Cohort study, 2024
Does the menstrual cycle affect daily changes in suicidal thoughts?
Yes, for women with suicidal ideation. They had worse suicidal thoughts and planning during certain menstrual cycle phases, particularly around menstruation, driven mainly by depression and hopelessness.
What they did
119 psychiatric outpatients with recent suicidal ideation tracked 11 psychiatric symptoms (depression, hopelessness, anxiety, anger, rejection sensitivity, feeling of burden, and others) daily for at least one complete menstrual cycle. Five cycle phases were identified based on menstruation and ovulation timing.
What they found
Nearly all psychiatric symptoms covaried with daily suicidal ideation. Depression, hopelessness, rejection sensitivity, and perceived burdensomeness predicted within-person increases in suicidal planning. Many women showed perimenstrual worsening of psychiatric symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicidal planning.
What it means for you
For women with suicidal thoughts, the menstrual cycle influences day-to-day suicide risk, mainly through changes in depression and hopelessness. This is the first large study showing this pattern, but the findings only apply to women in psychiatric care with recent suicidal ideation, so we don't know if it's the same for other women.
119
psychiatric outpatients with recent suicidal ideation
11
psychiatric symptoms tracked daily
5
menstrual cycle phases identified
About the study
- Original title
- Predicting Acute Changes in Suicidal Ideation and Planning: A Longitudinal Study of Symptom Mediators and the Role of the Menstrual Cycle in Female Psychiatric Outpatients With Suicidality
- Authors
- Ross JM, Barone JC, Tauseef H et al.
- Journal
- The American journal of psychiatry
- Year
- 2024
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 119
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.20230303
Topics
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