Are PMDD and ADHD linked?
Yes, they seem to go together more often than chance. In a 2025 study, 31% of young women with ADHD screened positive for PMDD, against 10% without. Timing tells them apart.
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Is there a link between PMDD and ADHD?
Yes. A 2025 study asked 715 women aged 18 to 34 about both.
Of those who said they had an ADHD diagnosis, 31.4% screened positive for PMDD. Of those without ADHD, 9.8% did.
That’s roughly 1 in 3 against 1 in 10.
| Group (aged 18 to 34) | Screened positive for PMDD |
|---|---|
| No ADHD | 9.8% |
| Said they had an ADHD diagnosis | 31.4% |
| Scored high on an ADHD symptom quiz | 41.1% |
| High ADHD score plus depression or anxiety | About 4.5 times the no-ADHD group |
A screening quiz only flags who might have PMDD. An earlier study of 209 women with ADHD also found high rates of PMDD compared with women in general.
Nobody yet knows why they go together. The 2025 authors say more research is needed on the cause.
Have ADHD and dread the week before your period? Start the diary below this month.
PMDD or ADHD: how to tell them apart
PMDD is a much more intense form of PMS, the symptoms some women get in the weeks before a period. Feeling restless or on edge can come with either, which is why they get mixed up.
| PMDD | ADHD | |
|---|---|---|
| When | The weeks before your period. Usually better once it starts. | Lifelong. Usually started before age 12. |
| Main signs | Feeling very anxious, angry, low or suicidal. Headaches, aches, overeating, poor sleep. | Easily distracted, forgetful, losing things, restless, interrupting. |
| How it’s found | A symptom diary over 2 cycles in a row helps a GP diagnose it. | An assessment with an ADHD specialist. |
So timing is the clue. Think of a river and a tide.
ADHD is the river, always flowing. PMDD is a tide that comes in each month and goes out when your period starts.
You can have both. Then the river runs all month and the tide lifts it before your period.
Want to check other causes first? See blood tests for PMDD symptoms and ADHD symptoms in women.
Does ADHD get worse before your period?
It may. One small study tracked 32 young women for 35 days. They gave a spit sample each morning and scored ADHD symptoms each evening.
Symptoms were higher the day after the hormone oestrogen fell while the hormones progesterone or testosterone rose. They seemed to rise as a period began and just after ovulation (when an egg is released, around the middle of the cycle).
These women weren’t diagnosed with ADHD, so the authors say only that symptoms may change across the cycle.
Low mood adds to it. The NHS says anxiety and depression can make ADHD symptoms worse. So a low week can make focus harder too.
Notice a monthly dip? Write it down. The NHS suggests taking a symptom diary to your GP.
How to track PMDD and ADHD symptoms
The NHS says to keep a diary for at least 2 cycles and take it to your GP. The RCOG says two cycles in a row helps make a diagnosis.
What to note each day for 2 cycles
- Mark the days you bleed, so you can see the weeks before each period.
- Score mood, anger and anxiety from 0 (none) to 3 (severe) each evening.
- Score focus and forgetfulness from 0 to 3 as well, so you can see the river and the tide.
- Note sleep, headaches, aches and overeating.
- Note any ADHD or other medicine you took and any missed doses.
- Write down any day you felt suicidal, and get help that day.
A phone note or a paper calendar both work.
Scores that jump in the weeks before your period and drop once it starts may point to PMDD. Scores that stay high all month may point to something else, such as ADHD. Your GP can help you read it.
Keep going once you start treatment. The RCOG suggests at least another 2 to 3 months to see if it’s working.
What helps PMDD when you have ADHD?
Start with the basics the NHS suggests for PMS. Exercise regularly, eat smaller meals every 2 to 3 hours, get plenty of sleep, and don’t smoke or drink too much alcohol.
What usually happens when you see a GP about PMS or PMDD
- 1
Bring your diary
Your GP looks at when your symptoms come and go.
- 2
Lifestyle first
Exercise, regular meals, sleep, less alcohol.
- 3
Treatment
The combined pill, CBT talking therapy or antidepressants.
- 4
Specialist
A gynaecologist, psychiatrist or counsellor if symptoms carry on.
Source: NHS: PMS
Some antidepressants called SSRIs are a first choice for severe PMS. They can be taken daily in the 2 weeks before a period, or all month. Stop them gradually, with your healthcare team.
ADHD medicines must be started and monitored by an ADHD specialist. If yours seem to work less well before your period, show them your diary.
Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber. For mood that isn’t tied to your cycle, see blood tests for low mood.
When to speak to a GP
Book an appointment if:
- Symptoms before your period are affecting your daily life, or lifestyle changes haven’t helped.
- Focus or restless problems are affecting your studies, work or relationships. Your GP may refer you for an ADHD assessment.
- You still have symptoms after trying treatment. You may be referred to a specialist.
- Your mood or focus problems are new in your 40s. ADHD usually starts before age 12, and perimenopause (the years before periods stop) can bring low mood and poor concentration. See perimenopause symptoms.
Have PMDD symptoms and feel suicidal? Call 999 or go to A&E. Don’t drive yourself.
For support any time, call Samaritans on 116 123 or NHS 111.