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Am I having hormonal issues? I feel insane?

In the month just before I turned 21, I began to have regular 4 - 5 day periods in which I felt as if I was crazy. Before this time, this would happen only occasionally- perhaps every two months- and always during my period. It has enhanced, however, in severity and frequency. This always happens exactly 12 - 13 days before my period. For that amount of time, I feel as if my world is falling apart. My body is always in a state of anxiety, fear and pain with nothing to attach it to. Because I have nothing to attach it to, I believe that I subconsciously find things both in my life and that do not relate to me. My sex drive goes up, but not in a good way. My mind is occupied with terrible things like rape and child sexual abuse (although, I was never abused as a child). I cannot function or communicate properly during this time period. I have crying spells and my thoughts become so intense, fast and loud that, it feels as if my brain is overworked and tired and I just want to cut it off, but I cannot. I almost feel as if I have lost control of my mind and body. There is usually a subject. If I learn anything dire during or just before (a death, a child abuse scandal, a friend who I am having issues with)- that will be the primary focus of the nightmare. Every month, I seem to gain another one and they all come back in full force once the next month comes around. With each month, another adds to the "army", it seems. Usually, it would just happen within those 4 - 5 days, but over the past months, the effects increasingly linger. I began to feel similar feelings directly after my period as well and now during my period. I feel very split in my personality at this point. Half the time, I feel optimistic and strong about my life. The other half of the time, I feel detached from the world, uncertain of who I am and convinced that I am mentally unstable and possibly dangerous. I asked my mother about it and she says that she goes through something similar and I just have to ignore it. I want to know how to more easily ignore it and ease it. It is not an easy thing to overlook, even knowing that it is just hormonal. I feel like Im going in circles- one day happy, the next day tormented. I feel as if it is so hard to be consistent in my life and get anything done if this keeps up. I've had suicidal feelings in the most intense of my episodes and I worry for myself in the future because of that. If the feelings of detachment and the intensity continues to increase, whose to say I might not attempt suicide in the future? What can I do to ease it? And why is it happening more often now? Should I see a doctor perhaps? Is there anyway to balance my hormones? Can someone explain at all what is happening with my body and perhaps tell your stories so that I can better understand this?

Public Comments

1. I would go talk to your Dr and maybe see about seeing a psychiatric Dr for assessment. This does not sound normal, and I hope you don't act on your thoughts. But get help. You don't have to be medicated, but sometimes that can help sort out the imbalance.
2. You *definitely* need to talk with your doctor about this and get a referral to either a psychiatrist or an endocrinologist. (this could very well be either a mental *or* a hormonal illness). The sort of stress this is causing you *can* very easily lead to suicide, and only doctors can help you figure it out, deal with it, and hopefully put an end to it before it puts an end to *you*. .
3. This sounds like PMDD...I feel the same way....and actually I'm dealing with it now...it has started to slowly ruin my life....I use to be SO strong and very happy...but I lost a lot of friends and a social life because I'm so detached from the world at this time...if you want to talk or you have any questions just email me:)