Self-Care for PMDD

[00:00:00] In this video, I'm going to talk about self-care for PMDD, premenstrual dysphoric disorder. So PMDD is a mental health condition linked to the menstrual cycle where someone has a very difficult experience in their premenstrual phase. And they have PMS symptoms, but at a much more extreme level. And that can look like depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, suicidal ideation, a lot of fear, maybe a lot of emotions, challenges in relationships, challenges at work, challenges with concentration. And that can look like depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, suicidal ideation, a lot of fear, maybe a lot of emotions, challenges in relationships, challenges at work, challenges with concentration. And also some people experience physical symptoms to pain or bloating in the premenstrual phase. And so this is something I work with helping people through that from a mind body point of view. So the first thing I would say is to definitely start to track your menstrual cycle and start to understand the inner seasons of your cycle. [00:00:55] It's a really important thing. And you can watch the video on that about the inner autumn and the inner seasons of the cycle. It's a really important thing. And you can watch the video on that about the inner autumn and the inner seasons of the cycle. And in terms of self-care, what's happening on a hormonal level in the premenstrual phase is that estrogen is dropping. Progesterone is increasing and some people have much more sensitivity to that. and that's not necessarily a bad thing it's just that we live in a world where um there's a lot of expectations on us and a lot of pressure so uh the when oestrogen drops our nervous system becomes more sensitive to the fight or flight response and we become more attuned to threats of danger and more sensitive to the fight or flight response and we become more attuned to threats of danger and [00:01:35] and cues of safety okay so it's very important that if you are someone who is experiencing pmdd that you practice a lot of self-compassion during this time. Practice giving yourself a lot of space, really leaning into a lot of nervous system self-care. So things like getting for walks in nature, connecting with friends or with a coach or with a therapist. What else can you do? nature, connecting with friends or with a coach or with a therapist. What else can you do? Comfortable clothing, soothing things like baths or saunas or getting in the sea or your yoga. things that feel um not things that you should feel like you have to do but things that genuinely feel like really pleasurable for you and your body and things that you enjoy and it could be [00:02:18] it could be just turning on some music and dancing and just giving yourself a minute um and another another thing about pmdd is as well is that a lot of people who have pmdd or who experience pmdd also relate to having a history of trauma um so you're not alone with who experience pmdd also relate to having a history of trauma um so you're not alone with that and there are ways to work through that and so the self-care is really important tracking your menstrual cycle is really important and then over time something you can also start to get curious about is this is a question I ask my all my clients is how do you um what's your relationship like with your emotional world you know where do you feel like you have access to your emotions [00:02:55] um do you feel safe with certain emotions what do you do with emotions a lot of my clients who um do you feel safe with certain emotions what do you do with emotions a lot of my clients who have PMDD really struggle with that because we didn't get raised in environments where that was taught so these are skills you can learn over time because what's happening on a nervous system level sometimes the big feelings that we have is highly creative highly sensitive people and intuitive people we have big feelings and it can be very scary and they can feel very overwhelming because we just were never taught the skills or they were shamed away or um you know they were not encouraged in the past and so we ourselves don't feel um in control of them so practicing menstrual [00:03:28] encouraged in the past and so we ourselves don't feel um in control of them so practicing menstrual cycle awareness the inner seasons and finding ways to come into relationship with our emotions that in a way that feels safe for you will be really good because the nervous system can start to relax a little bit more that fight or flight response doesn't have to be on the fight or flight response turns on a lot when we're not in relationship with our emotions and we're suppressing our emotions and then that can cause stress in the nervous system. So things like journaling are really great. So things like journaling are really great. [00:04:02] I love to do a journaling practice that's very boundaried. So I'll set myself 10 or 20 minutes on a timer and just journal out my feelings on just one topic. Maybe I'll have a big cry and then I go for a walk after or I'll listen to a meditation afterwards or do a little dance, do some kind of, just to get the energy out of your body. So I want you to think about emotions a little bit [00:04:25] like spring cleaning every now and then we have to go in do some spring cleaning on our emotional world and it's such a great thing to do for your for your nervous system which in turn when we world and it's such a great thing to do for your for your nervous system which in turn when we support our nervous system and when we clean out the nervous system and when we give it lots of pleasurable self-care and a lot of safety that will really support your your journey with PMDD.