Helen Flanagan admitted she used to “feel terrible mentally before her period” to the point where she “couldn’t cope.”
The Coronation Street star, 33, revealed in an upcoming interview on the Full of Grace PodcastShe pleaded with doctors to give her medication to “level her out” after mental health problems left her feeling “horrible and depressed.”
It comes after the mother-of-three revealed she had suffered a psychotic break earlier this year, forcing her to cancel her acting comeback as Miss Scarlett in show Cluedo 2.
Issues like these may sound familiar to many of the 824,000 women in the UK and 4.2 million in the US who suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe and debilitating form of PMS.
Instead of feeling the odd cramp and perhaps feeling a little more tearful than usual, women with PMDD struggle with intense mood swings, anxiety, and seething rage each month.
Helen Flanagan has revealed she “used to feel terrible before her period” and begged doctors to give her medication to “level it out”.
Helen previously admitted how scary the breakdown was when she revealed she was seeing things and feeling like she was in danger all the time after a reaction to her ADHD medication.
The condition that causes a variety of emotional and physical symptoms usually appears a fortnight before your period.
“PMDD can cause extreme emotional symptoms in women who suffer from it, including anxiety and intense mood swings, alternating between feelings of anger, irritability, sadness and happiness,” Nagham Yasser, women’s health coach at Holland & Barrett, told MailOnline. .
Even though PMDD is common, a lack of awareness among health professionals means some women wait a decade or more to receive a diagnosis, says the International Association of Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD).
Ellisha Blake, 27, who calls herself feminine with PMDD on TikTok, remembers experiencing “intense sadness” before her period and even suffering from “intrusive thoughts.”
The content creator and PMDD advocate who has 18.7k followers told MailOnline: ‘I have always experienced intense sadness before my period, for as long as I can remember.
‘My friends at school used to ask me about my well-being the week before my period because I was feeling so angry, depressed, defensive and upset.
“This has persisted for years and has affected every relationship I have ever had, including those with friends and family.”
Ellisha Blake, 27, who calls herself feminine with PMDD on TikTok, remembers experiencing “intense sadness” before her period and even suffering from “intrusive thoughts.”
Assuming these intense symptoms were simply severe PMS, she remembers feeling “helpless” and thought there was nothing that could be done.
“Doctors suggested anger management for these feelings during my period, but it didn’t seem right to me,” she said.
But she didn’t receive a PMDD diagnosis until 2023, after she became suicidal two weeks before her period.
She said: “In one particularly bad month, I had a complete breakdown and told my mum we had to do something about my intrusive thoughts because I was afraid I would do something I would regret.
“My therapist kept encouraging me to see a doctor to get a diagnosis and in March 2023 I finally got my PMDD diagnosis – luckily I had a very supportive GP.”
According to IAPMD, about 72 percent of people with a diagnosis of PMDD report suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives.
By comparison, in the general population about 10 percent of people report suicidal thoughts over their lifetime.
However, it’s not just about emotional and psychological symptoms: many women with this condition also struggle with physical symptoms that can also be debilitating and have a detrimental impact on quality of life.
Lack of energy, breast tenderness or swelling, muscle or joint pain, headaches, feeling bloated, changes in appetite such as overeating or craving specific foods, and irregular sleeping are all symptoms. of premenstrual dysphoric syndrome, explains Ms. Yasser.
The exact causes of PMDD are not fully understood, but researchers believe it may be due to a heightened sensitivity to changes in hormone levels.
Ms Yasser said: “Recent research suggests that PMDD is associated with increased sensitivity to the normal hormonal changes that occur during a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle.
“There are other suggested causes of PMDD, including genetics, smoking, trauma and stress; however, more research is still needed to better understand the causes of PMDD.”
Treatment for PMDD ranges from taking antidepressants and the combined contraceptive pill to therapy and painkillers or even surgery to remove the uterus, says mental health charity MIND.
Mrs Yasser added: ‘There are several things PMDD patients can do to help relieve their symptoms, including changing their diet to increase protein and carbohydrates and decrease sugar, caffeine and alcohol; exercise regularly; relaxation. Taking vitamin supplements, including vitamin B-6, calcium, and magnesium, can help if they are lacking in your diet.
