NationStates Jolt Archive

Is PMS a myth? This article (http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,19551555-5005370,00.html) says it is. A quote from the article:

Drawing on 20 years of research - including in-depth interviews with British and Australian women - Professor Ussher said PMS and PND were products of repressed rage stemming from social pressure.

"I would argue that PMS and PND are essentially a form of repressed rage women feel, rather than a medical illness," she said.
This article seems to put things too neatly into the 'yes' camp for me. I think more research needs to be done.
How about you? Thoughts?

Edit: Another article (http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Truth-About-Premenstural-Syndrome---Myth-Or-Real?&id=758493) indicates that much of the moodiness considered to be part of PMS is the result of a confirmation bias.

The condition is mostly psychological, not physical, from what I know.

Eh, I think not. But then I'm a different kind of victim, and hence may not have the right view on this.

Is PMS a myth? This article (http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,19551555-5005370,00.html) says it is. A quote from the article:


This article seems to put things too neatly into the 'yes' camp for me. I think more research needs to be done.
How about you? Thoughts?

Edit: Another article (http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Truth-About-Premenstural-Syndrome---Myth-Or-Real?&id=758493) indicates that much of what is considered to be PMS is the result of a confirmation bias.
Fascinating. It definitely merits further study.

Oh, wait 'til Sin and Bottle see this. I can't wait for the fireworks.


Anyway, becoming especially moody is my clue my period is coming up. I don't realize it's coming up, then get moody.

I'd like to see the research done across a multitude of cultures before I start to believe any of this talk about women doing it out of the culture that has emerged

also it a brave man who tells a women thats shes just putting it on :D

Anyway, becoming especially moody is my clue my period is coming up. I don't realize it's coming up, then get moody.

yeah you do! because its about period time when you get drunk and start telling your boyfriend that you think your pregnant :)

That would explain my ex...

Heheh. I'd like to see these researchers tell that to my friend Christen when she's on her period.

Oh, wait 'til Sin and Bottle see this. I can't wait for the fireworks.They are welcome to present their sources. The initial source I had for this (a textbook) only presented a view similar to the web sources I found, so I'd be interested to read research from the other side.

I'd like to see the research done across a multitude of cultures before I start to believe any of this talk about women doing it out of the culture that has emergedGood point.

also it a brave man who tells a women thats shes just putting it on :DThe author of the first article as well as the researcher cited are both women (or at least have named associated with women).

Umm.. No. I will continue to believe they are results hormone imbalances. Keep in mind this is just a twenty year old study, but that these symptoms have been noted for, well, the beginning of history. The idea that it is all related to modern stress is bunk; since it has occured through out history and civilizations. Also, if it is all just stress; then why do women seem to synch up periods?

NO It's Not!

I'd like to see the research done across a multitude of cultures before I start to believe any of this talk about women doing it out of the culture that has emerged

also it a brave man who tells a women thats shes just putting it on :D



yeah you do! because its about period time when you get drunk and start telling your boyfriend that you think your pregnant :)Ha! I may irresponsible in other ways, but never that one. No pregnancy scares for me.

I don't think so. I have the bruises to prove it. :p

Ha! I may irresponsible in other ways, but never that one. No pregnancy scares for me.
Hurrah!

One less in my life.

"IM PREEEGNANT"
"Eh let's go do a test"
"kk leave me to it"
"and?"
"I think it was positive but I couldn't really tell and I threw it away anyway"
"..."

