Women with PMS would be considered mentally ill

Women who suffer from permanent and severe mood swings during the menstrual period, will now be recorded in the category of the mentally ill. At least in America, where he published a new edition of "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders."

PMS

This book, published by the American Psychiatric Association, is considered a desktop guide for doctors involved in the treatment of mental disorders. Now it is the head of " Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder   - PMDD ", Which is sometimes called experts" PMS on steroids. "However, the decision of scientists met a mixed reaction.

Critics argue that calling the mentally ill women suffering from severe PMS Doctors thus only exacerbate stereotypes about the emotional instability of the fair sex, celebrated once a month. By the way, most recently in the State Duma were going to discuss the initiative on introduction of additional leave for women, which would coincide with their cycle. And the proposal was also born on the basis of the popular stereotype.

"I suffer from PMDD   and take contraceptives in order to cope with this - says one woman on the website Jezebel.com, where there is a discussion of the topic. - Pills to me, by the way, are very helpful. Personally, I find it deeply offensive message that PMDD is now considered a mental illness. Yes, I have fits of depression for a short time before the start of menstruation, but I think that it is the physical symptoms of emotional affect. So what is the problem of the body, not the brain! "

The diagnosis in accordance with the new management is proposed to put on the basis of criteria such as "acute irritability," "angry," "frequent interpersonal conflicts", "hopelessness", "lethargy", "Insomnia" and "sharp changes in appetite during most of cycle. " All these criteria should be consistently observed for more than 2 months, and greatly affect the ability of women to carry out their normal business to a psychiatrist recorded diagnosis. Note that different from a conventional PMDD premenstrual syndrome whose symptoms occur much softer. (READ MORE)

Pregnancy and Gynecology

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