Survey study, 2021
Do women with PMDD use more cannabis premenstrually to cope with mood symptoms?
Yes, women with PMDD use more cannabis premenstrually and menstrually, driven by depressed mood and a desire to cope with negative feelings. Women with PMDD used significantly more cannabis overall than those without PMDD.
What they did
Observational study in Canada where 69 female cannabis users tracked their mood, cannabis use motives, and cannabis quantity daily for 32 days. Researchers confirmed menstrual cycle phase using salivary progesterone and identified PMDD both from interview history and from prospective mood tracking.
What they found
Coping motives explained higher cannabis use premenstrually and menstrually in those with PMDD. Depressed mood explained increased cannabis use menstrually in those with PMDD. Women with PMDD used more cannabis overall (3.44 standard joint equivalents compared to 1.85 without PMDD). Among women with prospectively identified PMDD, positive mood and enhancement motives were linked to lower cannabis use during the follicular and ovulatory phases.
What it means for you
Women with PMDD may be at risk of using cannabis to manage premenstrual depression and mood symptoms rather than seeking other treatments. This study tracked real behavior but was observational (not randomized), involved only Canadian cannabis users, and cannot prove cannabis use is caused by PMDD symptoms.
69
Female cannabis users
3.44 vs 1.85
Joint equivalents with vs without PMDD
29.25 +/- 5.66
Mean age in years
About the study
- Original title
- The impact of depressed mood and coping motives on cannabis use quantity across the menstrual cycle in those with and without pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder
- Authors
- Joyce KM, Thompson K, Good KP et al.
- Journal
- Addiction (Abingdon, England)
- Year
- 2021
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None; researchers observed existing patterns of cannabis use and mood
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/add.15465
Topics
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