Understanding PMS, PMDD, and Mental Health | Blush & Bloom Podcast | Ep. 13 with Ananya, Founder of HealCycle

Asele Team
4 days ago
4 min read

When it comes to women’s health, PMS is one of the most recognized and joked about parts of the menstrual cycle. But there’s another condition that’s rarely talked about, often misunderstood, and sometimes dismissed even by doctors: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).

PMDD is more than “bad PMS.” It’s a severe, hormone-related mood disorder that can cause crippling anxiety, depression, fatigue, and even suicidal thoughts. Despite affecting up to 1 in 20 women, it is still underdiagnosed and underdiscussed.

In this episode of Blush & Bloom, I spoke with Ananya Grover, a computer science and cognitive science graduate, menstrual health activist, and founder of HealCycle — a hormonal mental health app that helps women track, understand, and manage PMS, PMDD, and cycle-related mood disorders.

From leading school campaigns on period positivity to giving a TED Talk, and now building a femtech company, Ananya has made it her mission to give women better tools, knowledge, and support around their cycles.

In This Episode, We Cover

✨ The difference between PMS and PMDD, and why PMDD is often overlooked

✨ The deep link between menstrual health and mental health

✨ Why data and symptom tracking matter for diagnosis and self-advocacy

✨ The importance of privacy — including HealCycle’s end-to-end encryption

✨ Meet Tara, the AI companion designed to listen and support

✨ Expanding cycle conversations to menopause, PCOS, and beyond

✨ How to join HealCycle’s pilot study with AthenaDAO

PMS vs. PMDD: Why Awareness Matters

Many women know PMS , bloating, cramps, mood swings, but few have heard of PMDD.

Ananya describes PMS as a “syndrome” with over 150 possible symptoms ranging from headaches to irritability. For most women, it’s manageable. For others, it’s severe.

PMDD, however, is a step further. It doesn’t just involve physical discomfort; it’s marked by intense mental health symptoms: anxiety, depressive episodes, and in some cases, suicidal ideation. These symptoms appear in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (right before bleeding begins) and then disappear once the period starts.

So why is PMDD so often overlooked?

Until 2013, it wasn’t even listed as a formal disorder in the DSM-5 (the diagnostic manual for psychologists).
Both menstrual health and mental health are stigmatized topics, making PMDD sit at the intersection of two taboos.
Pop culture and healthcare systems tend to lump everything under “PMS,” leaving many women without answers.

Ananya emphasizes: “For women with PMDD, this isn’t just a bad mood. It’s a treatable condition. But without awareness, diagnosis is delayed, and women are left to suffer in silence.”

Building HealCycle: Tech + Empathy

Ananya’s path to HealCycle started early — leading period positivity campaigns in her teens, later turning those lessons into a TED Talk.

But it was her studies in computer science and cognitive science that gave her the tools to merge technology with psychology.

HealCycle is more than a period tracker. It’s built to help women track mood, symptoms, and severity with a simple, emoji-based interface. That data becomes evidence women can take to their doctors, helping them advocate for proper care.

Beyond tracking, the app provides:

Daily affirmations & guided meditations tailored to each cycle phase
CBT and DBT tools to reframe negative thought patterns and manage emotions
Mood journaling to reflect on patterns over time
Summaries and insights that show correlations between mood, symptoms, and cycle phases

This mix of science-backed therapy and easy-to-use design gives women practical support in moments they need it most.

Tara: An AI Companion With Boundaries

One of HealCycle’s standout features is Tara, the app’s AI companion.

Tara isn’t a therapist or a doctor. Instead, she’s designed to be a non-judgmental listener and a guide for women who might not know where to turn.

Tara can answer basic questions, suggest calming exercises, and offer emotional support.
The team gave Tara the form of a jellyfish, a conscious choice to avoid presenting it as a “big sister” or human-like figure — helping users maintain healthy boundaries with the AI.
Conversations with Tara are encrypted, and women can even opt into end-to-end encryption so that no one, not even HealCycle’s team, can access their chats.

In a world where women’s health data is often mishandled, this focus on privacy and ethics sets HealCycle apart.

Beyond PMS and PMDD

While HealCycle’s starting point is PMS and PMDD, women with PCOS, those undergoing IVF, and women entering perimenopause are already finding value in the app.

Each of these phases comes with hormonal shifts that deeply affect mental health. Yet, these links are rarely discussed.

As Ananya explains: “Men run on a 24-hour cycle. Women’s bodies run on a 28–45 day cycle. That affects energy, productivity, nutrition, and mental health. We deserve tools that respect that rhythm.”

This broader vision reflects HealCycle’s mission: to expand from symptom tracking into wearable integrations, therapeutic devices, and more holistic cycle care.

Breaking Stigma, Building Awareness

Ananya has seen firsthand how powerful awareness can be. After giving workshops and talks on PMDD, women often approached her saying, “I thought it was just me.” Others shared stories of delayed diagnoses or being dismissed with blanket advice like “just lose weight” or “it’s part of being a woman.”

Through HealCycle, she wants to change this narrative. By combining data, psychology, and empathetic design, she’s showing that menstrual mental health is not only real but deserves the same respect and resources as any other health condition.

About Our Guest: Ananya

Ananya Grover is a computer science and cognitive science graduate, menstrual health activist, and founder of HealCycle, a hormonal mental health app. Recognized for her TED Talk on period positivity, she brings together her activism and technical background to create tools that help women better understand and advocate for their health.