[h=1]Women with extreme PMS will now be deemed 'mentally ill' following controversial revision of health manual[/h]
Women who suffer from consistently severe mood swings during their menstrual periods are now being diagnosed with mental illness.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), sometimes referred to as 'PMS on steroids', is formally recognized in the fifth edition of the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
But the decision to categorize this condition as full-fledged disorder has divided opinion, with critics stating that it only contributes to stereotypes about women being emotionally unstable once a month.
Indeed, one commentator wrote on
Jezebel.com: 'I actually have PMDD and take birth control to help it (which does work, btw [sic]). Personally, I do find it insulting that PMDD is lumped into the category of psychological disorders.
'Although I do sometimes get intensely depressed for a short amount of time before my period, I think the physical symptoms that accompany the emotional stuff and the fact that it's entirely period related should qualify it as a body problem and not a mental one.
'Admitting you have PMDD definitely has some social stigma also.'
The criteria for diagnosis include 'marked irritability', 'anger', 'increased interpersonal conflicts', 'feelings of hopelessnes', 'lethargy', 'insomnia' and a 'marked change in appetite' during 'most' menstrual cycles.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...en-extreme-PMS-deemed-mentally-ill-DSM-5.html