The PMDD Project: the first UK charity dedicated solely to PMDD, built to offer the clarity and validation she wished she’d had.
The PMDD Project
