BOSTON, MA, March 29, 2019 -- A global awareness campaign will kick off this April to help
“Shine a Light on PMDD” on a little known, debilitating and life-threatening condition that
takes an average of 12 years to be correctly diagnosed.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a cyclical, hormone-based mood disorder which
impacts approximately 1 in 20 women and individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB) of
reproductive age - a staggering 60 million worldwide. With symptoms including severe
depression, overwhelm, and anxiety appearing in the two weeks before menses, PMDD takes
a toll on sufferers’ ability to work and maintain relationships with partners and family. In the
2018 Global Survey of Premenstrual Disorders, out of 1,425 patients with
prospectively-confirmed PMDD:
● 16.8% reported having lost a job due to PMDD
● 56.7% reported having lost an intimate partner relationship due to PMDD
● 98% and 97% feel PMDD puts a significant strain on their intimate partner relationship
and family relationships, respectively
● 42.7% reported problems with parenting due to PMDD, with 10.5% feeling completely
unable to parent during PMDD
The relentless emotional and (for some) physical pain also drastically increases the risk of
suicidal behaviors. In the same survey, 30% of patients with PMDD reported that they had
attempted suicide to escape their symptoms. Sadly, this number does not include those with
PMDD who have died by suicide, which suggests that 30% is a low estimate for the rate of
suicidal behaviors in PMDD. Appropriate identification and treatment of PMDD are therefore
important not only for reducing suffering but also for saving lives.
The same survey also showed it takes an average of twelve years and six healthcare providers
to receive an accurate diagnosis of PMDD. After years of suffering, individuals with PMDD
describe learning about the disorder as a ‘lightbulb moment’.
“PMDD has been invisible for far too long,” according to Amanda LaFleur, Co-Founder &
Executive Director, International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD), the global
leader of PMDD awareness and education. “It’s underdiagnosed, misdiagnosed and, at worst,
the lack of understanding leads to harmful ridicule and shaming of suffers. During PMDD
Awareness Month we need to create millions of life-changing lightbulb moments across the
globe so people can get the support and treatment they need!”
This year, IAPMD is again collaborating with a coalition of organizations, including U.S.-based
Me v PMDD and U.K.-based Vicious Cycle: Making PMDD Visible, to ‘Shine a Light on PMDD.’
Resources to support awareness-building are available on pmddawarenessmonth.org.
Website visitors can access the PMDD Awareness Month Toolkit, find facts and figures about
PMDD, create a fundraiser, and share their story.
Individuals with PMDD are encouraged to add their voice to the women's reproductive and
mental health movement and receive timely updates on work underway to inspire hope and
end suffering in those with premenstrual disorders.
“This is a galvanizing movement in women’s health,” according to Sandi MacDonald, IAPMD
Board President. “PMDD is a perfect storm where #MeToo and #TimesUp, meets mental
health awareness, meets suicide prevention. This campaign will be that ‘eureka!’ or ‘light
bulb’ moment of insight, and then sufferers and activists around the world are empowered
to raise awareness of PMDD and increase access to effective treatment options.”
While PMDD is directly connected to the menstrual cycle, it is not a hormone imbalance but
rather a severe neurobiological reaction to the natural rise and fall of estrogen and
progesterone. Symptoms occur the week or two before menstruation and go away a few
days after bleeding begins. There is no blood or saliva test to diagnose PMDD, but these tests
can rule out other underlying disorders. Diagnosis is done by tracking symptoms for at least
two menstrual cycles. As noted above, women and AFAB individuals with PMDD are at an
increased risk for suicidal behavior. Although PMDD has been included in the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
for years, it continues to be disregarded or misunderstood by doctors and the general public.
# # #
Organizational Contacts:
Amanda LaFleur
Co-Founder & Executive Director, IAPMD
1-800-609-PMDD (7633)
Laura Murphy
Project Co-Founder/Director, Vicious Cycle
Twitter: @viciouscyclepmd
+44 7739 342590
Sheila H. Buchert
Co-Founder & COO, Me v PMDD, Inc.
727-421-1489
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