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News / Turning Loss Into Awareness: My Journey Advocating for PMDD

Turning Loss Into Awareness: My Journey Advocating for PMDD

Published May 14, 2026

Who I Am and Why This Work Matters

My name is Marybeth Bohn, and I am a PMDD awareness advocate and co-founder of the Christina Bohn Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing awareness of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and premenstrual exacerbation (PME). My husband, Steve, and I stepped into this work after losing our daughter, Christina, to suicide in 2021 at the age of 33. For 11 years, she was misdiagnosed and treated for depression and anxiety, never receiving the care she truly needed. In the final year of her life, we cared for her in our home and witnessed severe, cyclical suffering that even her doctors did not recognize as PMDD until just months before she died. Since then, we have committed our lives to raising awareness so that others can be diagnosed earlier and receive compassionate, informed care. 

What Is PMDD?

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a severe, cyclical, hormone-based mood disorder. It occurs when the brain has an abnormal reaction to the natural hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle, particularly during the luteal phase — the time between ovulation and menstruation. Unlike what many people think of as “bad PMS,” PMDD can cause debilitating emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioral symptoms that disrupt daily life, relationships and work. A key feature is its timing: symptoms improve shortly after menstruation begins. PMDD also is associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, which makes early recognition critically important. A related condition, PME, involves the worsening of existing conditions — such as depression, anxiety, ADHD or migraines — during this same phase of the cycle. 

Christina’s Story

Christina was a bright, accomplished and deeply loved woman. She was a thoracic ICU nurse, a wife and a mother of two, and she spent more than a decade trying to understand what was happening to her. On her birthday in 2020, she went to the emergency room feeling suicidal and was admitted. The next morning, after her period began overnight, she told her provider she felt much better — but the connection to PMDD was missed. Over the following year, she lived with us and spent more than 100 cumulative days in behavioral health units, experiencing worsening symptoms including suicide attempts, panic, delusions, brain fog and profound fatigue. In July 2021, after another hospitalization, I searched “menstrual psychosis” and, for the first time, everything made sense. We believed we were finally on the path to helping her heal, but just three months later, on Nov. 3, 2021, Christina died by suicide. 

What I Wish People Knew About PMDD

I wish more people understood that PMDD is real, severe and, in some cases, life-threatening. It is not “just PMS,” and it can profoundly affect every aspect of a person’s life, including their safety. If someone suspects they may have PMDD, I encourage them to track their symptoms alongside their menstrual cycle for at least two months and share that information with a knowledgeable health care provider. This might include an OB-GYN, psychiatrist, primary care provider or reproductive psychiatrist — any clinician willing to listen, learn and take the pattern seriously. Early diagnosis must be paired with understanding, compassion and appropriate care. 

The Christina Bohn Foundation

In 2024, Steve and I founded the Christina Bohn Foundation after recognizing just how little awareness exists about PMDD and PME. Our mission is to bring hope and lifesaving awareness while fostering earlier diagnosis, understanding and support. Since Christina’s death, we have spoken at conferences, universities, state offices, churches, companies and community events, and we offer private educational presentations for individuals and families. We were honored to help Missouri establish the nation’s first PMDD Awareness Day on Christina’s birthday, Oct. 2. Each year, we also host the Christina Bohn Memorial 5K for PMDD Awareness, along with an evening gathering for women with PMDD, health care professionals and educators. Through our website, printed materials, social media and videos, we continue working to reach as many people as possible. 

How You Can Help Raise Awareness

There are many ways people can help raise awareness and better understand PMDD. Learning the difference between PMS, PMDD and PME is an important first step, followed by sharing accurate information within your community — whether that’s with family, friends, health care providers, schools, workplaces or faith groups. Simply talking about PMDD can be incredibly powerful. Awareness leads to recognition, and recognition can lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes. Since Christina’s death, we have distributed more than 65,000 informational cards, and we believe every conversation creates a ripple effect that may reach someone who has been suffering in silence. Supporting organizations like the Christina Bohn Foundation is another meaningful way to help carry Christina’s legacy forward. 

Resources & Ways to Get Involved

Every effort to raise awareness brings us one step closer to a world where no one suffers from PMDD without being seen, heard and properly cared for. 

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