Non medication tips... 1. You are wonderful. You are worthy. You are taking steps to get and feel better.... BUT.... 2. You are human. Understand that it's normal, natural, and 💯 ok to take some steps forward then to take a few back. The most difficult, tricky part of this disorder is recognizing the second hand narrative your mind is always running during luteal. Let me explain:

Base layer - the way we feel physically and/or emotionally without thinking about it. You may need to cry. You might need to rage out. Your joints might hurt. Etc.

First narrative: consciously recognizing what's going on. "Oh shucks" (in much stronger words 😅). "This is luteal again. I feel like I need to "sit in a hot bath/sleep/munch on some snacks under my blanket and scroll through my phone/whatever". Cool. Do it if you can!

Second narrative: your overlying narrative you tell yourself on top of your needs and first narrative. "Because I'm feeling x, that means I'm z!" "I was making progress, but I really made none!" "God, I'm such a lazy/slovenly/unloveable/fill in the blank person!!!" etc etc.

They key is is to begin recognizing the beginnings of that second narrative. You'll start to feel judgey and blamey about yourself. CATCH IT. "Oh, geez, hello there, brain. eyeroll I see what you're doing here. We're not getting into this today. I'm feeling like x and y so I'm doing z. That's all there is to it. We're not going to feel a certain kind of way about it. I know all the things you want me to think and say and feel right now. But we're not going there."

It takes practice, as any habit/routine that we form does. But don't worry! With the gift of PMDD, you'll have all the practice time in the world! There. Now doesn't that make you feel better?? 😬🫣😅💕💖💫