A woman battling a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) has expressed her "heartbreak" for Married at First Sight (MAFS) participant Kristina Goodsell, who suffers from the same debilitating condition. On the episode aired on Monday [October 21], Kieran Chapman, 28, the 'husband' of the MAFS star, admitted to the show's experts that he was "questioning at the minute if I'm able to sustain a relationship with someone who suffers from PMDD."
Britney Marsden, 37, who has faced suicidal thoughts due to her menstrual cycle, was diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in October 2020.
This extreme form of PMS can trigger a host of emotional and physical symptoms, ranging from difficulty concentrating and feeling lethargic to experiencing a loss of control and having suicidal thoughts. From the Gold Coast, Australia, Britney revealed she has been dealing with PMDD since she was 16, often encountering suicidal feelings a week before her period starts.
She shared: "I was 16 when I started noticing my symptoms - very classic of PMDD, like suicidal thoughts and crying uncontrollably, reports the Mirror.
"My previous relationships have each picked up on it - I'd be crying all the time, feeling quite depressed. I have PCOS [polycystic ovary syndrome] as well, so while my symptoms typically started seven days before my period - it would be hard to know when that would be.
"I struggled so much, because no-one understood. There was so little known about PMDD 20 years ago."
Britney, now a PMDD specialist and women's health coach, has opened up about how her condition has impacted her marriage and past relationships. She explained that partners would notice she became irritable and overstimulated during her luteal phase, which is seven days before her period.
"They wouldn't know how to console me and often told me I needed professional help," Britney shared. She added, "It was really hard at the time, because I didn't know why this was happening.
"I'm very aware of why it happens now. You can become very irritable, very overstimulated and hypersensitive. Because I was on the suicidal end, I would cry uncontrollably.
"And my partners would have no idea how to console me, because my nervous system was so dysregulated. I'd be in such severe situations of harming myself that I didn't know what to do - my partners knew I needed professional help."
Britney also related her experiences to those of Kristina from Married at First Sight, saying her "heart breaks" for her. Despite being pleased that PMDD is getting attention on television, she admits finding the show difficult to watch.
She said: "Maybe it's because I do this for a living - but I'm finding it very hard to watch. It's been hard watching her suffer, not knowing what to do, and talking about past break-ups.
"Kristina will have put PMDD on the UK's stage. It's great to normalise it, prove it's something that's real - but for me personally, it's heart breaking."
Britney, who has been with her partner Jake Turner, a 39 year old design manager, for 15 years, revealed that he took the initiative to learn about PMDD. Together, they now track her cycles, and he takes on more responsibilities seven days before her period.
She stressed the importance of communication and empathy in their relationship, saying: "My husband got himself really educated in PMDD, once I was educated. Being really communicative has been really important - I tell him when I'm emotionally not doing OK.
"For us, it's about having empathy - a lot of men might just dismiss you and call it PMS. It's not - there's actually something else going on, and it can be very, very severe if it's not managed."
What is PMDD and what are the symptoms?
PMDD occurs during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, which typically lasts around two weeks but can vary. Symptoms can appear daily or for a few days during this phase, causing significant distress and impacting daily life, work, social interactions, and relationships.
In severe cases, PMDD can lead to suicidal thoughts. According to Mind, common symptoms of PMDD include:
- Mood swings
- Feeling upset or tearful, for example if you feel that others are rejecting you
- Lack of energy
- Less interest in activities you normally enjoy
- Feeling hopeless
- Feeling angry or irritable
- Coming into conflict with people around you
- Feeling anxious, tense or on edge
- Feeling overwhelmed or out of control
- Difficulty concentrating
- Suicidal feelings
- Breast tenderness or swelling
- Pain in your muscles and joints
- Headaches
- Feeling bloated
- Changes in your appetite, such as overeating or having specific food cravings
- Sleep problems
