Although PMS includes mood changes, it is typically accompanied by physical symptoms such as breast tenderness or bloating which the patient denies and the timing of symptoms is not clearly related to menstruation.

MDD is characterized by periods of depressive symptoms that persist beyond the menstrual cycle, not usually confined to the week before menstruation.

Dysmenorrhea is a condition characterized by pain during menstruation, which is not described by the patient.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome distinguished primarily by affective symptoms. These may include emotional lability, irritability, depressed mood, and anxiety that generally occurs in the week before menstruation and improve within a few days of menses.