Hi
Thinking out loud here xx :D
As
every week grab a drink and a snack and like always drink responsibly, and snack responsibly take this time for you, find a comfy seat, put
your feet up and let your breath guide you through this post. It
seems I like to do a few deep breaths at the beginning of Mental
Health Mondays so this week is no different. If you have any breathing problems please and I can not stress this enough, please
skip this bit of Mental Health Mondays. The aim is to find calmness
and stillness within ourselves and not to injure so; please do what
calms you before starting this blog.
Lets
take three deep breaths in and out, take a deep breath all the way in
through your nose, and hold for three seconds,1, 2, 3, and all the
way out, through your mouth and hold for two seconds, 1, 2. Two more
to go, take a deep breath in all the way through your nose and hold for three
seconds, 1, 2, 3, and out all the way through your mouth and hold for
two seconds, 1, 2. The final one in all the way through your nose and
hold for five seconds, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and out all the way through
your mouth and hold for three seconds, 1, 2, 3, now you can find your
regular breathing pattern and breath as normal having let any
stresses of the day go.
This
week is number nine, still finding it mad that I have come back every
Monday for nine weeks, this one is for anyone who has a period. Also
if you don't have a period, but you are with someone who does and you
want a little insight into why they might be the way they are at that
time of the month, please feel free to read, as you being as
understanding as you can really help. I also need to add here I
know there are ways of missing periods, ways of not having them and
complications that can come with them, but this is purely for periods.
Lets
talk periods, shark week, aunt flow, the big red. Whatever you call
it, once a month for four to seven days (sometimes longer sometimes
shorter and sometimes it is missed.) Your period comes around, and my
gosh does the mind know it. Not every period is the same, so this
means your mood is never going to be the same. One period you can
feel on top of the world the next one you can feel like the world is
ending and why do you have to be the one going through this. As much
as I don't like to admit it to myself my mood does change with my
period, not always but when it does I can be the worst person to be
around, and don't my family know it. I often become extremely
sensitive the week before; anything said that could be taken the wrong
way will be, and I am close to being in tears. The week during a
period can be varied as periods go on, you do become more aware of
these changes compared to the early years. Having said that it can
still be unexpected the sudden changes in your mood, you go from
being completely ok one day to the next not being ok. It's all
because your body is getting ready for something that at that moment
in your life you aren't ready to do which is having a baby, you have
all the hormones, all these physical changes happening in your body,
that when it comes time your body then has to get rid of what it has
over the time since your last period been getting ready for. Your
body thinks it's going to be growing another human; it's what it
naturally wants to do. But this as I've said brings a whole load of
emotions.
The
emotions, and therefore mood swings, changes and varies greatly, it
can for not only the person going through them but for those around
us be a bit like being on a rollercoaster. This meaning periods don't
only affect the body, physically, but also mentally and emotionally it
can be exhausting, painful, and dare I say at times unwanted. But all
is not lost, there are ways to help, ways to combat and ways to
prepare for the week leading up to the period the week during and the
week after when yes hormones are going back to being well a little
less tetchy and making us feel a little more how we want to be
honestly all of the time.
During
the week before its good to maybe take a wide birth of someone who is
about to be on their period, Partners, spouses and families pay
attention here, under all circumstances, don't bother speaking
unless it is helpful if the person happens to do something wrong or
something they don't usually do let this go, during this week that
thing doesn't matter if you want to save yourself from what you are
about to unleash, keep your mouth shut. You can though be helpful
supply heat packs if needed those cramps are going to be painful,
when they hit, supply chocolate, this one is a good one, dark
chocolate is best it genuinely helps seriously it helps, maybe not
the whole bar in one sitting if its a big bar but a few pieces are
good. Above everything remember we don't hate you, it's not you, it's
our bodies, hold on and remember it's only going to get more intense
next week so good luck.
For
those of us going through this week before the period remember not
every man and his dog is against you or trying to make you feel mad,
upset and every other emotion, don't take what is happening to your
body out on them. Remember to breathe, take time out when you need it
and do something that helps you relax, take that statement that your
partner, spouse or family member has said with a pinch of salt, but
at all costs don't blame them. It's not their fault, help them
understand and let them know what they can do to help.
