PMS Mood Swings – Happen To Nice Ladies, Too

Now and then, it can feel really cleansing to have a good cry or even a righteous temper tantrum, but it isn’t a pleasant experience to feel emotions taking on a life of their own. And where were they last week when I really needed them?!!

Many people are familiar with the concept of out of control emotional responses, but don’t understand that this can run the gamut from a sudden, unexpected outburst, to a feeling of numbed or absent emotions, which can be equally distressing. On some level, we expect our emotions to match the thoughts we are having.

Sure, we sometimes cry at weddings and other happy events, or laugh at the “sad” part of a movie, but these are occasions where we are expecting to feel some emotions. On the other hand, there is a certain frustration level, or even fear, when we sense a loss of control over our emotional responses for no particular reason at all.

As if this weren’t distressing enough, there is also the worry that we may be unreasonable or hurtful to loved ones or friends or jeopardize our jobs so, unless we can move to a hermitage until symptoms subside, we extend our suffering to others. If that last thought sounds like a plan to you, some intervention is most likely called for.

The question is what? For starters, if you are taking birth control pills or other hormones of some sort, they may not be well matched to your individual needs and actually be contributing to your emotional imbalances. Some women cannot take them at all without unpleasant to serious side effects.

Work with your doctor to be certain that the type and dosage of any such medication is appropriate for you. Some women find improvement of PMS mood swings using the correct hormonal assistance, but finding the right one is not an exact science and may require trial and error and a patient doctor.

Many women find substantial benefits by taking nutritional supplements and some indicate that proper usage of supplemental B vitamins and certain minerals, like calcium and magnesium, are especially helpful for them. Supplements are good, but you can’t eat a lot of junk or processed food and expect to feel good for long.

Natural remedies are always preferred for mild symptoms. However, if PMS mood swings are severe, this may indicate PMDD, and serious depression or uncontrollable sadness, or anger, may indicate a medical condition which needs immediate treatment, whether it is medication or something else.

Treat serious symptoms seriously and then work on finding more natural coping aids when you are back in control. For some women, finding a self-help group online or near home, and being able to share experiences and coping strategies with others, helps keep personal issues in perspective. Having empathetic companions can do a lot to help soothe the mind and heart, as does reaching out to help others with similar problems.

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