--- title: What substances do people use to manage premenstrual symptoms? description: People most commonly use cannabis, alcohol, and psychedelics to manage premenstrual mood symptoms. People with PMDD use cannabis much more often than others, url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/cannabis-psychedelics-and-other-substance-use-to-manage-premenstrual-symptoms-a-2026/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - What substances do people use to manage premenstrual symptoms? Survey study, 2026 # What substances do people use to manage premenstrual symptoms? People most commonly use cannabis, alcohol, and psychedelics to manage premenstrual mood symptoms. People with PMDD use cannabis much more often than others, but we don't yet know how well these substances actually work. Early or limited evidence 634 people age 18+ with a menstrual cycle in the past year (167 with PMDD) ## What they did An online survey asked 703 people age 18 and older about their use of various substances to manage premenstrual or perimenopausal symptoms. 634 people reported having a menstrual cycle in the past year and were included in the analysis. ## What they found Of the 634 people with a recent menstrual cycle, 167 had PMDD. To manage premenstrual mood symptoms: 30% used cannabis, 16.1% used alcohol, and 5.9% used psychedelics. In the PMDD group, higher percentages were reported: 51.5% used cannabis and 16.2% used psychedelics. In the 45 people with perimenopausal symptoms, cannabis was the most frequently used substance. ## What it means for you This is the first study to examine psychedelic use across the menstrual cycle. Many people use these substances to manage symptoms, but this study was based on what people remembered and reported, not a controlled test. We still need research to show how well these substances actually work for premenstrual symptoms. 30.0% used cannabis for premenstrual mood symptoms 51.5% used cannabis in the PMDD group 5.9% used psychedelics for premenstrual mood symptoms ## About the study Original title Cannabis, Psychedelics, and Other Substance Use to Manage Premenstrual Symptoms: A Survey Study Authors Nazareth M, Paone V, Yaden ME et al. Journal Journal of women's health (2002) Year 2026 Study design Survey study Participants 167 What was tested Self-reported use of cannabis, alcohol, psychedelics, and other substances Read the paper [doi.org/10.1177/15409996261459360](https://doi.org/10.1177/15409996261459360) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiolytics and other psychotropics](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-anxiolytics/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)[Perimenopause and menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-perimenopause/) 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 Study, 2009 Can the standard mental health diagnostic interview assess PMS and PMDD adequately? Cohort study, 2001 Do women with PMDD who have never had depression differ from those who have? Survey study, 2001 How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how is it related to other psychiatric conditions? Survey study, 2000 Why do women get more anxious when hormone levels drop? Review, 2000 Do antidepressants work differently for women, and can they help PMDD? Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