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PMDD Awareness

This page is dedicated to my beautiful sister, Shelly.

In Loving Memory of Shelly

This page is dedicated to my beautiful sister, Shelly.

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Shelly had a way of lighting up every room she walked into. Her smile was big, warm, and contagious. Her laugh, unforgettable. She had a heart that loved deeply, always looking out for others, always ready to give of herself.

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When you were with Shelly, you felt it. She had this rare gift, to be fully present. She didn’t just listen, she saw you, truly. She looked right into your soul with those big eyes of hers, and when you had her attention, she gave it completely. No distractions, no small talk, just real, honest connection. She made people feel safe, seen, and loved in a way not many can.

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But behind her bright, beautiful smile and open heart, Shelly was quietly living with something most people had never even heard of, PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). PMDD is a hormone-based mood disorder that affects around 8% of women globally. For Shelly, the symptoms came in cycles that often lasted days or even weeks, leaving her overwhelmed, exhausted, and in deep emotional and physical pain.

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She experienced major depression, suicidal thoughts, chronic muscular pain, and intense fatigue. PMDD made it hard to hold down a job, maintain relationships, and simply get through daily life. But like so many others living with PMDD, Shelly carried it silently. She was strong. She kept showing up for others, but the struggle was real, and it was heavy.

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Shelly’s life ended far too soon. In a moment of unbearable pain, she made the heartbreaking decision to end her life, a decision rooted in the depths of something she never deserved to face alone. Her loss has left a permanent ache in those of us left behind, wishing we had seen more, known more, done more.

But her story doesn’t end here. Through this page, through awareness, education, and honest conversation, her light continues. We share her story so that other women, girls, and families might recognise the signs, feel less alone, and find the support they need.

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This is for Shelly, and for every woman who’s ever been told to “just get on with it” when what they’re really carrying is invisible, but very real.

You are not alone, and your story matters too. 💛

What is PMDD?

​PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) is a severe, hormone-related mood disorder that occurs cyclically, typically during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle,  that’s the 7 to 14 days before your period starts. Once bleeding begins, symptoms usually ease or disappear within a few days.  While it’s often dismissed as “bad PMS,” PMDD is not the same. It’s more intense, more disruptive, and can deeply impact mental health and everyday life.

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Common Symptoms of PMDD

Emotional & Mental Symptoms

  • Severe mood swings – Feeling like you're on an emotional rollercoaster with little control

  • Depression and hopelessness – Episodes that may include dark thoughts or suicidal ideation

  • Irritability or rage – A short fuse, often out of character

  • Panic attacks or high anxiety – Overwhelming fear, unease, or tightness in the chest

  • Feeling overwhelmed or out of control – Like you can't cope with things you normally can

  • Low self-worth – Harsh inner critic, shame, and intense self-doubt

  • Social withdrawal – Not wanting to be around others or feeling misunderstood

  • Crying spells – Emotional sensitivity that comes in strong waves

  • Brain fog – Difficulty thinking clearly, concentrating, or remembering things

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Physical Symptoms

  • Fatigue – Feeling exhausted no matter how much you rest

  • Sleep issues – Insomnia or needing to sleep more than usual

  • Bloating – Uncomfortable swelling in the belly

  • Breast tenderness or pain

  • Headaches or migraines

  • Muscle or joint pain

  • Appetite changes or cravings

  • Digestive problems – Including constipation or diarrhoea

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How it Feels

Imagine feeling like a different version of yourself for nearly half the month , a version that’s anxious, angry, withdrawn, hopeless, or deeply sad. For many women, PMDD feels like a dark cloud they can’t control or predict. And it can strain relationships, work, and self-esteem.  Many describe it as “PMS on steroids”  but that still doesn’t capture the emotional depth and mental toll it can take. And because it comes and goes each month, it’s often misunderstood or misdiagnosed as anxiety, depression, or even bipolar disorder.

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Who Gets PMDD?

