Content provided in partnership with
strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde: How PMS become a cultural phenomenon and a psychiatric disorder, The
Annual Review of Sex Research, 2002 by Chrisler, Joan C, Caplan, Paula
In this article we trace the historical, cultural, political, and economic forces that led to the social construction of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The popularity of these diagnostic labels among medical professionals, the general public, and women themselves is considered and explored, as is the damage that the labels can do to women in general, as well as those who receive a diagnosis. Suggestions are provided for psychotherapists who might work with women who present with premenstrual symptoms.
Key Words: medicalization of women's bodies, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, premenstrual syndrome, women's health.
- Most Popular Articles in Health
- Fuel your workout: exercisers who eat before they work out have more energy ...
- Soothe a dry, itchy scalp: 5 easy expert solutions
- Cocktails and calories: Beer, wine and liquor calories can really add up. ...
- The sour truth about apple cider vinegar - evaluation of therapeutic use
- The, six best supplements you've never heard of: these secret weapons can ...
- More »
Tell me, Doctor, why does my wonderful wife, with her perfect figure and lovely nature, suddenly spit with rage for no obvious reason once a month? (Dalton, 1979, p. 11).
I get to the point where I wonder who the real me is. I mean which emotional person am I anyway? (Bender & Kelleher, 1996, p. 54).
When I'm in PMS mode, no one is safe. (Ferrare, 1999, p. 49).
There remains the nagging, underlying fear that this untamed monster will, at any time, raise its ugly head and devour family or friends with uncontrolled words, moods, or actions. (Frangipane, 1992, p. 8).
Her husband cannot understand what's going on, and he's getting fed up with it all. He says that she's like two people; part of the month she's on top of the world like the girl he married, the other part she's impossible. (Ford, 1997, p. 100).
Are you a Jekyll and Hyde? That is, do you-feel like an entirely different person once you ovulate, and again once you start menstruating? (Martorano, Morgan, & Fryer, 1993, p. 31).
For millennia men have sought to explain the impulsive acts and angry retributions of women such as Pandora, Eve, and Medea. Today many would say that they were suffering from premenstrual (or premonstrual; Ferrare, 1999) syndrome (PMS) at the time of their infamous actions. Women's hormones have been compared to the dangerous elixir that Dr. Jekyll produced in his Victorian-era laboratory (Chrisler, 2002). Like Jekyll's elixir, the hormones of the menstrual cycle are said to have the power to turn a normally placid and nurturing woman into an enraged menstrual monster (Chrisler & Levy, 1990) who can ruin her career, drive away her family, and, perhaps, even endanger the future of Western civilization.
Why did PMS evolve from a little-known experience of tension during the few days that precede menstruation to a "syndrome" that is said to consist of more than 100 possible "symptoms" that are said to occur during the 2 weeks that precede menstruation? To an experience so common that many American women (and men) complain about it? To a phenomenon so well known that jokes about PMS and other references to it are ubiquitous in the U.S.? From the phenomenological equivalent of "a bad hair day" to a psychiatric disorder that requires pharmacological treatment? These are some of the questions to be addressed in this article as we consider the rise of the constructs of premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), their effects on women's lives and opportunities, and their implications for the psychology of women.
Premenstrual Syndrome
What is PMS?
A variety of physiological and psychological changes have been associated with phases of the menstrual cycle. Those changes that tend to occur prior to the onset of the menses (traditionally defined as days 23 to 28 of the cycle) have been labeled "premenstrual tension" (PMT; Frank, 1931) or "premenstrual syndrome" (Dalton, 1964). The most frequently reported premenstrual change is fluid retention, especially in the breasts and abdomen (Chang, Holroyd, & Chau, 1995; S. R. Johnson, McChesney, & Bean, 1988; Woods, Most, & Dery, 1982). Other changes that women commonly report include acne, cravings for sweet or salty foods, aches and pains in the muscles or joints, fatigue or bursts of energy, irritability, tension, anxiety, sadness, moodiness, constipation or diarrhea, feeling out-of control, insomnia, and alterations in sex drive. Researchers have found that more than 100 different changes are said to be associated with the premenstrual phase in the professional and popular literature (Chrisler & Levy, 1990; Figert, 1996; Laws, Hey, & Eagen, 1985; Taylor & Colino, in press), including some so gendered that they would be unlikely to be considered "symptoms" of a disorder in men (e.g., food cravings, increased sex drive, anger, arguments with family or friends) and some that actually occur during the menses (e.g., uterine or pelvic cramps) rather than premenstrually (Chrisler & Johnston-Robledo, 2002). It has been suggested (Dalton, 1960a, 1960b, 1968), although there is little scientific evidence for this, that premenstrual women have difficulty concentrating, exhibit poor judgment, lack physical coordination, exhibit decreased efficiency, and perform less well at school or on the job. Women also report cognitive, behavioral, and psychological changes during the premenstrual phase that they welcome and view as positive, such as bursts of energy and activity, increased creativity, increased sex drive, feelings of affection, increased personal strength or power, and feelings of connection to nature or to other women (Chrisler, Johnston, Champagne, & Preston, 1994; Lee, 2002; Nichols, 1995). These premenstrual changes are rarely mentioned in the professional or popular literature because they do not fit into the conceptualization of the perimenstruum as a time of illness and dysphoria.
Find Research Guides for:
Find Featured Titles for: Home & Garden
Most Popular Articles in Health
- Fuel your workout: exercisers who eat before they work out have more energy ...
- Soothe a dry, itchy scalp: 5 easy expert solutions
- Cocktails and calories: Beer, wine and liquor calories can really add up. ...
- The sour truth about apple cider vinegar - evaluation of therapeutic use
- The, six best supplements you've never heard of: these secret weapons can ...
- More »