Speaking on The Project last night, Professor Jayashri Kulkarni from Cabrini Women's Mental Health says up to 750,000 Australian women need specialised support to manage Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD); a condition that significantly affects their ability to work, study and maintain relationships.
"PMDD is a debilitating major depressive condition," Prof Kulkarni said.
"For the women who experience its most severe form, it robs them of their quality of life, of their ability to work and their relationships."
"It can have tragic outcomes, including suicide."
PMDD is a severe form of cyclical depression, caused by increased brain sensitivity to fluctuating hormones and is influenced by psychological and environmental factors.
The symptoms cause clinically significant distress, interference with work, school, usual social activities, and in particular relationships with others.
"Women feel overwhelmed, depressed, even suicidal," Professor Kulkarni said. "It is so important to let them know that with the right treatment and support, there is hope."
"Management options need to include the consideration of all aspects of the woman's life including her work, relationship stresses, past traumas, current physical health and daily demands."
"Many women experiencing PMDD require hormone treatment and other strategies to assist them to improve their quality of life."
"PMDD is a severe form of depression and is influenced by psychological and environmental factors. It is critical to underline that PMDD is a brain disorder, not a reproductive organ disorder," said Professor Kulkarni.
Professor Kulkarni is
