<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0305</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-05-24</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000806517</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PSYCHEMEDICS CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PMD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001041889</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KUBACKI RAYMOND C JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PSYCHEMEDICS CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>125 NAGOG PARK</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ACTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01720</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman, CEO &amp; President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.005 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-05-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1494</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>9.74</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>156055</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Patrick J. Kinney, Jr. as attorney-in-fact for Raymond C. Kubacki, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-05-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
