Childhood Trauma and PMDD: Is There a Link?
By Camilla Brinkworth BHSc Naturopathy, Grad Cert Human Nutrition – Trauma-Informed Practitioner & Family Constellations Facilitator
For many women, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) presents overwhelming symptoms that disrupt their emotional, physical, and mental well-being. From mood swings to fatigue, irritability, and physical discomfort, the impact of PMDD can feel all-encompassing. But could there be more to PMDD than just hormonal changes?
Recent research and experience suggest a deeper connection between PMDD and childhood trauma—and understanding this link can be a crucial part of healing. Many women with PMDD also have a history of trauma, particularly early life experiences that shaped their stress response and emotional health. In this article, we’ll explore how childhood trauma and PMDD are connected and why understanding this link can offer better insight and healing pathways for managing PMDD symptoms.
How Childhood Trauma Impacts the Body
Childhood trauma refers to a range of adverse experiences, such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, neglect, and exposure to household dysfunction. These early experiences have a profound effect on the developing nervous system and brain, which, in turn, affects how we manage stress and regulate emotions later in life.
The Long-Term Effects of Trauma
The impact of childhood trauma is long-lasting and often shapes the way we respond to stress, with many trauma survivors experiencing heightened stress sensitivity. The nervous system can remain in a state of hypervigilance, meaning we’re on constant alert, ready to react to perceived threats. This chronic stress response can lead to emotional dysregulation, heightened anxiety, and difficulty processing and managing emotions.
For women with PMDD, the hormonal fluctuations that occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle can trigger emotional and physical symptoms that feel more intense than they might otherwise be, especially if trauma is present. This can lead to a cycle where trauma worsens PMDD symptoms, and PMDD symptoms exacerbate the emotional sensitivity rooted in past trauma.
The Link Between Childhood Trauma and PMDD
Hyperactivity of the Stress Response System
For women with a history of childhood trauma, the body’s stress response system is often overactive. When faced with hormonal changes during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, the nervous system can become overwhelmed, leading to heightened emotional responses. This is because trauma survivors’ bodies are already in a heightened state of stress, making it difficult to cope with the natural hormonal shifts of the cycle.
The body’s increased cortisol production during stress not only disrupts emotional balance but also contributes to physical symptoms like fatigue, bloating, and headaches, common in PMDD. The cycle of emotional and physical stress triggered by both trauma and hormonal fluctuations can feel relentless.
Increased Emotional Sensitivity
Childhood trauma often results in increased emotional sensitivity, which means that emotional shifts during PMDD are felt more intensely. Women who have experienced trauma may struggle to regulate their emotions and respond more strongly to stressors, making the mood swings and irritability associated with PMDD more difficult to manage.
During the luteal phase, as serotonin levels naturally drop, women with trauma may experience more profound feelings of anxiety and depression, making the emotional symptoms of PMDD even more challenging.
Dysregulation of Hormonal Health
Childhood trauma can also affect the body’s endocrine system—the system responsible for regulating hormones. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis can become dysregulated due to trauma, which leads to the chronic stress response that worsens PMDD symptoms. As trauma increases cortisol levels, it impairs the body’s ability to manage hormonal fluctuations, particularly the changes in progesterone and oestrogen that occur in the luteal phase.
When the body’s stress response is activated, it can interfere with the body’s ability to produce and metabolise key hormones, leaving you more vulnerable to the intensity of PMDD symptoms.
Healing the Link: Trauma-Informed Approaches to Managing PMDD
Now that we understand the connection between childhood trauma and PMDD, it’s time to explore how healing both can help alleviate symptoms. A trauma-informed approach to PMDD management can be an incredibly powerful tool in restoring balance and reducing symptoms.
Trauma-Informed Care
A trauma-informed approach is one that acknowledges the significant role that past emotional and physical trauma plays in your health. It focuses not only on the physical symptoms of PMDD but also on addressing the emotional triggers that may be contributing to heightened stress during your cycle.
By incorporating healing modalities like Family Constellations and Rapid Core Healing, women can address unresolved emotional trauma and release stored emotional pain that may be worsening PMDD symptoms. These therapies work to heal emotional wounds at their root, making it easier to manage PMDD and prevent future flare-ups.
Nutrition and Lifestyle Adjustments
Nutrition plays a critical role in managing both PMDD and the long-term effects of trauma. A well-balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, magnesium, omega-3s, and adaptogens can help regulate the nervous system and stabilise hormones. Foods like dark leafy greens, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and turmeric can reduce inflammation and support mood stability.
In addition, lifestyle practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and yoga can help reduce the effects of chronic stress and promote emotional regulation. These practices activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps counterbalance the stress response and reduce the emotional sensitivity often associated with trauma.
Emotional Healing and Trauma Resolution
Integrating emotional healing techniques such as Family Constellations or Rapid Core Healing into your routine can provide profound relief. These methods help you identify and release emotional blockages that may be contributing to your PMDD symptoms, allowing you to heal on a deeper level and restore balance to your emotional health.
When to Seek Professional Support
If you find that PMDD and childhood trauma are deeply intertwined in your experience, seeking professional support can be transformative. Working with a naturopath or trauma-informed therapist can help you unravel the root causes of your symptoms and develop a personalised treatment plan that addresses both your emotional health and hormonal balance.
Professional support is especially helpful for navigating trauma-informed care, nutrition, and emotional healing. A comprehensive approach can address the emotional, physical, and hormonal aspects of PMDD, helping you break free from the cycle of trauma and PMDD and reclaim control of your life.
Conclusion
The link between childhood trauma and PMDD is clear: trauma can significantly influence how the body responds to hormonal fluctuations, intensifying the symptoms of PMDD. By addressing both childhood trauma and PMDD symptoms holistically, women can begin to restore balance and find relief.
If you're ready to heal and manage PMDD in a way that honours your emotional and physical health, I invite you to explore my PMDD Transformation Programme. Together, we can create a personalised plan that supports your healing journey and helps you regain balance in your life.
About Camilla Brinkworth
Camilla Brinkworth is a naturopath, clinical nutritionist, and trauma-informed practitioner specialising in PMDD, women’s health, and emotional healing. She integrates plant-based nutrition, herbal medicine, and trauma-resolution techniques such as Family Constellations and Rapid Core Healing to support women in addressing both the physical and emotional roots of PMDD.
Learn more about Camilla’s PMDD Transformation Programme and holistic consultations at www.camillaclare.com and www.pmddnaturopath.com.