---
title: Do women with agoraphobia experience worse anxiety before their period?
description: Yes, just over half of the women with agoraphobia in this study experienced worse anxiety before their period.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/agoraphobia-with-panic-attacks-development-diagnostic-stability-and-course-of-1986/
---

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- Do women with agoraphobia experience worse anxiety before their period?

Study, 1986

# Do women with agoraphobia experience worse anxiety before their period?

Yes, just over half of the women with agoraphobia in this study experienced worse anxiety before their period.

 Early or limited evidence

55 patients with agoraphobia with panic attacks and 5 with panic disorder (findings about premenstrual changes are for female patients)

## What they did

Researchers used a structured psychiatric interview to examine the symptom history of 55 patients with agoraphobia with panic attacks and 5 patients with panic disorder.

## What they found

51% of female agoraphobics experienced premenstrual exacerbation of anxiety symptoms. 80% had anticipatory or generalized anxiety, and 70% had depression.

## What it means for you

If you have agoraphobia, your anxiety might get worse before your period. This study focused mainly on agoraphobia rather than premenstrual syndrome, so the finding is limited. The total group of 55 included both men and women, so it's unclear exactly how many were women.

51%

of female agoraphobics with premenstrual anxiety exacerbation

80%

with anticipatory or generalized anxiety

70%

with depression

## About the study

Original title Agoraphobia with panic attacks. Development, diagnostic stability, and course of illness Authors Breier A, Charney DS, Heninger GR Journal Archives of general psychiatry Year 1986 Study design Study Participants 55 What was tested None—this was an observational study examining existing symptom patterns. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1986.01800110015003](https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1986.01800110015003)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Anxiety disorders and OCD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-anxiety-disorders/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)

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.

## Related studies

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Survey study, 2004

How common is PMS and premenstrual worsening of psychiatric symptoms in women with mental health disorders?

Survey study, 2001

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Non-randomised trial, 2008

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Study, 2026

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