Study, 1986
Do women with PMS have more mental health conditions than other women?
Yes. Women seeking treatment for PMS have higher rates of depression-like mood disorders, extreme fears (phobias), obsessive-compulsive patterns, and alcohol or drug abuse compared to women in the general population.
What they did
The study gave 223 women from a PMS clinic and 923 women from the general community the same structured interview to diagnose mental health conditions. Both groups were from the same age range and geographic area.
What they found
Women from the PMS clinic more often had depression-like mood disorders, phobias, obsessive-compulsive patterns, and alcohol or drug abuse problems compared to community women.
What it means for you
Women who seek help for PMS are more likely to also have certain mental health conditions related to mood, anxiety, and substance use. However, it's unclear whether PMS causes these conditions, whether these conditions make PMS worse, or whether the way doctors categorize mental health doesn't match what's really happening with PMS.
223
women from PMS clinic
923
women from community
About the study
- Original title
- Comparison of lifetime psychiatric diagnoses in Premenstrual Syndrome Clinic and community samples
- Authors
- Stout AL, Steege JF, Blazer DG et al.
- Journal
- The Journal of nervous and mental disease
- Year
- 1986
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 923
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1097/00005053-198609000-00002
Topics
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