The Hormone Sensitive Brain

Do you feel like a different person before your period? Do you become anxious, overwhelmed, enraged or suddenly unable to cope at any level - only to feel it all lift a few days later? You're not imagining it, and you're not alone. The Hormone-Sensitive Brain: Understanding PMDD is the first comprehensive guide to Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, authored by a leading UK doctor and specialist in menopause and premenstrual disorders. Drawing on the very latest research in hormonal neurobiology, as well as on years of clinical and lived experience herself, Dr Hannah Short explains why some brains are exceptionally sensitive to hormonal change, and what you can do when those changes start to take over your life. Compassionate and clear, this book helps you understand exactly what's happening in your brain and body. It explains why PMDD is so often misdiagnosed, missed or misunderstood, and where to go to get the right treatment and support. It covers both hormonal and non-hormonal treatments, including not only pharmaceutical and surgical options but - importantly - lifestyle strategies and psychological tools that will help. Woven throughout is Hannah's own story of severe endometriosis and PMDD, and it informs her guidance for every stage of reproductive life affected by this hormonal sensitivity - puberty, pregnancy, postpartum to perimenopause and beyond - as well as for relationships and the workplace, both of which are significantly impacted by PMDD. If feeling 'not yourself' to the most extreme limits for half of every month describes you, this is the book for you, giving you the validation and the tools you've been searching for.