Epigee HOME

Teenage PMS

If you are a post-menarche teenage girl feeling depressed, angry, or physically uncomfortable one to two weeks before your period, you could be one of the 80 percent of menstruating women who suffer from PMS.

Has Your Teen PMS Been Overlooked? 

Teenagers have a reputation for mood swings, irritability and anxiety about life in general. Parents and teachers often attribute teenage mood swings to hormonal changes and might assume that a depressed teenage girl is going through "that stage" of life. However, if you are a menstruating teen experiencing a pattern of depression, physical discomfort or unruly and disruptive behavior, you might have teen PMS, and you should check out our list of PMS symptoms. 

How Does PMS Affect Teens?

Research has shown that teenage girls suffer the same PMS symptoms as older females. Alongside the emotional and physical changes of adolescence, this can make for an explosive combination which leaves you feeling miserable. Your PMS might also be affecting your family. The parents of PMS teens have reported increased tension in the home and a deterioration of family relationships during their teenage daughter's PMS weeks. Fatigue, insomnia and a lack concentration associated with PMS can also disrupt your educational or after-school activities.

What Should You Do About Your PMS?

If you think you have PMS, you should seek the advice of a trusted adult or health care professional. Researchers think PMS may be hereditary, so ask whether your mother, aunts or grandmothers had PMS; they could be the best people to turn to for help. Many women use natural PMS remedies and adjust their diet and routine in order to cope with their PMS. If this doesn't do enough for you, you should discuss medical treatment with your health care provider. Keeping a diary of your symptoms throughout your menstrual cycle will help your doctor to find the best treatment for you.

When PMS Gets More Serious

Around 40 percent of women and girls suffer severe PMS which disrupts their normal routine. A further five to seven percent experience PMDD, the most extreme and debilitating form of PMS. If you think you fall into this category you should seek medical advice right away. Treatment is available and there is no need to suffer in silence. Likewise, on-going depression or violent behavior in teenage girls could signify something more serious than the PMS blues; if this is you, do not hesitate to speak to your parents or contact your health care provider.

There Is Hope For PMS Teens!

Although most women and young girls with PMS will probably experience some symptoms for the rest of their menstruating lives, it's not all doom and gloom. Some researchers believe that even severe teenage PMS may improve with time as a girl's menstrual cycle evens out. In any case, you should check out our tips for combating PMS.