---
title: Do anxiety, anger, and depression increase before a woman's period?
description: Yes, clearly. Women with PMS had clear increases in anxiety, anger, and depression at different parts of their cycle. Those with the most obvious PMS had the
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/emotional-changes-within-the-menstrual-cycle-anxiety-anger-and-depression-1989/
---

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- Do anxiety, anger, and depression increase before a woman's period?

Survey study, 1989

# Do anxiety, anger, and depression increase before a woman's period?

Yes, clearly. Women with PMS had clear increases in anxiety, anger, and depression at different parts of their cycle. Those with the most obvious PMS had the strongest increases.

 Moderate study design

844 women

## What they did

844 women filled out questionnaires measuring anxiety, anger, depression, and other symptoms on days 12, 18, 22, and 26 of their menstrual cycle. Researchers divided women into groups based on how much their symptoms changed across the cycle.

## What they found

Women with very clear PMS showed large, clear increases in anxiety, anger, and depression over the cycle. The group with moderately clear PMS also showed increases. The relationship between PMS symptoms and emotional changes was stronger than the relationship between personality traits and these emotions.

## What it means for you

Anxiety, anger, and depression clearly increase before the period in women with PMS. These mood changes are more related to the cycle than to personality, suggesting the cycle itself drives these symptoms. Symptoms were measured at multiple points in the cycle, which is stronger than asking women to remember. However, women filled out questionnaires rather than being directly observed.

844

women in study

4

assessment points across menstrual cycle

## About the study

Original title Emotional changes within the menstrual cycle: anxiety, anger and depression Authors Henk M. van der Ploeg, Ralf Schwarzer Journal Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology Year 1989 Study design Survey study Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/01674828909016699](https://doi.org/10.3109/01674828909016699)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)

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