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Hormonal Therapy and PMS

Premenstrual Syndrome, or PMS, refers to a number of emotional and physical symptoms that many women experience during the five to 10 days prior to menstruation. Though PMS symptoms usually stop when menstrual bleeding begins, they increase in severity with age and can be quite painful for some women. It is estimated that between 50 percent and 60 percent of women experience PMS symptoms that are debilitating, limiting their function at work and at home and causing mood swings and depression.

At The Orchid, we recognize that women dealing with PMS symptoms are at a disadvantage when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction recovery. If stressful situations are already a problem, women who then deal with PMS may feel pushed over the edge into relapse. To address this situation, The Orchid created a unique program called Hormonal Therapy. In Hormonal Therapy, guests of our program learn what to expect from their bodies, map and chart their responses to hormonal fluctuations and learn how to plan for the individual symptoms they experience.

PMS Symptoms

Not all women experience PMS symptoms, but about half of all women not only have PMS during their cycle but many experience extremely severe symptoms as a result. Some of the symptoms related to PMS include:

  • Backaches
  • Abdominal cramps, fullness or pain
  • Muscle spasms and cramps
  • Breast tenderness
  • Anxiety or depression
  • Irritability and mood swings
  • Weight gain and water retention
  • Confusion and forgetfulness
  • Acne
  • Constipation or diarrhea
  • Nausea

The Effect of PMS on Drug Addiction Recovery

When you don’t feel well and your response is hostile to even the smallest stimuli, ordinary triggers that tempt you to relapse will feel magnified and overwhelming. Attempting to self-medicate PMS with drugs and alcohol is a commonly cited reason for relapse among women in recovery. It can be difficult for the woman enduring the symptoms and the people around her. Problems in relationships, at work and at home can result – all common triggers for relapse, as well. The best way to keep the effects of PMS symptoms on recovery to a minimum is Hormonal Therapy provided exclusively at The Orchid.

Treating PMS Symptoms Through Hormonal Therapy

There are a number of ways that you can mitigate the effect of PMS symptoms; learning how to do so naturally it’s one of the foci of treatment during Hormonal Therapy. Here are a few tips to help you keep PMS symptoms to a minimum:

  • Getting enough sleep each night will help you better handle irritations
  • Exercising regularly will increase your mood and lessen bloating
  • Meditate and do yoga to limit stress
  • Avoid known stressful situations and people
  • Eat more protein and calcium in your diet
  • Take appropriate supplements and herbal remedies
  • Don’t smoke
  • Take appropriate OTC medications as indicated

Hormonal Therapy offers women in recovery with a number of ways to handle PMS during recovery. Contact us at The Orchid to learn more about Hormonal Therapy and our holistic drug and alcohol rehab designed for women.

Further Reading

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