--- title: Is holding back your feelings related to worse PMS symptoms? | Niyora description: Yes. Women with PMS who suppress their feelings or try to fit traditional ideas of femininity experienced more premenstrual distress. Women with PMS had highe url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/women-s-experience-of-premenstrual-syndrome-a-case-of-silencing-the-self-2006/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Is holding back your feelings related to worse PMS symptoms? Case report, 2006 # Is holding back your feelings related to worse PMS symptoms? Yes. Women with PMS who suppress their feelings or try to fit traditional ideas of femininity experienced more premenstrual distress. Women with PMS had higher anxiety than the general population. Moderate study design 257 women who identified as having PMS ## What they did Study of 257 women who identified as having PMS. Researchers asked about self-silencing (suppressing feelings), how they saw themselves, and how they coped with symptoms. They also interviewed 2 women in detail. ## What they found Women who suppressed their feelings, felt divided within themselves, or saw themselves from outside reported more premenstrual distress. Anxiety was higher than population norms. Depression was lower than expected based on personality patterns. Partners played an important role in how women experienced and coped with premenstrual change. ## What it means for you How women think about themselves and handle their feelings may affect how much PMS bothers them. Trying to fit traditional feminine roles and suppressing authentic feelings may make symptoms worse. Partners' responses matter. The study only included women who already identified as having PMS, so these findings may not apply to all women. 257 women surveyed ## About the study Original title Women's experience of premenstrual syndrome: a case of silencing the self Authors Janette Perz, Jane Maria Ussher Journal Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology Year 2006 Study design Case report What was tested None, observational study Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/02646830600973883](https://doi.org/10.1080/02646830600973883) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/) 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 Survey study, 2024 Which lifestyle choices affect PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2022 Do different healthcare providers differ in recognizing and treating PMDD? Cohort study, 2016 Does stress affect premenstrual symptoms in students? Survey study, 2026 Why is understanding PMS awareness in teenage girls important? Survey study, 2026 Does self-injury or difficult childhood experiences increase PMDD risk in adolescents? Survey study, 2026 Do women with severe PMS symptoms have higher odds of eating disorders? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