A plan for the
darkest days
By Ben Jonas Goedeke · 3 min read · checked against its sources
If you are in danger right now, call or text 988 in the US, or your local emergency number.
For some people with PMDD, the days before a period bring thoughts of self-harm or of not wanting to be alive. These thoughts are driven by the cycle, and they pass, usually soon after bleeding starts. They are nothing to be ashamed of, and they are a reason to get support, not to wait.
Make the plan on a good day
A safety plan is a short list you write while you feel well, so you do not have to think clearly when you cannot. Keep it where you will find it, like the notes on your phone, and share it with someone you trust.
What goes in it
The signs that a dark stretch is starting, in your own words.
Things you can do on your own to get through the next hour, like a shower, a walk or a song.
People and places that take your mind off it.
People you can tell that you are struggling, with their numbers.
Professionals and crisis lines you can call, day or night.
Ways to make your surroundings safer on those days.
Your reasons for living, written down.
You do not have to do this alone
Tell your doctor if these thoughts come with your cycle. Peer support groups, like those run by IAPMD, can make it feel less lonely.
Keep the record your doctor needs. Tideline is a period and mood tracker for iPhone: write one sentence a day, and after two cycles it puts the week before your period next to the week after it starts. Free to track, no account.
Get Tideline on the App Store
Keep reading
Sources
- IAPMD: Self-harm and suicidality
- Stanley-Brown Safety Planning Intervention: The steps of a safety plan
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
- NHS: Help for suicidal thoughts