What is "premenstrual dysphoric disorder"

n. A severe form of premenstrual syndrome, associated primarily with the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, and characterized by feelings of despair or anxiety, panic attacks and mood swings, irritability, apathy, and various physical aberrations.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe and disabling form of premenstrual syndrome affecting 3–8% of menstruating women. The disorder consists of a "cluster of affective, behavioral and somatic symptoms" that recur monthly during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. PMDD was added to the list of depressive disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V in 2013. The exact pathogenesis of the disorder is still unclear and is an active research topic. Treatment of PMDD relies largely on antidepressants that modulate serotonin levels in the brain via serotonin reuptake inhibitors as well as ovulation suppression using contraception.