Causes and Treatment of Premenstrual Mood Change
Besides the physical discomfort, a large number of women experience mood swings during the premenstrual cycles. Anxiety, depression, substance abuse and eating disorders can become worse during this period. During premenstrual mood changes, you might feel helpless and ashamed with your emotions going out of your control.
You might start quarreling and misbehaving with people around you. Often a sense of guilt would develop for your irrational behaviors, which would further worsen your mental condition.
Causes of Premenstrual mood change
Nearly 60 percent of women experience premenstrual mood changes. According to studies, these emotional changes are associated with changes in hormonal levels during the menstrual cycle. After ovulation, approximately two weeks prior to the start of menstruation, the estrogen level in the body gradually declines. Drop in estrogen is linked to fall in serotonin level in the brain. Serotonin handles our emotions. Decline in serotonin creates anxiety and depression.
Researchers have not yet been able to find how the ovarian hormones bring changes in the neurotransmitters of the brain. The extent of mood shifts varies from person to person. While in severe instances, a woman can experience premenstrual mood swings for up to three weeks. In majority of cases, the mood changes would last for a few days or up to week. However, some women hardly experience any mood shift during this period.
Premenstrual mood change treatment
Premenstrual mood swings could be treated with antidepressants. Women experiencing less severe forms of depression can take medications only on the days when the symptoms occur. While treating usual types of depressive conditions, it takes at least three weeks for antidepressant medications to start their actions. However, studies have shown that antidepressants work immediately in the case of premenstrual symptoms.
During the premenstrual cycles craving for carbohydrates increase. By increasing intake of complex carbohydrates, mood shifts could be countered. By judiciously increasing intake of pasta, lentils, rice, beans and potato mood swings could be controlled.
