"It really made me feel like it was a kind of Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde kind of life."

For two weeks of every month, Dr. Shubhangi Karmakar was thriving: studying medicine, completing a master's, and researching PMDD.

The other two weeks of the month, they wanted to crawl out of their skin, and wondered what the point of it all was.

In this episode, we talk about PMDD – premenstrual dysphoric disorder – a severe hormonal mood disorder.

Dr. Shubhangi is a practising clinician, psychiatry researcher, and barrister in Ireland, and they brings both their clinical expertise and their lived experience to the conversation.

We explore what PMDD can look like, from depression, hopelessness, and anxiety to sudden rage, exhaustion, sleep and appetite changes, and difficulty concentrating.

We also talk about how it affects relationships and your sense of self, the relief that comes when symptoms lift, and why every person's experience is different.

Whether you suspect you have PMDD, have a diagnosis, or want to support a friend, sister, partner, or daughter, this conversation offers understanding, validation, and practical next steps.

Resources mentioned, including a free, evidence-based PMDD self-assessment you can bring to your clinician, are linked in the show notes.

Form:

Gold Standard - Severity of Symptoms

Websites:

IAPMD.org

Clinics / Services:

Marblearchhealth.com

Drummartin Clinic

Kingsbridge Private Hospital

The Menopause hub

Well Woman Centre

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