5 Subtle PMDD Signs You Might Be Missing

Because PMDD doesn’t always show up like a storm ... sometimes it tiptoes...and creeps in quietly... robbing you of peace.. one moment at a time.

Most people think PMDD looks like dramatic mood swings, sobbing on the bathroom floor, or screaming into a pillow like you’re auditioning for a drama series.
And yes ...sometimes it does. Sometimes full blown tantrums are witnessed but other times....it's quiet. 

It's that glimmer of doubt. The lack of trust. A moment of unease that melts into a existential spiral.

Here's 5 subtle signs that PMDD is lurking just below the surface.

1. Everything Suddenly Feels Personal (Even When It’s Not)

Your partner sighs and somehow....it feels personal.
Someone replies “k” and your brain hears rejection...or worse....abandonment.
You find yourself rereading texts looking for proof of some underlying meaning.... that simply isn’t even there.

It’s not insecurity.
It’s your brain losing access to emotional buffering ..that protective layer that filters your interactions through logic and probability...has suddenly vanished. And it's just you..in the trenches of PMDD....duking it out with everybody. 

In the luteal phase?
Everything is a big deal.
Or at least it feels like it.

2. You Get Weirdly Sensitive to Noise & Overwhelm

Look for these clues:

• the TV is too loud

• the dishwasher sounds like a jet engine

• your name being called feels like an attack

• the sound of someone chewing makes you want to pull out your eye, just so you have something to throw at them

If you're nodding along... you’re not being dramatic.... your nervous system is just overstimulated, thanks to PMDD.
PMDD hijacks your ability to tolerate everyday sensory input and as a result, the world feels louder, messier, meaner.

Now for those of you with both ADHD + PMDD?
Sensory apocalypse. My condolences.

3. You Lose Your “Get Up and Go” Overnight

One day you’re fine. You may even want to get things done.
The next day,  you can’t even:

• start tasks

• make decisions

• clean anything

• answer messages

• plan dinner

• remember what you were doing

People confuse this with laziness or depression.
But PMDD’s executive dysfunction is FAST and thorough. 
Like someone unplugged your battery and perhaps even... your brain.

4. Your Connection to People Feels… Different

You feel distant. Or maybe it's them that feels different. 
Either way, there's this feeling of distance.

Detached.
Avoidant. And intolerant. 

You’re not cold....you’re in survival mode.

5. Your Identity Suddenly Feels Shaky

This is the quietest and one of the most painful and confusing PMDD symptoms.

You start asking:

• “Why am I like this?”

• “What’s wrong with me?”

• “Why can’t I handle things like everyone else?”

• “Who even am I right now?”

• "You're a failure"

The little lies that our PMDD inflicted brain tells us, are actually the big lies. Because in reality, you're probably the opposite of all those negative thoughts that you have about yourself, even if you aren't even sure who you are anymore.

before you go..

I hope you remember that the real you is still in there and she's coming back soon.

Until next time....