women are a myth

```````````````


it seems kind of silly to try to claim that hormones don't affect a persons mood but I don't doubt that there are probably some ladies who would use that special time in a woman's life to their advantage so that there is no consequences for just letting their mood get the better of them and lash out at others.

When I am in a pissy mood during my manly time of the month, I hide form the world because I have no self control.

My wife isn't a jerk about it when I ask if her bad mood is due to it being a precursor to her aunt flows arrival - she's say "probably", because generally she is a very happy person.

Is PMS a myth? This article (http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,19551555-5005370,00.html) says it is. A quote from the article:


This article seems to put things too neatly into the 'yes' camp for me. I think more research needs to be done.
How about you? Thoughts?

Edit: Another article (http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Truth-About-Premenstural-Syndrome---Myth-Or-Real?&id=758493) indicates that much of the moodiness considered to be part of PMS is the result of a confirmation bias.

It's funny how women only have repressed rage every 28.5 days.

women are a myth

Now I do take offense, sir, I do.

It's funny how women only have repressed rage every 28.5 days.

I blame the Dutch.

The author of the first article as well as the researcher cited are both women (or at least have named associated with women).

witness protection program? :p (http://alisher.city.tomsk.net/shared/bunnies/024.jpg)

Ha! I may irresponsible in other ways, but never that one. No pregnancy scares for me.

but think of how much you can mess with an ex-boyfriends head! and just think about how morally obligated he would be ;)

SNIP

it must be different up North because all the women I've seen usually get really shy about their parts as soon as I suggest just doing a pregnancy test (though this does stop the insensitive jerk talk right up)

ah, ranting about women :)

I blame the Dutch.

Global Warming and PMS? Those bastards.

Must be their plan B: women will kill everyone for them.

also it's a dead man who tells a women thats she's just putting it on :

fixed.

PMS is a myth if postpartum depression, PTSD, anxiety disorders, autism, and OCD are.

Is PMS a myth? This article (http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,19551555-5005370,00.html) says it is. A quote from the article:


This article seems to put things too neatly into the 'yes' camp for me. I think more research needs to be done.
How about you? Thoughts?

Edit: Another article (http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Truth-About-Premenstural-Syndrome---Myth-Or-Real?&id=758493) indicates that much of the moodiness considered to be part of PMS is the result of a confirmation bias.

Both of these articles sound like heavily biased loads of crap. There's a certain school of thought that argues that attributing a woman's behavior to her hormones is sexist because men don't have periods and can't be accused of similarly identifiable irrational moments. Sadly for this camp, you can't base moral positions on the awareness of objective reality.

My wife has always had a wildly irregular period, but when we started trying to have a child I started paying a lot more attention to her cycle. Not just when she had her period, but also when she ovulated (we got one of those fertility monitors). After a while I could tell when she was PMSing and when she was ovulating just by her behavior.

When we finally conceived what was to become our daughter my wife had already taken a pregnancy test which was negative and we had passed the time that she ovulated so she thought it was too late for her to conceive that month. I was taking some college courses at the time, and had registered my email address in my profile on the admissions registry. My wife saw an email from the college and started freaking out about the highly remote possibility that someone had gained illegal access to our account information and was abusing it to send me offers for used books.

After trying to explain to her that the two would not be connected and seeing no lightening in her mood I asked her "is that little Sara settling in?" She then went from terrified and angry to pensive and wistful and said, "no, it's too late for me to be pregnant this month."

Well, I was right. My ability to detect her mood was superior to our gadgets ability to detect her hormones. I know her. I know her moods. I know her capacity for reason. I know when all of that goes out the window because her hormones are going loopy.

...that explains why I can get my period yet I don't act like a psychopathic bitch. :D

Anyways, I don't think they're trying to say that PMS is something that women make up or that it doesn't actually exist at all. More like it's a psychosomantic response: it's well-documented that stress can cause physical changes to one's body. So what I think they're saying is that the hormonal imbalance of a woman's period can be a trigger for a kind of stress release in the form of PMS.

