In this episode, Stacey is joined by 21-year-old Katie Cook, the voice behind The PMDD Diary, for an honest, raw, and powerful conversation about living with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) — a severe hormone-based mood disorder that affects millions of women, yet barely anyone talks about.

From the age of 12, Katie knew something wasn't right. She suffered crippling mood swings, heavy painful periods, and a level of anxiety and emotional pain she couldn't put into words. But every time she asked for help, she was told the same thing: "You're just a teenager. It's normal. You'll grow out of it."

For nearly nine years, Katie was dismissed by doctors, even by a gynaecologist who wrote her off in five minutes on a video call. She started to believe she was the problem. That she was "just dramatic." That maybe she really was crazy.

It wasn't until she was 18, sitting in a GP's office refusing to leave without an answer, that the words premenstrual dysphoric disorder were finally spoken — and her whole life made sense.

In this episode, Katie shares:

• What PMDD actually is (and why every woman needs to know about it)
• The emotional toll of being dismissed by medical professionals for almost a decade
• How she went from hiding her condition to running 10k and raising over £1,000 for the PMDD Project
• Why she shows up on her platform with no makeup, in tears, no shower — and why that rawness matters
• The advice she'd give her 13-year-old self
• A message for every parent watching their daughter struggle behind a closed bedroom door

This one is for the women who've been told "it's all in your head." For the mums trying to understand their daughters. For anyone who's ever felt like a burden when really, they just needed someone to sit beside them and ask if they wanted a cup of tea.

Katie's story is a reminder: you are not crazy, you are not alone, and you absolutely have to advocate for yourself.

Connect with Katie: Follow Katie on TikTok and Instagram: @pmdddiary_

Resources mentioned: The PMDD Project — research, advocacy, and awareness for PMDD