A woman is (if menstruating regularly) on average 3500 days on her period in her whole life. This project is about woman who experience severe pain and emotional unstableness during their menstruation.
"Sometimes I have so much pain, that my whole body is shaking and I just can’t stand. I can’t describe the pain, luckily it becomes tolerable with an aspirin. But at that moment of pain I just don’t know what to do with myself’
Vitamine D, Magnesium & Menstrual Care pills to stabilise hormonal fluctuations.
The doctor said that I might be depressed and I received a questionnaire. In the end, I found out that I felt this way because of the pill "
" I can feel so lost, I'm very confused and often I want to be alone. "
" Once I had to walk to the car but halfway I just had to sit down on the sidewalk, because of the pain. It was a 5-minute walk, but I just couldn't make it’’
‘’ I got my period at school, I think I was 12, and I was in so much pain that I couldn't even sit. The teachers did not know what to do with me and out of misery I just went to lie down on the cold stairs. Then they brought me to the dressing rooms and put me on a stretcher with a blanket on me’’
Experiences of different woman I interviewed about their menstruation:
"I subconsciously know where it comes from, but I often blame myself for thinking and feeling in a certain way, I notice that I am pretty negative about myself and others."
" Once I had to walk to the car but halfway I just had to sit down on the sidewalk, because of the pain. It was a 5-minute walk, but I just couldn't make it’’
" I can feel so lost, I'm very confused and often I want to be alone. "
"I stuffed myself with painkillers if I had to do something."
" But also, women who don’t experience these issues say, "what are you doing, what are you complaining about?" Everyone has this, so deal with it"
" I can walk again because I use the pill "
" In short, I have my period in my belly button, where the womb lining is located, and when that expands it hurts a lot.
It grows slowly every month, but swallowing the pill does not increase it quickly. "
" With my mother and with good friends, I can be honest and open about how I feel, but when I step out of the door I often put a mask on, so nobody will be aware of anything’’
"I also think it is something very beautiful, fertility & femininity. At first I really enjoyed having my period "
"I had this 4-hour flight once, and I just gasped and breathed the whole way."
‘’ I got my period at school, I think I was 12, and I was in so much pain that I couldn't even sit. The teachers did not know what to do with me and out of misery I just went to lie down on the cold stairs. Then they brought me to the dressing rooms and put me on a stretcher with a blanket on me’’
"Sometimes I have so much pain, that my whole body is shaking and I just can’t stand. I can’t describe the pain, luckily it becomes tolerable with an aspirin. But at that moment of pain I just don’t know what to do with myself’’
"In the morning, especially because of the pain I felt like throwing up and sometimes I did vomit, I mean after that it felt okay "
"I was depressed by the pill, I felt incredibly bad, like a deep black hole that you fall into. I did not recognize myself, I have never felt that way.
The doctor said that I might be depressed and I received a questionnaire. In the end, I found out that I felt this way because of the pill "
"I had severe pain for 7 months, sometimes I couldn't walk anymore and I just had to sit down in the middle of the street."
"" I have a feeling in my stomach, as if something exciting is going to happen. I am short of breath & restless, a weak version of panicking. "
Finally, I want to thank all the women for sharing their experiences with me.