--- title: How common are suicidal thoughts and self-harm in people with PMDD? description: Very high: 72% reported lifetime suicidal thoughts, 49% reported planning, 42% reported intent, 40% preparing for an attempt, 34% attempted suicide, and 51% r url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/prevalence-of-lifetime-self-injurious-thoughts-and-behaviors-in-a-global-sample-2020/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How common are suicidal thoughts and self-harm in people with PMDD? Survey study, 2020 # How common are suicidal thoughts and self-harm in people with PMDD? Very high: 72% reported lifetime suicidal thoughts, 49% reported planning, 42% reported intent, 40% preparing for an attempt, 34% attempted suicide, and 51% reported self-harm. Most also had other mental health diagnoses. Early or limited evidence 599 people with provider-diagnosed PMDD based on 2 months of daily ratings, recruited from online support groups and social media globally ## What they did Researchers surveyed 2,689 people with self-reported PMDD from online support groups and social media. 599 had a provider diagnosis of PMDD based on 2 months of daily ratings. They asked about lifetime suicidal and self-harm thoughts and behaviors using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. ## What they found Among the 599 with provider-diagnosed PMDD: 72% had lifetime suicidal ideation, 49% had planning, 42% had intent, 40% had preparing for attempt, 34% had attempted suicide, and 51% had non-suicidal self-injury. 70% had at least one other psychiatric diagnosis. Predictors of suicidal thoughts included not having children, low-to-moderate income, and history of depression or PTSD. Predictors of attempts included older age, not having children, lower income, and PTSD or borderline personality disorder. ## What it means for you PMDD can be associated with serious mental health risks. This is a global sample but was self-selected from online support groups, so may include people more severely affected. Many had other mental health conditions, making it unclear what comes from PMDD alone. 599 people with provider-diagnosed PMDD 72% with suicidal ideation 51% with self-harm ## About the study Original title Prevalence of Lifetime Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors in a Global Sample of 599 Patients Reporting Prospectively Confirmed Diagnosis with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Authors Tory Anne Eisenlohr-Moul, Madeline Divine Year 2020 Study design Survey study Participants 2,689 What was tested None (online survey) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/zfmbg](https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/zfmbg) Original abstract Background: Suicide is the second leading cause of death among Americans ages 10 to 34. Recent increases in suicide rates among those assigned female at birth are particularly alarming. A large body of evidence points to menstrual cycle influences on self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (STBs), suggesting that neurobiological hormone sensitivities such as those observed in premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) may drive risk for suicide in females. However, existing studies of the prevalence of STBs in PMDD have used cross-sectional self-report measures of PMDD with poor validity. As a first step to establishing more accurate prevalence rates of STBs in PMDD, we examined the lifetime prevalence of STBs in a large global survey of patients reporting a diagnosis of PMDD based on daily ratings. Method: Individuals with self-reported PMDD symptoms were invited to an online survey through online support groups for PMDD and social media posts from accounts focused on PMDD awareness and information. Participants reported on demographics, whether they had been diagnosed with PMDD by a healthcare provider using daily ratings, STBs using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, and history of various lifetime comorbid psychiatric diagnoses. Results: 2,689 unique participants completed the survey. Of those, 599 (23%) reported a provider diagnosis with PMDD based on two months of daily ratings and were included in analyses. We observed high rates of lifetime active suicidal ideation (72%), planning (49%), intent (42%), preparing for an attempt (40%), and attempt (34%), as well as non-suicidal self-injury (51%). The majority (70%) of the sample reported at least one lifetime comorbid psychiatric diagnosis by a medical provider. STB rates were only slightly attenuated among those reporting no history of diagnosed psychiatric comorbidities (i.e., PMDD only). Predictors of lifetime suicidal ideation included nulliparity, low-to-moderate (vs. high) income, and history of diagnosis with major depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Predictors of lifetime attempts among those reporting lifetime ideation included older age, nulliparity, lower income, and history of diagnosis with post-traumatic stress disorder or borderline personality disorder.Conclusions: These data indicate high rates of STBs among those reporting prospective medical diagnosis of PMDD and highlight the need for more prospective research on mechanisms and prevention of STBs in PMDD. Clinical practice guidelines for PMDD should accommodate comorbidities and recommend frequent screenings for STB risk. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors should be considered for inclusion in future iterations of the DSM PMDD diagnostic criteria. Reproduced under public-domain. ## Topics [Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Reproductive hormone sensitivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-hormone-sensitivity/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Suicidality](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-suicidality/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Borderline personality disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bpd/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[PTSD and trauma](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ptsd-trauma/) 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 Cohort study, 2022 How common are suicidal thoughts and self-harm in people with PMDD? Review, 2000 What conditions beyond depression can antidepressants treat? Study, 2026 Could early stress or past trauma make PMDD symptoms worse later in the cycle? Review, 2023 How does the stress response system affect depression during reproductive stages like PMDD? Case report, 2017 Can a combined oral contraceptive pill help PMDD in women who also have depression or anxiety? Survey study, 2015 Does changing hormones during menopause cause depression? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