Abstract
One form of support-seeking behavior can be found in online communities, spaces for users to read and share in their own words. We sought to understand how members of “r/PMDD,” an online community focused on premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), interface with others by posting information, sharing personal narratives, and asking for advice. Top posts were analyzed using thematic decomposition, and four major themes emerged: (1) construction of PMDD as an “other” self-state, (2) diagnosis as complicated, (3) online camaraderie, and (4) agency gained through knowledge. Findings highlight both the ways in which premenstrual distress remains stigmatized and misunderstood within social and medical realms, as well as the important role that online communities can play to fill in the gaps of social support and information-sharing.
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