(no subject)

[affirmations.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'm Joanna, and I'm new here, though I've been lurking for a good while now. I'm posting because I finally have a question.

I've noticed in the past year or so that a few days prior to my period, my outlook on the world changes. It's not bitchiness or irritability, persay, but I start to see things in a much more negative light. I take things more personally, I'm more apathetic, and I see myself in a terribly bad light. As in, I will feel fine about the way I look one day, and the next I will believe I'm disgustingly fat. (water retention doesn't help this either, hehe) By the time my period starts, I start to feel better about the world, and by the end I feel like I'm back to myself.

My question isn't so much whether this happens to anyone else, because I highly suspect it does. However, does anyone know of a way I can combat this? Thanks :-)

Comments

[corylus.livejournal.com]

what i've done is turn my mooning (period) into a sacrament. a time to appreciate the power of my body and the blessed state of womanhood. say prayers to the goddess, do little things for myself, pampering and loving and treating myself the way I'd treat my closest most beloved friend. if i see it as this holy thing, and really tune in to the spirituality of it, it overshadows any negativity.

Hmmmm

[visualparadox.livejournal.com]

That is the worse part of PMS (feeling ugly)!!! I usually spend time putting on make up (I hardly ever wear make up) and dressing up a bit- I still don't feel as confident as usual but it is always an improvement. My dysfunctional co-worker just suggest amphitamines (sp?) haha that is horrible but it IS known to make people feel beautiful and happy.

[valancyjane.livejournal.com]

word! to what corylus said. When I stopped thinking of my period as an inconvenience and started seeing it as a) a sign that I'm healthy and everything is working properly; and b) something that connects me to just about every woman since the dawn of time, I wasn't as negatively affected by it. Even my cramps aren't as bad, most months!

If you like fiction, read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. It's a retelling of the Biblical story of Jacob and his son Joseph. It's interesting just from a women's history sense, but I liked it most for the respect and sacredness it gave women and their menstrual cycles.

I don't really have any close IRL friends who would understand my feelings on this, but if I ever have a daughter or niece or goddaughter, I hope I'll be able to teach her to appreciate menstruation and to treat it like the cleansing gift it is. (I will also supply her with plenty of Advil ... I'm not that New Agey!)

[affirmations.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've really got no problem with my period. . .it doesn't inconvenience me (beyond cramps, of course), but I really don't like feeling so down on myself beforehand. I feel like I'm somehow regressing to a time I was more depressed, which irks me. I'd like to continue to be my happy self while I'm bleeding too. :-)

[ailbhe]

In some women, the hormonal changes during menstruation actually cause physical chemical changes which make you more prone to depression. Some people take antidepressants for this, some people take things like Evening Primrose Oil or Starflower Oil (in capsules).

I just thought I'd mention it because it could be something where mind over matter would help, but it might not be.

I agree with the above...

[ratfink.livejournal.com]

I try to find time to meditate or do something else that really gets me in tune with my feelings... I usually have one or two sad days about a week before my period. Just taking a few minutes out of the day to think about it, understand that it's as natural as having your period, becoming more aware of the way your body changes throughout your cycle, might make those changes easier to deal with. I find that I can be more creative when I'm feeling a little down--you might try writing about it or finding some other artistic outlet. Or, I find watching a sad movie on those days brings me a certain satisfaction... or doing some random nice thing for other people. Directing that emotion outward helps me.

[melonaise.livejournal.com]

Yah, it sucks that it's the days right before our period that are the worst, because I'm never SURE it's the menstration hormones inducing my mood. By the time I do realize what's going on, I'm on the slippery slope to the bottom until the start of my period makes things better.

What helps: keeping track of my period when it's regular (almost always for the girlies on the Pill) so I know it's coming a head of time. Then I can try to arrange things in advance-- like having lots of clean laundry that includes pretty, loose-flowing clothes. I have a pair of loose business/casual pants (nice enough to go out in but cozy enough to sleep in) that I call my Period Pants. Things with drawstring are nice because I can set them to ride on my hips instead of pinch my tummy. Or I just do a sundress.

I also try to stay away from mirrors, as I know they'll only make me feel worse. Just a quick once-over in the morning to make sure nothing's on backwards. I shower a lot, sleep a lot, and watch really good movies or read favorite books (escapism has its uses). I also warn my close female friends, so they know to 1) let me snap at them occasionally without holding a grudge and 2) do their best to not worsen my mood. --emphasis on the second. Most of my friends are willing to go out of their way if they know I'm down, but I have to let them know first.