The Cost of Suffering From PMDD: A Mother's Story of Her Daughter's Struggle

Wondering what PMDD is after reading the title? You're likely in good company. Although Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) affects between 3 and 4 million women in the US, it is still a relatively unknown disorder that is often misdiagnosed.
To help us understand what PMDD is and how it impacts women and their families, Marybeth Bohn joins Robin for this important episode. Marybeth's daughter, Christina, battled PMDD for more than a decade before Marybeth helped lead doctors to her diagnosis. This episode gives listeners a front-row seat to a young woman's struggle and a mother's worst nightmare.
Special Guest:
Marybeth Bohn has been advocating for PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) since she lost her daughter, Christina Elizabeth Bohn, to suicide in 2021 due to the disorder. The thought of others suffering as her daughter did for 10 to 15 years before receiving a correct diagnosis motivates Marybeth to keep speaking out. She speaks publicly about PMDD to increase awareness and to reduce the time in getting an accurate diagnosis. She has spoken at the University of Missouri, Postpartum Support International Climb Out of the Darkness Walk, Missouri House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Reform, Women’s Mental Health Conference at Yale, NIH Prevention in Focus Webinar, and many other venues. In 2023, she worked with the Missouri State Legislature to pass a bill for having an annual PMDD Awareness Day on October 2nd, which is Christina’s birthday. Missouri is the first state in the U.S. to officially have a PMDD Awareness Day.

Marybeth serves as vice president of the Board of Directors for the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD) and has actively served as a PMDD Champion. After Christina's death, Marybeth retired from the University of Missouri to focus on increasing awareness of PMDD.
To learn more about PMDD, go to the presentation Marybeth mentions in the show:
https://www.prevention.nih.gov/education-training/prevention-focus-webinars/it-more-pms-learn-about-pmdd