That's what I think they're saying. But they may be saying women are poopyheads. Either way.

I blame the Dutch.

The Dutch have nothing to do with it. It's all because of gay marriage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixkck8QnjY): clearly, if gays couldn't be married in this country, God wouldn't visit these bouts of lady-parts-related insanity on our women once a month.

Although I've heard marking your door with blood will ward it off.

Puh-leeze. Everyone knows that "PMS" is Dutch for "Lycanthropy" and that women are all Werewolves.

All of them.

Even Bottle.

Especially Bottle.

Puh-leeze. Everyone knows that "PMS" is Dutch for "Lycanthropy" and that women are all Werewolves.

All of them.

Even Bottle.

Especially Bottle.

Seconded!

Personally, I've never really experienced PMS in the classic "turn into a loony bitch" way, but I know plenty of women who have, so it's hard to say. I will say that a few times I got AWFUL cramps, including one time when I was in class about to give a monologue and suddenly doubled over in pain. But that wasn't pre-menstrual, that was menstrual (which I don't think anyone doubts is all kinds of unfun).

Come between me and my chocolate and we can see if PMS is a myth. ;)

Hi, I'm a young woman.

I don't experience bad cramps. Maybe every once in a while (about once every few months), I get a small cramp, but that's it. I have never, ever acted in a way for someone to think that I am "PMS"ing (I've asked many). My long-term boyfriend who knows me 100% told me he doesn't think I PMS. The first time I ever heard the idea that PMS is a myth, I believed it right away, because I could never, ever personally relate to PMS. I know plenty of girls who claim that they are "PMS"ing but I always thought it was bull because it never, ever happens to me.

Maybe I'm just a lucky girl in this way. But I am really not a bitch and moods don't typically phase me. All my friends agree.

I believe that the supposed effects of PMS are a myth and that many women just use it as an excuse to unleash their repressed anger!

Come between me and my chocolate and we can see if PMS is a myth. ;)
*Takes Dalmatia's chocolate. Eats it. Waits*

*Takes Dalmatia's chocolate. Eats it. Waits*

So do you want one of those environmentally friendly coffins?

So do you want one of those environmentally friendly coffins?

There's going to be something left of me when she's finished!?!?!?:eek:

There's going to be something left of me when she's finished!?!?!?:eek:

It's mostly for show.

It's mostly for show.

Ah. But burying my twenty or so radioactive atoms seems hardly practical.:p

*Takes Dalmatia's chocolate. Eats it. Waits*

*tears limb from limb*

In all seriousness, it's the worst time of month for me, and with the stress of the last few weeks, I'm skipping one. Unfortunately, unlike our lucky female poster above me (and I really hope you appreciate the gift you've been given), I'm still having all the symptoms except the main one. Cramps, pain, irritability, and a need to eat all chocolate produced on planet Earth.

No, PMS is definitely not a myth. One of my girlfriends used to get so irritable and moody that I would literally arrange things to be on the opposite side of campus for me during whole weekends. Granted, even her roommate fled their room during these times, so I knew that I wasn't overreacting. I simply left a 2-liter of her favourite soda (7-UP) in her room, a note stating that I "was taking a few days to catch up on about three or four essays that are imminently due," and waited. My patience was well rewarded.

Hi, I'm a young woman.

I don't experience bad cramps. Maybe every once in a while (about once every few months), I get a small cramp, but that's it. I have never, ever acted in a way for someone to think that I am "PMS"ing (I've asked many). My long-term boyfriend who knows me 100% told me he doesn't think I PMS. The first time I ever heard the idea that PMS is a myth, I believed it right away, because I could never, ever personally relate to PMS. I know plenty of girls who claim that they are "PMS"ing but I always thought it was bull because it never, ever happens to me.

Maybe I'm just a lucky girl in this way. But I am really not a bitch and moods don't typically phase me. All my friends agree.

I believe that the supposed effects of PMS are a myth and that many women just use it as an excuse to unleash their repressed anger!


Wait til you get older. It gets worse with age... a lot worse.

And no, I don't release repressed anger the week before my period. I just burst into tears at the slightest little reason.

That professor has a most unfortunate name for doing scientific research with.

Oh, wait 'til Sin and Bottle see this. I can't wait for the fireworks.


Anyway, becoming especially moody is my clue my period is coming up. I don't realize it's coming up, then get moody.

You disappoint me. I figured you'd be the one fireworking!

