As a teenager, all of our emotions as well as our hormones are heightened. Puberty, eating habits, stress, or mental disorders can be the cause of this. It is easy to feel scared of how you are behaving because at times you may not be able to identify what is making you feel the way you are feeling. 

For young girls and women, there is something called Premenstrual Syndrome also known as PMS. PMS is a mix of emotions as well as physical symptoms that one may feel before, during, or after their period.

Textbook symptoms are mood swings, crying spells, acne, bloating, breast pain, depression, tension, anxiety, headache, joint pains, social withdrawal, poor concentration or focus, irritability, weight gain, increased appetite or excess hunger, and food cravings.

Periods vary in duration and arrival times throughout the month. Women often experience late periods due to stress, weight gain, excessive weight loss, birth control, etc. With a period comes PMS, cramps, the blood loss itself, and comments such as “Someone is on their days.” or “Is it that time of the month?” 

These passive-aggressive comments are made to offend and aggravate women over their menstrual cycle. Women go through so many bodily changes in their lifetimes and yes, every month we do get periods. That’s all there is to it. A completely normal process.

The list of reasons why PMS sucks can go on and on because every individual with a period has symptoms special to their body and their tolerance. PMS to me means not wanting to get out of bed for hours, excessive crying, breakdowns over everything that seems to go wrong at the moment, stress, and worst of all being anxious/overwhelmed and having no idea as to why this is happening. Humans thrive on the factor of curiosity. 

Throughout the course of my 17 years, I have always asked myself the question, why? Why does anything ever happen? Why do things not happen?

Following this curiosity I often find myself confused whenever an overwhelming emotion comes upon me and I have no explanation for it. Before, during, and after my period I will feel a mix of emotions and I will be upset at everything but have no clue why. Nothing picks at the brain more than curiosity. On top of being on my period when this happens, there are now aimless thoughts in my mind wondering once again what is wrong. The question will always be why?  Why do women bleed once a month for 40 years? Why do people ridicule women for being women? Why does PMS have to be the way it is?

PMS is bad because nobody but yourself understands it. Women relate to each other and share experiences over their periods but the struggle of each person is an individual struggle. The science and facts behind menstruation cycles answer the how question. But not the why question. It is important to be kind to our bodies because we already go through so much. 

My final thoughts are that there is nothing “gross” or “weird” about a period. Anyone who says otherwise is arrogant and unaware of the female anatomy. Take care of yourself because the body is sublime.