PMDD affects an estimated 3% to 8% of women of reproductive age — that’s around 1 in 20. It can begin in your teens, 20s, or later, and may worsen over time or after hormonal changes like childbirth or coming off hormonal contraception.

It’s believed to be triggered by an abnormal response to the natural hormonal fluctuations (especially estrogen and progesterone) during the second half of the menstrual cycle.

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PMDD Is Not:

  • “Just PMS”

  • A weakness or overreaction

  • All in your head

  • Something to just put up with

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PMDD Is:

  • A serious condition that deserves compassion, understanding, and treatment

  • Something that can be managed with the right support,  through lifestyle shifts, therapy, medication, and/or natural healing paths

  • Real. Valid. And worthy of being talked about out loud.

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PMDD is not just something you carry on your own.
It’s something that should be spoken about,  especially with those closest to you.
Because when you're in the thick of it, it’s hard to explain the storm inside.
And sometimes the ones we love feel the ripple effects too.

That’s why it matters to share, to help them understand what you're really going through, not just the surface mood swings, but the deep emotional shifts that can feel all-consuming.

And if someone you love is navigating PMDD, don’t stop checking in on them, even when they pull away, even when they say they’re fine.
That distance is often a sign they need you most.
Hold space. Ask gently. Love patiently.

PMDD deserves to be seen. And so do the women living through it.

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Support & Resources​

If you or someone you love is struggling with PMDD, please know that support is available:

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You Are Not Alone

​If this page has reached you at the right time, we want you to know:
There is nothing wrong with you.
You are not broken.
You deserve support, compassion, and real answers.

In honour of Shelly, we’re committed to keeping this conversation going — so that no one has to suffer in silence.

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YOU aren't crazy or ALONE - Even some Actresses / Celebrities have spoken about their life with PMDD including:

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Jules Robinson – MAFS Australia  

​​Jules has openly shared her diagnosis of PMDD,

which surfaced after giving birth to her son.

She described extreme fatigue, emotional overwhelm,

and a deep sense that something wasn’t right.

Her story is helping other women feel less alone and more seen.

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Listen to what Jules has to say here 

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Camilla Luddington (Grey's Anatomy /Actress)​

Camilla opened up about her PMDD diagnosis after the birth of

her son in 2020. She described the condition as

"PMS on crack," detailing how it brought about severe emotional

and physical symptoms that impacted her daily life.

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​Luddington shared that she continued to have emotional swings ,  even after the pandemic,

whenever she was due to get her period.

“I started to notice this pattern before my period started,” Luddington, 40, said.​

“I felt like I had PMS, but I could actively feel myself kind of sinking into a depression.”​

That’s when she says she was diagnosed with PMDD, which she describes as “basically PMS on crack.”​

PMDD “is a much more severe form of PMS,” Johns Hopkins Medicine explains, calling it a “severe and chronic health condition that needs attention and treatment.”​

Dixie D’Amelio Describes Her Premenstrual Dysmorphic Disorder Symptoms: ‘Losing the Will to Live’

Symptoms, which start a few days before the onset of the menstrual cycle and last until its completion, include “depressed mood, sadness, hopelessness, or feelings of worthlessness,” along with increased anxiety and irritability.​

There are physical symptoms as well, like “breast swelling or tenderness, headaches, joint or muscle aches, weight gain, and bloating”,  and those with PMDD may experience disruptions to their sleeping habits and appetite.

Luddington told Capshaw that, before her period starts, “I can feel myself slipping into like a depression.”

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This is also why Sunrise Sisterhood means more to me now than ever before.​
What started as a space for connection and movement has become something much deeper, a space where women can feel seen, supported, and reminded that they’re not alone in whatever they’re carrying.

I continue this work in Shelly’s memory.
For the women who show up smiling but are silently struggling.
For the ones who need a soft place to land.
For the ones who don’t always have the words, but still deserve to be held.

Sunrise Sisterhood is for all of us.
And every time we meet under the rising sun, I carry her light with me. 

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