I really don't care either way. I get mad bitchy for a day a month...unreasonably so. I recognise it, I deal with it. I get mad horny beyond all control for about three days a month. I recognise it, I deal with it. I want nothing at all to do with sex about on day a month. Shitty day...I get lots done though.

I figure, if there are so many people out there that can delude themselves into believe that climate change is not in any way a man-made or highly man-exacerbated (and I'm using the gender-neutral term 'man' if that's even possible anymore) issue, then I figure there are people that can delude themselves about pretty much anything. PMS is something that has definitely gotten worse for me as I age, and I don't enjoy it, but it's there, and someone telling me it's not ain't changing a damn thing.

probably both

Hi, I'm a young woman.

I don't experience bad cramps. Maybe every once in a while (about once every few months), I get a small cramp, but that's it. I have never, ever acted in a way for someone to think that I am "PMS"ing (I've asked many).

Yeah, I had no problems really when I was younger either, though occasionally I'd get mad cramps. Mad enough that I can confidently say that labour really wasn't any worse than the cramps I'd suffer through sometimes. But no real mood swings I could notice. Then again, when I was younger, I was one giant mood swing. My moods have definitely evened out over the years thankfully.

But yeah, as Cabra says...it seems to get worse with age. Or perhaps it's just that evenness I described making it seem more extreme when I do spike up or down. My periods are harsher too.

And for the record, I think you're a bitch, so you can no longer claim that no one thinks of you that way:D

Oh, I also believe that men get PMS too. There have to be cyclic hormonal changes. There is definitely a regularity to the mood swings that I've noticed in my father, my brothers, in male roomates, friends and so on.

Oh, I also believe that men get PMS too. There have to be cyclic hormonal changes. There is definitely a regularity to the mood swings that I've noticed in my father, my brothers, in male roomates, friends and so on.

Sadly hubby and I have synced up. Between my PMDD and his uncharactaristic irrationality there are about 3 days a month we don't talk.. for safety reasons.

I actually have meds I could take for mine (and should) but he is supposed to "man up" and overcome his biology or some sexist shit.

"Oh, hi! Yeah, your leg is shattered in 40 places... no pain meds for you... you're a REAL man, right?"

:rolleyes:

NO It's Not!

Bwhahahhahahah!


I have to agree though, no it is not!

Oh, I also believe that men get PMS too. There have to be cyclic hormonal changes. There is definitely a regularity to the mood swings that I've noticed in my father, my brothers, in male roomates, friends and so on.

Male PMS...

Am I the only one seeing anything strange about this?:p

I get male PMS - and damn it really sucks

You know, I think PMS is often an excuse for men to act like asshats and then ignore our reactions. ;P


But seriously, I've never suffered from PMS (and I'm on the pill anyway, so synthetic hormones keep anything genuinely menstrual from happening to me), but I constantly hear "you must be PMSing", "she must be on the rag" and other such bullshit whenever somebody pulls an idiot move and gets a negative reaction..

Isn't it possible that some of us are just short-tempered to begin with, and don't like men making uneducated assumptions about our bodily functions?

Of course, this is coming from the chick with a personality disorder.

PMS, I think, has to do with changing hormone levels. I was under the impression that that was proven.
Besides, I usually get irritable the week BEFORE my period. So I doubt it is just because I'm upset about seeing blood.

Sadly hubby and I have synced up. Between my PMDD and his uncharactaristic irrationality there are about 3 days a month we don't talk.. for safety reasons.

I actually have meds I could take for mine (and should) but he is supposed to "man up" and overcome his biology or some sexist shit.

"Oh, hi! Yeah, your leg is shattered in 40 places... no pain meds for you... you're a REAL man, right?"

:rolleyes:

If a man can withstand a 40-point compound fracture, which would basically entail the leg's bones breaking into gravel sized bits, I'm damn sure that:

A) He'd pass out rather quickly, and

B) The amount of damage would result in some form of skin break, and then the infection would set in, and then you would be seriously F*&%ed.

If a man can withstand a 40-point compound fracture, which would basically entail the leg's bones breaking into gravel sized bits, I'm damn sure that:

A) He'd pass out rather quickly, and

B) The amount of damage would result in some form of skin break, and then the infection would set in, and then you would be seriously F*&%ed.

If you pass out you're not a "real man".

Truthiness.

Hi, I'm a young woman.

