Q Every month before my period I become irritable and tearful for no reason. Is this a matter of willpower?
A It is a physical response unrelated to willpower. The hormonal changes of the luteal phase lower the brain's serotonin levels, so your ability to regulate emotions genuinely declines. It is a physiological phenomenon experienced by 75% of women of reproductive age.
Detailed Answer
PMS is not a matter of personality or willpower. During the luteal phase, progesterone metabolites act on GABA receptors and interfere with emotional stability, while serotonin synthesis also decreases, so anxiety, irritability, and low mood worsen physiologically. This is a change within the normal range experienced by 3 out of 4 women of reproductive age. However, severe cases that seriously interfere with daily functioning should be separately evaluated as PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder).
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine as well, premenstrual Liver-qi stagnation (ganul) is seen as sharing the same root as hormonal imbalance. When energy is blocked, the Liver's regulating function that governs emotions weakens, so one is easily unsettled by even small things. By using soothing the Liver and regulating qi (sogan-igi) to release the blockage, mood swings naturally stabilize.
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Can PMS go away completely, or do I have to manage it for life?
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