Dixie D'Amelio Shares Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Diagnosis

In her time off, she was diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder, also known as PMDD. The condition, experienced by one in 20 women worldwide, includes symptoms like mood swings, irritability, feelings of depression and increased anxiety influenced by the menstrual cycle.

"It really affects your moods and your behavior and many different parts of your life," D’Amelio shared during her Live. "I didn't realize how much it was affecting me until I got to this point that I was in…It really disrupts my life and my attitude and my personality and my relationships. And just who I am as a person and my anxiety—and it's very obvious to see in these next couple episodes of the show."

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With the symptoms closely mirroring premenstrual syndrome or PMS, PMDD is often overlooked and many cases likely go unreported. While PMS includes physical symptoms like cramping, acne and headaches, PMDD is primarily psychological with periods of intense emotional distress around one’s menstrual cycle arising at any stage of a person’s reproductive years. D’Amelio shared that she has been experiencing the jarring highs and lows of PMDD every month for the past seven years, but is feeling a renewed sense of hope with her diagnosis.

"I'm feeling better now, and I will probably be going through the same thing next month and the after that because there's no immediate cure," she continued. "There are definitely things to help but I'm still learning a lot about it."

There is no known cure or exact cause of PMDD, but it is often comorbid with mental health issues and can be treated on a case-by-case basis with therapy, self-care or clinically with SSRIs or birth control medication.

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