An eye-opening examination, part nonfiction and part memoir, of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Like many people who experience menstrual periods, I am very familiar with the hormonal ups and downs of PMS. However, PMDD is a more extreme type of PMS that can cause severe mental health symptoms. Gupta's careful combination of research and personal experience sheds a much-needed light on this disorder and its effects. An intriguing read for those who live with PMDD and for everyone else who needs to understand it.

A long-needed book that I’m sure affects more people than we know, especially as it’s frequently a comorbidity with other conditions. A good primer for those just learning about PMDD for the first time, or have been looking for language to advocate for their own treatment (plus tons of research and citations!) The only thing I would have liked to see was how PMDD frequently affects those who are neurodiverse (autistic or with ADHD, etc.) as a comorbidity, as is prevalent.

“The Cycle: Confronting the Pain of Periods & PMDD” by Shalene Gupta is joining the short list of books that I wish I had years ago but that I’m glad that I have now. The title is pretty self-explanatory to many like me who have been diagnosed with PMDD, but I think this book is just as valuable to those without PMDD as to those with disorder.

For context, PMDD is the abbreviation for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, which basically means that those with this disorder experience severe levels of what might be considered more common PMS symptoms. For me, it’s extreme depression right before every period & cramps so bad that I used to have to call out of work or stay home from school. Not terrible overall, but incredibly disruptive when it’s happening 12 times a year every year since I was 12 years old. But there’s really not enough known about PMDD & The Cycle aims to clear away at least some of the fog through historical context, what few medical/scientific studies exist, & various personal anecdotes from her own life & from many others. This is why I picked up the book - it was purely personal interest because most days I don’t feel like I know enough about the disorder & how it might impact myself & my life.

While I can’t relate to every experience shared in “The Cycle,” there were so many validating moments that I often had to pause my reading to process & cry. In Gupta’s own words, “…what is unnamed is frequently unknown.” And being able to name an experience, to be able to finally describe what it is that you’re experiencing is so incredibly liberating. While I received my diagnosis a few years ago, I still had many “OMG” moments while reading this book. I feel seen & validated. So often I feel lost in my diagnoses of PMDD & ADHD that I question what part is actually me & what part of me is just a fluctuation of hormones or brain chemicals.

Like with much in the medical world when it comes to disorders primarily associated with women, there isn’t a lot known about it. But Gupta shares comprehensive information based on what IS available currently. And Gupta’s vulnerability lets the reader be vulnerable themselves & that’s a true gift. While the book doesn’t necessarily provide answers (because some answers just don’t exist yet), it does provide a sense of self-understanding & comfort.

Thank you to NetGalley & Flatiron Books for providing a digital advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions expressed are my own.

I’m not really sure how I feel, or even think about this book.

As someone who has been diagnosed with PMDD, there really wasn’t much too surprising or enlightening for me. Nothing that wouldn’t change what I’m currently doing for myself.

I do believe that this book is well written for the lay person who has very little knowledge about PMDD and what it may entail. It allows for a first person account, and also ties in the experiences of others who suffer from this disorder. There are not enough books that are this relatively easy to read and digest about the female reproductive cycle and the things that those with ovaries and a uterus might suffer with.

I am very appreciative to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for allowing me to read this copy. I wish the very best for the author Shalene Gupta, and looking forward to seeing where her future takes her.

Shalene Gupta combines research and personal narrative to create this sincere and informative primer to premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD, and other forms of severe PMS. PMDD is little-known and infrequently diagnosed, but has intense effects and needs to be treated differently from other mental health issues. Researchers estimate that 3 to 8 percent of people who menstruate might have PMDD, which includes both physical and mental symptoms isolated to the luteal phase, the days before a period.

Gupta recounts the monthly spurts of rage that plagued her before she learned about PMDD, the wild oscillations in her mood, energy level, and relationships. Suicidal ideation is overwhelmingly common in people with PMDD. A diagnosis can be life-saving, but the journey to an effective treatment can be long. Gupta interviews both medical providers and many fellow patients to support her arguments.

Part of this is because there is so much stigma around menstruation and women’s mental health, let alone at the nexus between them. In several of the chapters, Gupta describes the complicated conversations about defining PMDD as a disorder at all. Many feminists felt that the idea of PMDD would allow for more discrimination against women (i.e. “She’s just PMS’ing!). Gupta focuses a lot on sexism against women, since that’s what’s animated a lot of the conversations about PMDD, but the book is also inclusive of trans people, who make up a significant fraction of Gupta’s interviewees.

Gupta also devotes a portion of the book to imagining what a world more inclusive of people with PMDD could be like. What would accommodations at work look like? How can friends and family create supportive structures? How can people with PMDD support each other—and how are they already doing it?

