We understand. The details of the blood can make everyone feel a bit shy, so we thought it might help to try to talk about a few things about menstruation. These are 8 myths of the period or rule that we must clarify.
Remember when we got the infamous talk about sex, hair, odor, and other body changes that indicated puberty was approaching?
It is in high school when we hear the most unlikely stories about the period or period from our friends, but it is understandable since, at that age, there is a lot of ignorance and misunderstanding of the subject.
However, with all the ease that communication provides us today, there are still many people, including women, who have misconceptions about their periods.
8 period myths or the rule that we must clarify
Here are eight period myths that people need to forget.
Myth 1: We are always in "that time of the month"
First of all, it is important to understand that a woman's menstrual cycle is not the same as her period. The actual time a woman bleeds is known as menstruation, but her menstrual cycle is the entire time from one period beginning to the next.
Although it's been widely reported that a woman's menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, that's just an average number.
Some women's cycles are much longer, 29 to 35 days, while others may be shorter. Situations like travel, weight fluctuation, emotions, and medications can also affect when a woman's period occurs.
Therefore, comments about how women "are always in their time of the month" are not welcome.
Each period is like each woman, unique to the individual.
Myth 2: Period pain is like "anything" you've ever experienced.
The pain we have during a period is real. We are not talking about headaches or bumping into sharp corners. Some of us have to get off work and curl up in bed, waiting for the cramps to subside because they are so bad.
In fact, a large percentage of women have dysmenorrhea, which is severe enough to interfere with their daily activities. This condition affects our ability to concentrate, makes us more anxious, and can make us downright unpleasant. It's also nothing you've ever experienced before.
Myth 3: It's okay to invalidate our feelings when we are regulating.
There is a very real physical change in a woman's body during this time. In the days leading up to the start of a woman's period, when she has PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome), her estrogen levels plummet, while her progesterone levels rise sharply.
Estrogen is related to serotonin, the "happy hormone," and progesterone is related to the part of the brain that causes fear, anxiety, and depression. The effects of hormones on mood are complicated, and while progesterone can depress some emotions, it has a mood-balancing effect.
It can be tempting to dismiss seemingly drastic changes in moods as "hormones only," but the mood swings caused by hormones are still real. It may happen more monthly for us, but it doesn't invalidate our feelings.
Myth 4: hormones define women
Speaking of hormones, women have been accused of being "hormonal" for a long time. Some men have even equated our feelings to hysteria, as if it were a disease, to explain female behavior, but the news flashes: they all have hormones, and no one likes to be messed with. Even men.
Just take a look at this study on male contraception, which was discontinued because participants were unable to manage contraceptive side effects of acne, injection pain, and emotional disturbances.