Navigating the menstrual landscapes: From the darkness to the light

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) and its impact on the author's sense of self in relationship with others socially and psychologically. Autoethnography was used to explore personal cultural history, investigating aspects of trauma in early life and its links with the author's identity. The author's difficult experience of fitting in with her peer group triggered this exploration. Through questioning personal discourses and the self in the social and historical context, valuable connections were found between the experience of PMDD and trauma. The data were gathered and reflexively analysed simultaneously. A layered account, a format of autoethnography, demonstrates the different voices of the author—weaving memories, insights, and theory to offer the reader a flowing account. The autoethnographic journey allowed the author to witness the process of constructing and reconstructing her identity as a woman, ending with final reflections on her experience of the research process.