Decoding PMS and PMDD with Dr. Ruta Nonacs
What happens to a woman’s mental health when she experiences a major hormonal shift and what can she actually do about it? Dr. Ruta Nonacs is a reproductive psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. Her work sits at the intersection of hormonal health and women’s mental well being.
We break down how changes across a woman’s reproductive life—from PMS and PMDD to perimenopause and beyond—can affect mood, anxiety, and emotional health. Dr. Nonacs also walks us through treatment options, and when to seek help.
Links to resources mentioned in this episode:
Dr. Ruta Nonacs: https://researchers.mgh.harvard.edu/profile/14143654/Ruta-Nonacs
So Glad You Asked with Dr. Ruta Nonacs and Allie Hales: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/so-glad-you-asked-with-dr-ruta-nonacs-and-allie-hales/id1802653992
Essential Reads: Ovarian Suppression for the Treatment of Severe PMDD: https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/essential-reads-ovarian-suppression-for-the-treatment-of-severe-pmdd/
Chasteberry: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/chasteberry
Co-administration of St. John’s wort and hormonal contraceptives: a systematic review: https://www.contraceptionjournal.org/article/S0010-7824(16)30164-0/abstract
Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.
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Meet the Host
Dr. Elizabeth Poynor
Chair of Women’s Health & Gynecology at the Atria Health and Research Institute.
Dr. Elizabeth Poynor, host of Decoding Women’s Health, is a gynecologic oncologist, an advanced pelvic surgeon, and an expert in midlife women’s health. To investigate all manner of women’s health issues, she blends her background in complex surgical and medical issues with a holistic approach that incorporates leading-edge science and integrative medicine.