I don't experience bad cramps. Maybe every once in a while (about once every few months), I get a small cramp, but that's it. I have never, ever acted in a way for someone to think that I am "PMS"ing (I've asked many). My long-term boyfriend who knows me 100% told me he doesn't think I PMS. The first time I ever heard the idea that PMS is a myth, I believed it right away, because I could never, ever personally relate to PMS. I know plenty of girls who claim that they are "PMS"ing but I always thought it was bull because it never, ever happens to me.

Maybe I'm just a lucky girl in this way. But I am really not a bitch and moods don't typically phase me. All my friends agree.

I believe that the supposed effects of PMS are a myth and that many women just use it as an excuse to unleash their repressed anger!


I am a young woman.

I am not prone to wild outbursts of anger or deep depression. I very rarely yell at people earnestly, or cry anymore. When my period comes, most often, I get cramps. I get debilitating cramps every 4-5 months wherein I simply cannot move for at least 8 hours. Every 2-4 months I will get emotional a week before this time. I become anti-social, aggressive, and small things are likely to produce tears that would not otherwise happen durring any other point in my cycle.

Therefore, I believe that such things are subjective to each woman. Just because you don't experience it, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. You can speak for yourself, but don't speak for others.

When I'm on hormonal birth control I have very few problems with PMS. When I'm not, I'm batshit insane a couple days every month. My PMS hits about 3 days before I have any physical symptoms and I've never been regular, so I can't blame it on knowing when I'm going to have my period and using it as an exucse.

Myrth has PMS?:confused:

;)

Myrth has PMS?:confused:

;)

You have no idea how hard it is to resist saying something smart right now.

I doubt that it's a myth, hormones do affect people in strange ways. It definitely requires more study.

It's probably overdiagnosed however, like ADD and ADHD.

Women get cramps and pain cyclically. Pain alone engenders a pissy mood. Even if emotion-swinging hormones were bunk pain's sufficient an explanation of women's altered moods. Also, folks who know explicitly a woman's on her period tend to note correlations between bitchiness and menstruation. I'm sure some generations of school indoctrination would produce men that ignored their own observations to call PMS a myth of more male-dominated times but it's noticeable.
What's the researchers goal? If women snapped b/c they usually repressed rage and this behavior proved there was no medical reason for their anger it'd concurrently prove women are psychos. I doubt that's the researchers intent. Unless she's a psychologist...

Oh trust me, it's not a myth. I have seen women that when they're on the rag, they bring the phrase "Hell has no fury like a woman scorned" to life.

Oh trust me, it's not a myth. I have seen women that when they're on the rag, they bring the phrase "Hell has no fury like a woman scorned" to life.

PMS. Pre. Pre menstrual syndrome. Meaning we're supposed to be normal when we're 'on the rag'.

They just can't call it MS is all. Already taken. Cuz mine is pre, post and during. :P

PMS. Pre. Pre menstrual syndrome. Meaning we're supposed to be normal when we're 'on the rag'.

They just can't call it MS is all. Already taken. Cuz mine is pre, post and during. :P

Oh trust me, the Pre, hehehe, that's just the warm up!

Man do I hang out with insane people....

What does that say about me? lol.

Oh trust me, the Pre, hehehe, that's just the warm up!

Man do I hang out with insane people....

What does that say about me? lol.

Birds of a feather, flock together...

I refuse to believe PMS is a myth. It's just different from woman to woman.

The week before my period, sometimes I can eat like an adolescent boy. And my crankiness (though I've been good at smiling through it) is all brought on by massive cramps. (I never get cramps during... always before.) I remember a few times when I just had to stay in bed it was so bad. I'm sure I wasn't a ray of sunshine then. I'd love for someone to tell me that was all in my head.

Thankfully, periods are easier for me now because of the pill.

I refuse to believe PMS is a myth. It's just different from woman to woman.
The week before my period, sometimes I can eat like an adolescent boy. And my crankiness (though I've been good at smiling through it) is all brought on by massive cramps. (I never get cramps during... always before.) I remember a few times when I just had to stay in bed it was so bad. I'm sure I wasn't a ray of sunshine then. I'd love for someone to tell me that was all in my head.

Thankfully, periods are easier for me now because of the pill.

Definitely. When I had periods, a hundred years or so ago, I noted two things, my asthma got worse (a couple of times to the point where I nearly had to be hospitalized) and I developed crippling migrained headaches just about 2-3 days before my period started. I never had much problem with moodiness, except, of course, the migraines caused some emotional upheaval - pain, nausea and hypersensitivity to light and noise will do that.

I dunno about PMS, but I can tell you for certain:

DRY LAND IS A MYTH!