Mood Swings During Premenstrual Tension Syndrome and its Effect on the Daily Life Activity

Abstract

Objectives: This present study intends to determine the prevalence of mood swings and its impact on
the daily life of female patients.
Patients and methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Data was collected from female of reproductive
age, from patient in Baghdad teaching hospital. They responded to an anonymous online questionnaire
that included questions about the mood swings and other psychological symptoms experienced in the
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) days (the days leading up to a menstrual period) and the impact they
notice on their daily life activities. The patients were asked to mark the complaints as they had
experienced them in a 3-point severity scale (1 = “none/mild “, 2 = “moderate”, 3 = “severe”).
Result: 254 female patient aged. The average age (±SD) was 21.06 ± 1.373. Ranging from 18-31 years.
The prevalence of mood swings was 96.46% in this study. (54.7%) had moderate mood swings (Changes
in emotions from happiness to anger or even sadness) and (16.9%) had Severe. Of the 254 participants
only 9 (3.54%) reported experiencing no mood swings. 85.4 % of the participants had regular periods
and 14.6% had irregular periods. There was no association between the regularity of period and the
severity of mood swings. While there was a significant statistical association between the length of the
PMS symptoms/discomfort and the severity of the mood swings (p<.001). The most predominant
psychological symptom was “Feeling on the edge, angry, irritable or anxious” with a moderate or severe
(62.2%). Next Feeling tearful or crying easily with a (60.2%). Ranking third was Feeling hopeless or
depressed (58.3%). And lastly Feeling overwhelmed or out of control (41.3%). In the two main domains
of personal life and work life, the impact on personal relationships with family/partner, friends or
colleagues was moderate/severe (47.2%) and productivity in college, assignments and work (39%).
Conclusion: It was found that with increasing severity of mood swings comes an increase with the level