Eeeeks! It’s that time of the month when even seemingly inane things get your adrenaline going awry. Anger, irritability, mood swings and emotions rule the roost and everyone’s advised to stay away. Or else bear the wrath of a woman! Pre-menstrual syndrome has been written about, surveyed and every week, there is
something new that’s hitting the headlines. While the manner in which we perceive it keeps changing, there are somethings that are a constant. And dealing with pre-menstrual dysphoric syndrome is one such constant. The rules are the same but given the paranoid nature of the populace, take the surveys with a pinch of salt but keep to the basics.
There were recent reports that pre-menstrual syndrome was wrongly diagnosed as a psychiatric disorder in the UK. Thankfully, in the Indian context, we still have our feet on the ground with regards to calling a spade a spade! And since this particular “spade” is wrought with emotions and pain, we explored how one can make those “days of the month” better.
Brijesh S. has been seeing his wife undergo the craziest of mood swings. “That time is known by all concerned as the ‘irate’ period so I tend to keep conversation, arguments and conflicts to the minimal. My wife Seema suffers from severe pain and vomiting too. So, I try to be supportive and quiet. I think that’s the key!”
Even though the annoyance factor rises, women all over have learned to cope with the symptoms in various ways. Says Kamala Kumar, a housewife, “I was told about soaking chilli seeds in water overnight and drinking the water for relief from pain. And it works.”
For others like Yullete Lobo, a hospitality consultant, “The irritability surprises me even today. I suddenly have a fit of anger for some trivial issue that escalates into something bigger, which is really unnecessary.”
Nina Jacob, a teacher, has been dealing with the monthly syndrome with yoga, meditation and keeping a diet that is low on fat and sweet. She feels that this helps her a bit. Nutritionist Sheela Krishnaswamy advises, “One can, and cannot, treat such symptoms. It’s yes and no because individuals and their symptoms differ. But having said that, eating less salt, low sugar can help alleviate the symptoms to a large extent. Bloating can be reduced with a reduction in salt intake.”