
PMDD, Intrusive Thoughts, Hormones & Medication: Riven's Diagnosis Story
From CRAMPED by Kate Downey
April 28, 2026 · 19 min · Season 2 · Episode 28
About this episode
Riven shares her journey of living with PMDD and the impact it had on her life until she received a diagnosis.
When Riven first got her period at age 10, the debilitating cramps weren't even the worst part. Instead, she felt completely out of control for the first day or two of her period, sometimes sobbing for hours, sometimes losing time. But the scariest symptom was the intrusive thoughts of harming herself that came with her period pain. It took over 10 years, but after an incident involving her kid brother, she got a diagnosis of PMDD and a medication that she says saved her life. CRISIS SUPPORT: Call 988 anywhere in the US for free, 24/7 mental health crisis support Text HOME to 741741 PMDD Support (not Crisis Support): International Association for Premenstrual Disorders - IAPMD.org Studies mentioned in the episode: Prevalence of depression in women vs men: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5532074/ Female-specific pharmacotherapy in ADHD: premenstrual adjustment of psychostimulant dosage: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10751335/ CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice. Join the CRAMPED Patreon (even at the free tier!) for ad-free & bonus episodes, plus the discord community and online…
People in this episode
Host: Kate Downey
Guest: Riven
Topics covered
- PMDD
- mental health
- menstruation
- diagnosis
- intrusive thoughts
- crisis support
Keywords
- PMDD
- menstrual cramps
- mental health
- diagnosis
- intrusive thoughts
- crisis support
- medication
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: International Association for Premenstrual Disorders, IAPMD.org, Patreon, art19
More episodes of CRAMPED
- The Endo Attractiveness Study: Are You F**king Kidding Me?? · June 9, 2026 · 20 min
- Can Capitalism Fix What the Healthcare System Broke? One Endo App Founder Is Trying · June 2, 2026 · 38 min
- What Does Tinnitus Have To Do With Your Hormones? An Audiologist Explains · May 27, 2026 · 29 min
- Using AI To Help Get To A Diagnosis · May 12, 2026 · 52 min
- Your Period Blood Has a Weird Origin Story: Spiral Arteries, Uterine Milk, and Monkey Eyeballs · May 8, 2026 · 16 min
- Sex Ed with DB: Testosterone, Pleasure, and the Libido Myth · April 21, 2026 · 58 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the CRAMPED podcast page.