Evelyn demands urgent recognition of the link between hormonal cycles and suicide risk.
Every month, millions of women experience a sharp drop in mood they can’t explain. For some, that drop becomes life-threatening.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) affects around 1 in 20 women. It’s a severe, hormone-related mental health condition that can lead to suicidal thoughts, emotional instability and extreme distress. Yet most sufferers are misdiagnosed or dismissed entirely.
Women’s health company Evelyn is calling out this crisis, urging policymakers, healthcare professionals and the public to stop ignoring the connection between hormones and mental health.
“PMDD can be fatal. Ignoring it can be too.”
The numbers speak for themselves:
- Over 30% of those with PMDD experience suicidal ideation and attempts in the second half of their cycle.
- Women with PMDD are 7 times more likely to attempt suicide.
- Many are wrongly diagnosed with anxiety or bipolar disorder.
To be diagnosed with PMDD, the doctor will need to see evidence that you experience a particular combination of at least five symptoms, including one mood-related symptom, during the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle. To classify as PMDD, the symptoms must disappear once you get your period, and you need to be able to show you’ve experienced them for at least two to three months.
Evelyn is pushing for change.
Evelyn is a brand on a mission to change how women experience their cycles through evidence-based supplements, expert education, and the normalisation of conversations about hormonal mental health.
“We hear stories from women every day who say, ‘I thought I was going crazy,’” says Evelyn co-founder Bonnie Hatcher. “But they’re not broken. They’re not dramatic. They’re living with a condition no one ever told them about. That has to change.”
Free resources are available now
To help women recognise the signs of PMDD and advocate for their own care, Evelyn provides:
- Expert-written guides on PMS and PMDD.
- A clinically-informed supplement designed to support mood, inflammation and hormone balance.
- Ongoing content and support through email and social media.
“No one should suffer in silence. There is support. There are options. And there is hope.”
Visit www.evelynhealth.com to download free resources or learn more.
If you or someone you know is experiencing extreme anxiety, or any other symptoms that are significantly affecting your/their quality of life, it’s important to seek help from a GP. If you’re having suicidal thoughts and are worried you may act on them, you should call 999, go to A&E, or contact the Samaritans.
