P.M.S. God's Gift or a Woman's Curse?

Today i had a great conversation with a girlfriend about this very topic. Right now she is struggling with her emotions because of this very thing and now that she is in a dating relationship she finds that in some way she needs to address this topic with her beau. But she didn't know how to do so.

As women we know that are emotions are just on a hightened level when our favorite 'Aunt' is visiting us once a month. And sometimes whether we like it or not we can't help that we over react, we can't help it that we cry for no reason and we can't help it when we find ourselves snapping when we really don't want to be. So, how then do we face telling that significant other "it's just that time" without having him thinking "oh my God it's that time again."

Apparently he had been saying things, not directed to her exactly, but just certain little things that would make her feel more self concious with out him even knowing it. He was just making her feel like crap, not on purpose, he wasn't being a jerk, he just didn't know that it was time to be more sensitive...and she knew that she needed to bring this subject up.

As a woman, i personally feel that P.M.S is a little embarrasing and very humbling..even though i know that every woman (or most) have to experience it. Yet, i also feel when guys tease women about it or make light of it when they are talking to their buds that they don't (well, they can't) really understand what a woman is experiencing. Men tend to think that we're not thinking straight, and they would be right but i think that what they don't realize is that the emotions we struggle with are real.

All the insecurities that come rushing in, is real, all the anxiety, is real, all the heartache, is real...it is all very real. They are all things that we deal with on a daily bases but for some reason during that one week, we can't just take those feelings package them up nicely and put them in the closet. They just become so overwhelming that it feels as if we are standing in front of a door with a huge waterfall in it trying to hold the door closed. Which we all know a door is not strong enough to hold back a waterfall.

Men seem to get frustrated with us, they are annoyed with us during that month, because nothing they say or do seem to be right and what i'm not sure that the realize is we aren't expecting them to make the water stop flowing we just want them to come along in a row boat and help us back to dry land.

Is P.M.S. God's gift or a Woman's Curse? I told my friend that maybe it indeed was a gift. Yes are emotions are a roller coaster that just keeps going one too many times on the track but it is also a time where our significant other can know us on a deeper level. Because those emotions just didn't appear they have always been there we just can't hide them, It is a lot like alcohol when someone drinks they are more 'real' because they aren't thinking about hiding. Like wise i would possibly argue that if our significant others really wanted to know what we struggle with inwardly then they should pay attention to us outwardly the most when our Aunts are visiting.

While P.M.S is not an excuse for us to go around and be cranky to people it is also not an excuse for a loved ones to avoid us and tell us these most feared words by women "You're just p.m.s. ing...!"

After this conversation i told my friend, to use this as an opportunity to grow closer to her beau..to tell him the truth and that way the next time around she can look him honestly in the eyes and say "Hey, you might want to be extra sensitive to me this week." and to know that she will have his support.