“Mood swing I can’t let you win/you bring me up, /you bring me down/mood swing I can’t give in / to your subtle wiles/ and your endless miles – Luscious Jackson, “Mood Swing.”.

One minute you’re fine, the next you’re crying over something insignificant, or picking a fight. Later, your actions hardly seem “like “you.” Who hasn’t had a mood swing? But how much of that is normal “hormones ” or “PMS?”? What is PMS and how is it different from PMDD? Are these things even real? If they are do we have to suffer through them? Are they just side effects of “being a woman” or “being on the pill?”? What’s normal, and when do you say, “enough” and seek professional help?

A hormone is a naturally occurring chemical in your body. Both men and women have hormones, in different amounts. To over-simplify, that’s what makes men and women different. In women, during the month, the lining of the uterus (womb) is building up with blood in case sperm meets egg, and needs someplace to live. An egg is released from the ovaries, and, assuming it’s not fertilized by a sperm, it dies within one to two days; that’s ovulation. About two weeks later, if there’s no fertilized egg, the blood and lining come out in the form of your period. This monthly process is the menstrual cycle.

But, what does getting your period have to do with mood swings? The changes in hormone levels that take place near each of these events may be the trigger: during ovulation your estrogen and progesterone rise, then drop again before your period; there’s a real physical reason you may feel this way.

Kim says, “The day before I menstruate, I almost always find myself in a deep, angry funk. I can find fault in every single part of my life –every word or action directed toward me runs the risk of being perceived as an attack.”

These Premenstrual Symptoms or Premenstrual Syndrome, are absolutely real, and are normal to some extent, are normal.

What is PMDD? Again, it is real, but it isn’t necessarily “normal”. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is a severe form of PMS, where symptoms are so severe each month that they interfere with normal life.

Elizabeth isn’t sure when her symptoms went from “itchy breasts and a backache to ‘Oh my god! Where did you get those horns and that pitchfork?!

“It was almost like being possessed. I would get so angry about something and start cursing and slamming doors, throwing files on the floor, being as unprofessional as possible in a professional work environment,” she remembers. “I have put my job in jeopardy; my relationships in jeopardy.”

What can be done to help cope with the mood swings that come with PMS or PMDD? A good starting point is to examine whether or not it is hormonally triggered. Create a mood chart to objectively rate and track your mood every day along with your cycle and any other events going on in your life, and see what patterns show up. Write your daily moods down in a journal, wall calendar, or date book. Are you moody at the same time every month? Twice a month? If the answer is “yes”, your mood swings could be resulting from a hormonal pattern. If mood changes aren’t happening when you are ovulating or menstruating, maybe you’re reacting to an external stressor instead. Even something as simple as a blog or a diary, combined with tracking your cycles on a calendar can show a pattern in mood changes.

If the pattern seems to be hormonal, there are several treatments available.

A natural, easy way is to limit or avoid consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and sodium. Try taking a yoga or meditation calss to reduce external stress. Vitamin and mineral supplements can help: Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, and evening primrose oil or black currant oil taken daily can all be very effective in controlling symptoms of PMS or PMDD.

There hormonal treatments available in the form of Birth Control: birth control pills, the patch, the ring, or the shot. The right brand can reduce or eliminate PMS or mood swings altogether. Some women use HBC to avoid their periods and these symptoms. If you think HBC may an option for you, talk to your gynecologist. He or she can discuss if it is right for you, and what your options are.

For example Elizabeth “stacks” her ”NuvaRing,” which is a contraceptive ring that is inserted into the vagina.

“I think the stacking really helps control the rage feelings, “ she says.

“I notice that when I do get rage-y, it’s usually the Wednesday or Thursday before I switch rings, which I do on Saturday afternoons.”

But what if you’re on HBC, and you still feel this way? Isn’t HBC supposed to help? It is, and it can. Every brand needs a few months to settle in with your body; after that if you’re not feeling like yourself, you have to say so. Even on HBC, even if you’re not ovulating, even if your hormones are being “regulated” they can still be the wrong mix for you, and cause symptoms all the time, or around your period.

You can talk to your doctor about switching brands of birth control. Writing down in advance what you want to say can help you remember everything.

All jokes about “running for the hills” or “raging hormones” aside, these feelings are as real as a cold, and not “all in your head”. With such a wide variety of treatments available no matter how mild or severe, no woman ever has to suffer. Make your mental and your physical wellbeing a priority by seeing a doctor. Once you’re on the right brand or the right treatment for you, you’ll be in control of your moods and your life.