Recently there has been a significant rise in young women who have been misdiagnosed with clinical depression due to their premenstrual syndrome.

It is said that the psychological symptoms are very similar in both mental and hormonal patients, and unfortunately this makes the condition harder to diagnose.

The National Association for Premenstrual Syndrome have advised that women suffering from hormonal problems will usually start to be affected by these symptoms around a week before their period starts. The effects can then go on to last around 2-3 weeks, leaving approximately 2 weeks each month symptom free.

If you are unsure if you have been misdiagnosed then we recommend keeping a daily diary for a period of 3 weeks documenting your mood swings and emotions. You can then approach your GP with your findings.

I have found that from my personal experience that it can be difficult keeping a diary expressing your emotions. From experience, I would suggest that you mark your daily moods out of 10 and briefly detail your feelings such as how vulnerable you are feeling. If your finding that your forgetting to fill in your diary then it may help you to keep it next to your bed or by your make-up mirror.

Although anti-depressants can work for both conditions it is thought that they should be considered as a last resort for PMT as there are less drastic treatments that would offer similar benefits.

Sarah Jarvis from The Royal College of General Practitioners has indicated that a lot of women want a ‘quick fix’ and solutions straight away; due to this doctors often reach for the prescription pad.

If you are being treated for depression and have any doubts about your diagnosis then I would strongly recommend you take a daily diary as detailed above and then consult your GP with your findings.