ANXIETY SYMPTOMS AND ANXIETY DISORDERS - HOW ARE THEY RELATED TO PREMENSTRUAL DISORDERS

Premenstrual symptoms are common among young menstruating women, but t he psychiatric disorder premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is seen only in approximately 3% of this group. The symptom profile of PMDD h as been empirically derived from a number of investigations including a large data base from five university centers. The most commonly repo rted symptoms are depression and mood swings, but a substantial number of women report tension and anxiety. Lifetime psychiatric illness is also common in women with PMDD, and although mood disorders predominat e, past histories of anxiety disorders are also common, further sugges ting an association between PMDD and anxiety disorders. The strongest data supporting such an association lie with challenge studies that ha ve been used to provoke panic ill panic patients and are effective in precipitating panic attacks in women with PMDD. Finally, treatments th at are effective for anxiety disorders are also useful in the treatmen t of PMDD. In this paper, the above outlined relationship between anxi ety disorders and PMDD is reviewed.