New study shows menstrual cycles may affect suicide risk
Newsy
Researchers found suicidal ideation and planning both peaked in the days before and in the first few days of menstrual bleeding.
A new study found menstrual cycles may have an effect on day-to-day suicide risk.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago found suicidal ideation and planning both peaked in the days before and in the first few days of menstrual bleeding.
It means a woman who has a history of suicidal thoughts or behaviors may actually experience a surge of those feelings based on where she is in her menstrual cycle.
Clinical psychologist Jaclyn Ross and PhD student Jordan Barone led the study at the University of Illinois Chicago. They spoke with Scripps News about their findings.
"What we're seeing is that there are these individual differences in when people are sensitive to different mood changes based on cyclical hormones," Barone said. "What we think is going on is that people are sensitive to the acute fluctuations. So it's not that their hormones are too high at a certain point or too low. Some people have brains that are particularly sensitive to acute changes in progesterone or in estrogen, that are just happening regularly every month."
