Is It Depression & Anxiety? PMS? Or PMDD? How to Tell the Difference and Find Natural Relief
- Suzie Herrmann
- May 22
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 6

Hi, I’m Suzie, the founder of Cycle Sisters Apothecary, and this is a question I had to ask myself—again and again—for years:
“Why do I feel so anxious, irritable, or downright hopeless every month?”
At first, I thought I had depression. Then anxiety. Then burnout. But it wasn’t until I began tracking my cycle that I discovered the truth: my symptoms were cyclical—and hormonal. What I was experiencing wasn’t a chronic mental health issue. It was PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder).
That realization changed everything because I finally knew how to prevent and naturally ease my anxiety and depression, at the root.
So, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I’m sharing what I wish I had known sooner: how to tell the difference between depression, anxiety, PMS, and PMDD, when to seek help, and how natural support—like our herbal remedies—can help you find relief and reclaim your cycle.

Depression or Anxiety? Or PMS or PMDD? Let’s Break It Down.
PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome)
Most menstruating people experience PMS at some point, in fact 85-90% of women do. Symptoms typically show up in the two weeks before your period and might include:

Mood swings
Mild anxiety or sadness
Fatigue
Cravings
Mild cystic acne
Breast tenderness or bloating
Symptoms can be annoying, but usually don’t interfere too much with daily life.
PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder)
PMDD is like PMS—but turned all the way up. This is what I was suffering from. It’s a severe, hormone-related mood disorder that can cause:

Intense irritability or rage
Debilitating depression or hopelessness
Panic attacks or heightened anxiety
Brain fog and fatigue
Social withdrawal
Sleep disturbances
Severe cystic acne
PMDD symptoms usually occur during the luteal phase, days 14-28 of the cycle (after ovulation) and ease once your period begins.
Key difference: If your mood swings come and go like clockwork each month, it’s likely PMS or PMDD—not a chronic mood disorder.
Depression and Anxiety Disorders

Unlike PMS or PMDD, clinical depression and anxiety disorders are not tied to your menstrual cycle. You might be dealing with one of these conditions if:
Symptoms are constant (not cyclical)
They persist for more than two weeks
You feel disconnected from joy, motivation, or daily life
You're having trouble sleeping, eating, or focusing—consistently
Why This Matters During Mental Health Awareness Month (and every month)

Too often, hormonal mental health symptoms get dismissed as “just mood swings.” But your mental health is your health. That’s why this month, May 2025, during Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re helping break the stigma around cycle-related mental health issues—and encouraging you to track your menstrual cycle and to ask yourself some important questions.
I asked myself those same questions (listed below), and they led me to healing.
How to Tell If It’s PMS, PMDD, or Something More
Start tracking your symptoms. Use a journal, cycle tracking app, or our cycle tracking guide on our cycle syncing pages to watch for patterns. Ask yourself:

Do these feelings arrive a week or two before my period?
Do they disappear once my period begins?
Do I feel mostly fine for at least part of the month?
If the answer is yes, it’s worth exploring PMS or PMDD.
If the answer is no—or if your symptoms are consistent and severe—it's time to speak with a healthcare provider. Hormonal and mental health disorders can overlap, and both deserve support.
When to See a Medical Provider
Please don’t wait if:
You feel hopeless or have thoughts of self-harm
Your emotions are interfering with work, relationships, or daily life
You’re unsure whether it’s PMDD, depression, or both
You deserve professional support. Mental health is just as important as physical health—and hormonal mood disorders are real.

Natural Relief for PMS and PMDD from Cycle Sisters Apothecary
Once I realized my symptoms were hormonal, I began studying herbalism, cycle syncing, and plant medicine. That journey led me to create Cycle Sisters Apothecary—and it’s where your healing can begin, too.
Our Most-Loved Natural Remedies for Mental Health:

Cycle Sync 4 Pack:
A 1-month supply of 4 tinctures, one for each menstrual phase, each individually crafted to support the unique needs of each phase. When taken consistently, the 4 pack works together all month long to support the endocrine, liver and nervous systems, to balance hormones and to prevent and ease mood swings. The 4 pack addresses the root of PMS & PMDD mood swings, so hormonal balance can take 6-8 weeks to feel.


A fast-acting tincture to calm the mind and the body in anxious, irritable or down moments, especially the 2 weeks leading up to your period. Calm can be felt as quickly as 5 minutes of an anxious moment.

Reset your hormones in 2 months, and experience immediate relief with 3 fast acting tinctures. This best-value bundle kit offers both root-cause targeting preventative care, as well as fast-acting symptom targeting immediate relief. It includes a 2-month supply of the Cycle Sync 4 Pack. Since hormonal balance may take 6-8 weeks to feel, we have included 3 FREE fast acting tinctures to support symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, mood swings, insomnia and cramps.
Final Thoughts from Suzie
If you’re asking yourself, “Is it depression? Anxiety? PMS? PMDD?”—know that you’re not crazy, broken, or alone. I’ve been there. I am you. And once I began honoring my cycle and supporting my hormones naturally, everything changed.
Mental health and menstrual health are deeply connected. This Mental Health Awareness Month, give yourself permission to explore that connection with compassion and curiosity.
You don’t have to suffer every month. Relief is possible. Healing is possible. And we’re here to walk beside you.

With love and herbal wisdom,
Suzie
Founder, Cycle Sisters Apothecary
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