Severely depressed around time of the month?

[Sellingsunsets]

As the title says really. I've always suffered poor mental health and am diagnosed with GAD and OCD more recently. I've had some really low dark times in my life but as I'm getting older, I've noticed that around the time of the month in the few days leading up to it, I am severely depressed and I don't mean just feeling down. I almost feel so dark and emotional and have this deep physical sadness almost as if someone has died and my mind goes to come really dark places bordering on suicidal and thinking all these thoughts about just running away from my family and giving up on everything. I've been to my gp before with this but they dont really seem to be much help. I'm scaring myself with the fact that I feel so miserable and I have a super short temper and get so angry very quickly to the point where I lash out and start shouting at everyone in the house and becoming aggressive but that's not me as a person. I just feel like I can't help it. What can I do to just make things better.

Sounds like PMDD, ask to see a female GP

The hormonal contraceptive pill may help with this. Or some other form of hormone treatment. Its also often how ADHD can present in women, with your mind going 100mph and obsessive or intrusive thoughts coming in. Hormones can make this even worse and around your period particularly. The role of hormones are often overlooked and antidepressants are often first port of call but you seem sure it is linked to your cycle. I find GPs are often lacking in these areas. You need to do your own research into it, present reputable printed research to them and be clear as to what you want, ie which treatment you want and if you want a specialist referal, say to an endocrinologist. Im reminded of Lynsey Gilmartin who was a guest on this morning once. She was sectioned and it turned out that all she needed was hrt. Google it. It was an interesting story.

I also think it sounds like PMDD. What helped me a lot was just knowing what it was, being able to rationalise away the symptoms as a passing concern, particularly the suicidal thoughts/deep depression. I was able to tell myself that none of it was true, it was all hormonal and woud pass in the next few days.

Thanks I'll definitely take a look. I think my family thinks I'm just not very well as I say I have had times where I've been very unwell with my mental health but this is different because I've been quite well and then it seems only the week or so before that my mental state completely does a flip. I'm only 33 so I guess peri wouldn't be coming for me yet. It has been mentioned by my last therapist that she felt I was possibly autistic and undiagnosed. I can't take any form of estrogen contraception due to DVT risk so they won't give me that either.