PMS

Yes you read it right, Pre-Menstrual Syndrome.

I have been a victim of this syndrome since the past two years.

I have not a slightest idea of what triggered the syndrome to love me !!!

As the experts claim, PMS is caused by some horrible mixing of the sex hormones and the neurological chemicals. The symptoms are difficult to identify, as they are mostly psychological. Moreover, it can be easily mimicked, meaning, it is difficult to identify whether the patient is really suffering from it or just faking it. It may just be a psychological condition at times, labelled as PMS.

As a teenager, I was blessed with a perfectly regular menstrual cycle. No cramps and pains accompanied. Even after I had a normal delivery for both my children, the menstrual cycle continued to be regular. I was always an outgoing personality, who loved to meet people and interact with them. I dreaded being alone. Not until I hit my thirties.By mid thirties, I started to notice a change in myself.

I had started to love solitude. I was turning more towards being engrossed in books, rather than talking to someone. I had lost touch with almost all my friends, and had turned into a patient listener at parties, rather than a vocal person, which I was. I did not like getting dragged into discussions, I hated being made to meet or talk to anyone. At times kids irritated me too !!

And these symptoms seemed to vanish as soon as the flushes started 😐

My partner kept on stressing that my attitude was changing, but I could not figure out the reason for this, only until I had a brief read about PMS on the internet.

Slowly I came to notice that my mood swings would become prominent, a week before my periods started. By this time the periods had also become irregular, and it had become difficult to estimate the correct date. Nonetheless, I would come to know of it a week before, coz my moods would change drastically.

I would become more solitary, depressed and get feelings of worthlessness. Especially at nights, I would never sleep without crying. I would become an utter cry baby during those days. I would be more irritated, yelling and howling at the smallest mistake kids did. I would not give a chance to anyone to explain to me. I would almost become unbearable during those days.

Thanks to the family who took me as I was and never questioned my attitude. Till date they have no idea, of what I have been going through each month, during these 2 years. I never had the courage to talk to them about PMS and tell them how I was fighting with myself, with the depressive feelings inside me.

Most of the cases of PMS show an increased rate of violent tendencies. Some of them would skip into depression and frustration to such an extent that they would land up being suicidal. If not diagnosed appropriately and treated well, PMS could be fatal for ladies with lower self-confidence and lower morale. Family support is a must for these kind of cases. My case wasn’t that severe.

Luckily, I diagnosed it for myself and tried to find out ways to tackle this problem. I did not want my family to suffer because of my temperamental mood swings. At the same time I was too shy and reluctant of meeting a doctor to talk about this.

Next post, I shall talk about how I chalked out an alternative therapy plan for myself, involving the elements of yoga, to calm down my high soaring temper during those dull, gloomy, depressing days.