In addition to the studies done proving the effectiveness of SSRIs for PMDD there have also been a great number of studies done that antidepressants such as Zoloft do not work. This contradictory evidence is still being explored.

New York University

Some doctors will point their patients toward Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or S.S.R.Is for the treatment of PMDD. However, evidence as to whether or not this is an effective treatment tends to be quite contradictory with certain studies pointing to its effectiveness and others saying that not only do they not work but that they have the potential to cause more harm than good.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors for the Treatment of PMDD

Chrisler, J. C., & Gorman, J. A. (2015). The medicalization of women’s moods: Premenstrual syndrome of premenstrual dysphoric disorder. In The Wrong Prescription for Women. M. McHugh and J. Chrisler, Eds. New York: Praeger

The medicalization of women’s moods: Premenstrual syndrome of premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Studies done where women take an SSRRI everyday fro 14 days prior to mensuration for three months showed that women were able to tolerate the drugs and reported a reduction in symptoms.

Evidence for the Helpfulness of SSRIs on PMDD

Controversy Around Taking SSRIs for PMDD

The way that SSRIs work for PMDD is unknown. Researchers suspect that they must be working differently in these cases than they do for depression or anxiety since SSRIs can take weeks to work for those conditions while for PMDD, relieve has been reported to come within days. 

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