ABSTRACT
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a misunderstood and often controversial diagnosis newly added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in its fifth edition. As V. Raymond attests, PMDD is quite different from most women’s experiences of premenstrual symptoms. Up to 80–90% of women experience some type of discomfort during the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle but the symptoms cause no real disruption to their daily functioning. In contrast, PMDD is the most severe premenstrual disorder and occurs in approximately 3–8% of women of menstruating women. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5, to meet criteria for PMDD, a woman must have experienced at least five depressive symptoms during the majority of menstrual cycles that occurred during the preceding year. Despite its chronicity and severity, PMDD remains misunderstood and can be misdiagnosed by medical and mental health professionals.
