Girl To Girl: Vol. 2

The PMS Basics We Still Get Wrong

Ever feel fed up or just not up for socializing in the days before your period? Find yourself bloated and a bit irritable too? It's only natural to put two-and-two together and assume premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is to blame. After all, we've been made to believe PMS is a curse that plagues us all. But are these emotional and physical changes we experience actually PMS? Or has the stigma and many cultural myths about the condition caused us to lose sight of what it really is (and what it feels like)?

Going back to basics may sound a little ... well, basic. But knowing these key things means you can be sure you're handling any symptoms in the best possible way. So, let's have a look at the PMS basics we still get wrong.

PMS Is A Medical Diagnosis

The PMS label is often used as a catchall to refer to any pre-period changes you might experience, no matter how severe. But, premenstrual syndrome is actually a medical diagnosis. In addition to the physical and emotional symptoms most of us are familiar with (mood swings, bloating, tender breasts, food cravings, and breakouts), lesser-known but equally common signs include confusion, social withdrawal, insomnia, poor concentration, thirst, swollen hands and feet, aches and pains, fatigue, and changes in sexual desire.

Around three in four people will experience PMS-related symptoms in their lifetime, but for most these are mild. There are a few criteria that need to be met for these symptoms to be typically (medically) classified as PMS:

- Appear five days before your period

- End within four days of it starting

- Occur in three or more cycles in a row

- Affect your daily life

However, some people do get PMS symptoms starting at the beginning of the luteal phase, which can be around 14 days before their period starts.

In short: there's a difference between premenstrual symptoms and premenstrual syndrome.

So, what does this mean in real-life terms? For anyone with "mild to moderate" symptoms (which we know can still feel frustrating and uncomfortable), lifestyle and diet changes are recommended as the first step. If your symptoms aren't getting better, it's a good idea to see your health care provider.
Sometimes symptoms are severe and interfere with your day-to-day life, or you may have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD— more on that below).
PMDD can be incredibly distressing for those who experience it, and it's not a condition you should feel any shame around or feel pressure to "get over". If this sounds like your situation, visiting your health care provider for help managing your symptoms is important.

PMS doesn't affect everyone (and it isn't "made up")

Society tends to speak about PMS in two very binary (and pretty harmful) ways. First: It's a universal experience, one that everyone who has periods goes through every cycle. Second: It isn't even a thing, just an excuse for our bad moods and irritability. The first normalizes pain and discomfort, inadvertently telling us it's a part of life we should simply endure. The second trivializes the very real impact PMS has on some people's lives. So why is this the case?

"Women who have periods are conditioned to minimize our feelings and experiences; we're 'hysterical', 'dramatic', or 'weak' if we complain. This is no different when it comes to our menstrual health. It takes far more for us to be taken seriously, and far less to be dismissed," says Kathryn King, a period educator, and menstrual health advocate who runs @/BloodyHonest on Instagram and TikTok.

The truth is, that like most conditions, people's PMS experiences exist on a spectrum. While up to 90 percent of people say they have some premenstrual symptoms, not everyone finds these impact their daily lives.