I loved this book!
I don't think I can say enough nice things about this title.
I genuinely enjoyed learning about PMDD in this way, and I even learned some things about myself.
This book and this author are doing their part in educating people about the stigma surrounding periods and putting an end to it, as well as starting a discussion about some of the problems and disorders that can potentially come along with it.
I cannot recommend this book enough to men and women alike.

Gupta has written a clear, incisive, and approachable book with The Cycle. She deftly interprets complex science, making it understandable for her audience. She also weaves together the personal, the scientific, and the sociology of the topic of PMDD in an impressive manner. This is a very important book and it should be on everyone's reading list.

This book is intense. I read it for myself, as I think I may have PMDD, but also for one of my best friends who I know has it.

There’s a lot of information here and it doesn’t always flow the best. I honestly think all the history should’ve been one section, and then maybe the testimonies of others experiences could’ve been blocked out more coherently, but overall the information is amazing. I am grateful for this book, it just felt very choppy and clunky to read. That being said, I will utilize this information to the best of my abilities, and I enjoyed it overall!

This is the first book I’ve ever come across that deals specifically with PMDD. Having read numerous books on women’s health, I’ve found that PMDD is usually an asterisk or a footnote in women’s health literature, so "The Cycle" was incredibly validating to read as someone who struggles with it myself. Part memoir and part expository science, Gupta takes us on a journey through the roller coaster of emotions and problems that someone with this ailment experiences, including diagnoses, treatment, and how PMDD impacts work and personal relationships through firsthand anecdotes. I think that having this subject matter in the form of a book is a fantastic tool to help explain this mood disorder to those who have a difficult time grasping the severity of it, because it’s not just “bad-PMS”.

Thank you to Shalene Gupta for writing such an important work, and thank you go NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this advanced copy. I will share this book with anyone and everyone who will listen.

How long have women been menstruating? Forever? And the lack of information on the cycle, the hormonal impact that it can have on the body month to month is astounding. This is an important book and a personal story that I am happy Shalene Gupta bravely shared. I did find it helpful for her to dig into the two side of the cycle debate- we need further help and support around this, and everything can't be blamed on our' 'crazy' cycle.
A well-researched and written educational memoir.

Thank you Netgalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC!

Very informative book. I feel like every woman should be reading this and recommending to her friends and family. I also feel like this book could start a much needed conversation that society as a whole needs to have. To many women are not taken seriously due to doctors dismissing their complaints. I am going to tell all my friends to get a copy of this book. Even if they don’t struggle with this themselves, chances are high they know someone who does. This book was very well written and not in an overly scientific way that is sometimes hard to follow.

5 glowing stars!

This book is IMPORTANT! I have never seen a book about menstrual cycles or PMDD before and I AM HERE FOR IT! It is shocking how much we do not know about women's health. It is so important for women's experiences to be talked about, validated, and supported. Shalene Gupta's book does this so eloquently.

Drawing from her own experiences with emotional turmoil and difficulties in everyday functioning each month, Gupta paints a clear picture of what it's like to experience PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). She identifies the struggles between mental health/psychiatry professionals and feminists, as the diagnosis is believed to put a strong stigma on women. Women are not crazy! There are legitimate biological factors at play. We can no longer ignore the lack of funding and treatment options for women's issues. Hormones are WILD and everyone should gain more knowledge and understanding in what kind of havoc they can wreak on mental health.

I enjoyed reading about Gupta's own experiences in relationships, as well as hearing from those she interviewed for her book. She is so vulnerable in what she shares and I appreciated it so much. There is a wealth of knowledge and resources in this book that I think will positively impact so many. Gupta also explores a lesser known diagnosis of PME (premenstrual exacerbation), which I believe will again be super validating to women. I plan to share this book with all the women I know.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this ARC! What a gem of a book.

This was an amazing book! I have PMDD myself and I have been looking for more info and a book that could guide me through this journey and make me feel like I am not so alone. I love that the author is so candid about her diagnosis and what led her there, going so far as to be very honest about things that might feel shameful or hard to talk about. She doesn't leave a stone unturned, talking about the stigma around it, the diagnosis process, treatment options and the history behind the disorder as well as societal responses to women and things that are pertinent to their bodies. I think a lot of people will read this and find that they can really resonate with what the author is saying, and will feel validated and like they are not the only person experiencing this. You will not feel like you are crazy anymore! Additionally, this wil help people experiencing these symptoms work up the courage to speak with their healthcare provider about this and hopefully get the help they need. It's a book I felt is life changing and highly recommend it.

Finally a book that will HELP a ton of women. No longer will we have to be silent about PMS related issues and mental health struggles. Thanks to Gupta for writing this helpful book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars. It's a helpful resource to understand what it's like to live with period-related ups and downs with depression, mood, etc. mixed with the author's personal accounts.