BOSTON, MA, March 2021 -- A global awareness effort will kick-off April 2021 driven by a community of patients, care partners, professionals, and others to help call attention to a life-threatening and overlooked condition, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). 

PMDD Awareness Month is celebrated internationally each April to raise awareness and build advocacy for PMDD. Started in 2013 by Cat Hawkins in the UK, PMDD Awareness Month brings together women and AFAB individuals from around the world to share their experiences and shine a light on PMDD. The International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD) hosts the month-long celebration. The 2021 theme is “Many Hands Make Light Work” with the hashtag #PMDDAwarenessMonth2021, to emphasize each of our roles in bringing light to PMDD. 

PMDD is a suspected genetic disorder at the intersection of mental health and menstrual health. Symptoms include depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, and many others which occur in the 1-2 weeks before the menstrual period each month. Symptoms are often severe and debilitating, affecting school and work, relationships, and quality of life. PMDD impacts 1 in 20 women and AFAB individuals, a staggering 60 million worldwide, but has only been recognized medically in the last decade, leaving many undiagnosed and in the dark. 

“At IAPMD we fight for a world where women and AFAB individuals with PMDD can not only survive, but thrive,” said Sandi MacDonald, Co-Founder & Executive Director, International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD). “It all starts with awareness. A spark. When we join together we can do so much! I think the PMDD community is the best example of this in action. We are not alone anymore, and that is our greatest power!”

Throughout April, 41 buildings and landmarks around the world will light up teal as a show of support. Light-ups include Niagara Falls, CN Tower in Toronto, Bell Tower in Perth, Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, and Muiderslot Castle in the Netherlands. 

“It’s a surreal experience to see a building or a bridge or a castle lit teal and know it’s lit for you,” says Brett Buchert, Director of Impact at IAPMD.

On April 29, the PMDD community will light the night with candles for PMDD Remembrance Day to honor those who have been lost to PMDD by suicide. One of the most common symptoms of PMDD is suicidal ideation, with 30% of sufferers reporting they’ve attempted to end their life in PMDD crisis. 

Other highlights of the month-long celebration include the popular #PMDDAwarenessChallenge on Instagram with daily prompts to spark storytelling and awareness-raising, along with the PMDD Pledge, a campaign to encourage community members to stand up and speak out against misinformation and stigma. 

About IAPMD:

The International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD) is the leading patient-led health organization with a mission to inspire hope and end suffering in those affected by Premenstrual Disorders (PMDs) through peer support, education, research, and advocacy.  Since our founding in 2013, we’ve helped over half a million people from more than 100 countries find answers, community, and hope. What began as a collective of fellow sufferers has grown into a global movement accelerating progress being made around the world on PMDs and PMDD in particular.

About PMDD:

While PMDD is directly connected to the menstrual cycle, it is not a hormone imbalance but rather a severe neurobiological reaction to the natural rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone. Symptoms occur the week or two before menstruation and go away a few days after bleeding begins. There is no blood or saliva test to diagnose PMDD, but these tests can rule out other underlying disorders. Diagnosis is done by tracking symptoms for at least two menstrual cycles. The disorder was only included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 2013, after plenty of debate, and in the World Health Organization (WHO) International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11) in 2019.

Contact:

Sandi MacDonald

Co-Founder & Executive Director, IAPMD

media@iapmd.org

www.iapmd.org