I’m actually not a huge fan of this post because the wording makes it seem like some of these things are inevitable when they aren’t. Specifically, I’m thinking of “you will get horrible mood swings” and “you will cry a lot,” which seem to be saying “if you have a period these things will happen to you.”

The truth is, these things don’t happen to every person with a period. Some people experience zero symptoms on their period (aside from the blood)! If we want to explain to people who don’t get periods how bad periods can be, we have to acknowledge that they’re not the same for every woman and can very greatly, otherwise they might think “well, Jessica doesn’t seem to have trouble on her period. Others must be lying”.

Additionally, a few of the things on this list are NOT NORMAL and the normalization of these things as just “symptoms of a period” may prevent people from seeking help from a doctor. If your cramps are so bad you throw up or pass out, talk to your doctor. If you doctor doesn’t take you seriously, find another one. Same for any other symptom which significantly impedes your ability to function throughout the day.

I agree that it’s important for everyone to acknowledge that periods are often a bad experience, and can be downright miserable for some people, but saying that is the only experience a person with a period can have is not helpful, and may be hurtful in some cases.