Now
the week of the period, remember before when I said don't say
anything during the first week, this week you are going to feel like
you are walking on eggshells; any little thing can set us off, so
you've been warned period week you can give any interaction a miss.
On the odd period though where it's actually a good one feel free to
talk and interact with us; these do happen as infrequently as they do
and they are appreciated more so when we have a bad period week.
For
those of us going through the period, it can be tough, our minds can
be all over the place, and we can also be going through some pain, our
bodies are now getting rid of everything it's built up in the
beginning of the cycle, you are more on edge, and of course, you have
blood coming out of you, your mood is most likely not the best but
please don't be hard on yourself, take time each day if you need to
for you, collect yourself, have a talk to yourself and relax, take
any pain relief if needed, a bath if it helps and maybe even some
early nights. Know that these mood changes soon will change, and you
can get yourself ready and prepared for their next arrival. Take this
week to let your body do what it needs to do, take the moods and the
changes, as a gift, it doesn't need to feel like a struggle, they can
be enjoyed, and they can be nice experiences. We have to be though first aware of those changes acknowledge them and understand what our
bodies are going though likewise with those around us who are walking
on eggshells, we need to let them know that it's ok and that we don't
mean to act the way we are its just something that we can't control.
The
week after the period our moods are at the start of going back to
what we would love it to be like all the time, our body is and mind
are going back to their none period normal, we are less tetchy and
becoming a human, we want to be around, and other people want to be
around. The mood changes are going; we are feeling happier, less
stressed and less like we want to cry or scream at someone for what
they have said. For those of us who have witnessed the beginning, the
middle and now the end of the period you can start to breathe again,
you can start saying things that you maybe had to change how you said
them during the previous two weeks or so. The next cycle is now
beginning so use this time to prepare yourself for the next period
and the next lot of mood changes have everything you might need on
hand and remember they don't last. We can now also stop stressing
about have we leaked, have we got a massive red spot on our butts or
where we have been sitting, does anyone around me know I'm on my
period, can they tell. Do I need to take a spare pad, tampon, pants,
clothes with me just in case. Is this little bag going to fit
everything I need in this bag too big will people know, I have
period products in there. We can now let those stress go, those
thoughts go for at least another few weeks. Let the mental overload
take a bit of a break before the next lot of thoughts pop up.
I
realise not everyone's periods are plain and simple, easy, pain-free,
light. A lot of the time they are heavier, or lighter than normal,
missed entirely, or last longer, if this does happen, please see a
health professional, see your doctor, know your normal and know what
isn't normal for, everybody is different everybody's periods are
different, we all vary in how it affects our moods and therefore
the way we think and handle a situation. But knowing when something
isn't your normal means you can sort it out, this shouldn't be
something you don't feel comfortable talking about as it becomes
dangerous when it isn't spoken about. It's bad for our health and for
our bodies, the more we leave things untreated, so please go to a
doctor if your period changes, and you are unsure as to why. They do
change with stress, with weight gain or loss but if there are reasons
that you don't know why get it checked out. Above all be kind to
yourself, loved one, friend family member whoever it is whose having
the period we've just got to let our bodies do what it's doing and
please dont for the love of life saying something dumb to someone who
had blood coming out of their body, and who is about to break at any
moment, hug them and save your dumb comment for at least
another week.
Thank
you for reading this blog post, I hope you found it light not too
intense and I hope you understand what people with periods go through
mental, physically and emotionally. It's not always easy, but we do try
our best to hide it, it isn't always painful but again when it is we
try our best to hide it, and it's definitely not always fun, but
again we try our best to hide it. please know that periods aren't
always bad, some are easier than others, but like everything, we roll
with it and can't wait for the last day to arrive. I know being able
to have periods can be seen as a blessing and I really mean it when I
say this I feel for those of us who can't and don't have periods, who
have heavy periods, who have lighter periods to the point where it's
nearly none existent, to those two have unbearably painful periods,
if feel for you and understand how hard it is but know you are not
alone, and you shouldn't feel alone, please speak out if you do your
health is important, and there are more people than you realise going
through this.
Thank
you again, for reading I hope you have a lovely day, sorry this is
another long post if you made it this far here is your medal 🥇
Love
always Thinking out loud xx :D
