---
title: Can severe depression linked to the menstrual cycle be treated?
description: Yes. One woman with severe psychotic depression that happened every month before her period improved completely with bupropion medication after many other tre
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/a-case-of-monthly-unipolar-psychotic-depression-with-suicide-attempt-by-self-1992/
---

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- Can severe depression linked to the menstrual cycle be treated?

Case report, 1992

# Can severe depression linked to the menstrual cycle be treated?

Yes. One woman with severe psychotic depression that happened every month before her period improved completely with bupropion medication after many other treatments failed.

 Early or limited evidence

26-year-old woman with severe cycle-linked psychotic depression

## What they did

Case report of a 26-year-old woman whose severe depression started after giving birth and then occurred every month before her period for 33 consecutive months. She had attempted suicide by self-burning and had tried various antidepressants, antipsychotics, and hormone treatments without improvement.

## What they found

When given bupropion combined with low-dose trifluoperazine, she had immediate and complete remission of symptoms. This improvement continued when checked at 16-month follow-up.

## What it means for you

Bupropion may help women with severe cycle-linked psychiatric symptoms when other treatments fail. However, this is one case of a dangerous condition requiring emergency hospital care. The response to this medication may not happen in other women. Women with severe monthly psychiatric symptoms need urgent medical evaluation.

33

consecutive months of depression before her period

16

months of sustained improvement at follow-up

## About the study

Original title A case of monthly unipolar psychotic depression with suicide attempt by self-burning: selective response to bupropion treatment Authors Schenck CH, Mandell M, Lewis GM Journal Comprehensive psychiatry Year 1992 Study design Case report What was tested Bupropion and low-dose trifluoperazine Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/0010-440x(92)90044-q](https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-440x(92)90044-q)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Suicidality](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-suicidality/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Schizophrenia and psychosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-psychosis/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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