Help! I've just found out my mother is an alcoholic, but is alcoholism the only problem?

My name is Amber, and I myself am not an alcoholic. My mother, however, has been an alcoholic for my entire life and I just found this out recently. She's taken major steps in hiding her alcoholism from my sister and I but the unavoidable happened. Though I don't know much about her alcoholism just yet, I've asked doctors if the trigger might possibly be PMDD. The doctor who specializes in women and the effects that such a disorder might have told me that PMDD could absolutely be a trigger in my mother's alcoholic fits. She will only drink every few months, but every time she does it's a few days before and during her menstrual cycle. For as long as she has been drinking she absolutely refuses to seek any professional help. Her first marriage crumbled because of this, and now her second with my step father is nearly over as well.
I just wish to talk to someone to help me with guidance. I'm completely lost at how to approach her and tell her that this problem that she's been having for over twenty years might just be set off by a chemical imbalance. It would really help me if I could talk to someone that I knew might be having or had the same problem as my mother. I implore you to read this knowing that the woman who has taken care of me for seventeen years is now in dire need of my help. Please, please help me.

Hi sweetie. I'm not sure how to help, but I can try. This is obviously a very difficult subject. Can you discuss medication options with the doctor to see what can be done to help her PMDD, or other hormone imbalance issues? Get some information and then talk to your mom. Let her know that you love her and want to support her to make sure she's as happy and healthy as can be. And that you want her to be in your life for a long time to come so you hope she'll take her health seriously and try to see if medication can help with the imbalance.

You probably also need to let her know you'll support her through this all. I'm wondering if she could go to counseling or treatment for the alcoholism as well.

She's very lucky to have a daughter who cares for her and wants to help her. You both have a long, rough road ahead but I hope you'll get through it all together.