Cheeky Minx
Bio
Cheekyminx writes intimately about PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) and hosts the Facebook page PMDD Life Support, a place where women with PMDD can find information and inspiration to cope. Your contributions are appreciated!
Stories (45/0)
PMDD: Why Me?
At the risk of being called crazy or out of touch (I'm quite used to that, so it isn't about to stop me anymore!), I'd like to let all you lovely women out there who are suffering from PMDD in on a little secret. This message won't be for all of you; I write it for those who can receive it.
By Cheeky Minx6 years ago in Viva
PMDD: What to Tell Your Kids
Let me start off with a disclaimer. I am not a parent. I've said it before and I will say it again: I don't know how all you ladies with PMDD cope with motherhood. You are superwomen to be sure...and women of a class I will never comprehend. But I see every so often on message boards that some of you are having a hard time handling the responsibilities of motherhood when your symptoms are hot. And I often read that you just don't know how to explain your "craziness" to your kids and how worried you are that you are scarring them for life.
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Viva
PMDD: Reminders to Partners
If you are the partner or family member of someone with PMDD, you have our sympathies. We know how challenging, disruptive, and scary that can be. Why does the ordinarily reliable, loving, generous, nurturing, capable woman in your life become decidedly unreasonable, overemotional, paranoid, seemingly selfish, and full of rage once a month? She seemed to like you so much only yesterday. Now she's demanding some space and acts like never seeing you again would be a gift. Is it something you did or said? It can be all too easy to take the PMDD behaviors personally and worse, lash out in return. So here are some helpful things to remember:
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Viva
Weathering PMDD
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a monthly storm that affects an estimated 3–10% of all menstruating women. It's an intense inner upheaval that can leave a path of functional, relational, and emotional damage in its wake. In fact, many women with PMDD feel like the 10-14 days of symptoms every month requires the remaining days just to catch up or make up. It can feel like life's ship never quite leaves port before it all starts over again. The pain and discomfort are real, but there's no need to suffer more than necessary. If you are one of the unfortunates who experiences this unique monthly curse, here are some important things to remember to help you weather the storm:
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Viva
Living with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Have you recently heard about or been diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and are wondering what exactly that might mean? PMDD is a hormonal sensitivity that wrecks havoc in the lives of an estimated 3 to 8% of menstruating women.
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Viva
An Inflammation Theory for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
There are plenty of people out there who believe that PMDD can be successfully combated with mind over matter and that we should just buck up or get over whatever it is we’re feeling. They have no idea what they are talking about nor the challenges we face.
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Longevity
8 Tools to Break the Negativity Cycle
The more I experience and learn of PMDD, the more I think its treatment may actually be in the mind, not by altering it with prescription drugs like anti-depressants or even, necessarily, traditional “talk” therapies, but through retraining it to think different thoughts and take on new habits, to the extent we can, at any rate.
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Longevity
PMDD: Catalyst to Awakening?
For the millions of women coping with symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) every month, life can feel like a never-ending challenge. One week, you’re up. Then the next three, you’re rapidly deteriorating again, becoming someone you hardly recognize. Effective treatment from the medical establishment is likely to be a long time coming for this only recently identified condition. What is currently offered often results in side-effects that compound an already debilitating condition wrecking havoc on a woman’s body and mind.
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Longevity
Walking the PMDD Labyrinth
I recently came across a question on a PMDD forum that asked something like, "I just discovered I have PMDD. Please tell me there is something I can do to carry on with my life and responsibilities. And don't tell me to diet and exercise!"
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Longevity
Medical Gaslighting
The other day, I came across a really powerful article written by a husband about his wife’s emergency visit to the hospital in which her needs were minimized by the staff. It brought back some bad memories. I was inspired to share the article with women on the various Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Facebook groups. After all, we are not only women, we are women with PMDD… "a merely hysterical and imagined illness meant to justify our bad moods and suicidal tendencies.”
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Longevity
Caving into PMDD Cravings
Often enough and sooner or later, on one of the PMDD forums, a woman will post about eating an entire bag of "insert brand name" snack food. I totally get it. I myself have posted about eating giant bars of chocolate, entire bags of chips, too many pastries, and frozen yogurt...all at the same time. When you feel miserable, and there's nothing you can do about it, and the cravings are there...well, the indulgence can feel nurturing. I've stopped judging myself for these episodes because there's no point in it. I'm otherwise incredibly healthy and eat a very healthy diet. I exercise regularly too. Once a month, if I have a hormonally-induced need to just go totally crazy, I do. And I'm not about to beat myself up over it.
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Longevity
Things Never to Say
In keeping with one of my more popular posts, What We Need to Hear: Friends & Family Guide to PMDD, it only goes to follow that there are some things that friends and family who want to be supportive of a woman with PMDD should NEVER say, first out of compassion, and secondly out of self-preservation!
By Cheeky Minx7 years ago in Humans