Help understanding PMDD
My partner has PMDD, and I love her deeply, but I'm finding it really hard to navigate the swings. There are stretches where things feel great, and then it flips and she gets intensely angry and cutting in a way that feels like a completely different person, someone who doesn't seem to care about me at all. It's disorienting and honestly exhausting.
It doesn't help that she works a high stress job with overnight hours, so sleep and stress are already stacked against her.
I'm not looking to complain, I want to actually be helpful to her and protect our relationship. For those of you who've dealt with this as a partner...
How do you tell the difference between "this is the PMDD talking" and things you should actually address?
What's helped you stay grounded when things get harsh in the moment?
Any strategies (tracking cycles, communication scripts, boundaries) that made a real difference?
How do you take care of your own wellbeing through this?
Appreciate any perspective especially from people who've found ways to make this work long term.