Menstruation, Myth And Mental Health / Dr. ANSHUL MAHAJAN .
When I was around 12 years old we were planning to visit some function in our neighbourhood. My mom was also getting ready and was busy in deciding which saree to wear. Suddenly she told us that she is not feeling well and she will not go for the program. She requested my father to take me and my sister for function. I was very very surprised by her sudden change in decision. First I requested her to come and then got angry at her because everyone will ask me about her. Plus our neighbourhood aunty will feel bad if mom will not go. Mom told me that you just tell aunty that mummy got "Problem" and she will understand. As per instruction, I informed her and to my surprise that aunty didn't ask a single question about that problem. I was surprised by the power of this code word " Problem". When I came back home I asked my mother many times about her problem. She was looking tired so I thought she is in a really big problem. After 3-4 days she became normal. The same thing happened 2-3 times in the next 2 years. I started feeling that why my mom doesn't let me know about her secret problem. I used to keep thinking about that secret problem. Then the same thing happened with my sister also. Her sudden change in mood, health status and cancelling plans used to surprise me. In my school also I observed compare to boys girls more frequently miss classes, or complain of abdominal pain and sudden mood changes. With all these observations I concluded for myself that girls are weak(not healthy), weird and can keep changing their plans suddenly. Mother never dare to answer me about her secret problem.
It was in class 12 when I read the first time about menstruation. During those days in Maharashtra whenever any 12th Standard science stream boy used to buy Biology book immediately, he used to open chapter number 18- Reproduction. With so much interest when he used to start reading that chapter he used to get upset with so many technical terms and diagrams. His imagination and expectation about this Reproduction chapter used to be very different and filmy(blue). When I read it the first time I understood about menstruation a little bit. That chapter just explained the process of menstrual cycle but it didn't explain what women go through while Menstruation. Even in our MBBS books only process and symptoms during menstruation were explained. In medical college, we didn't learn much about the psychological and social aspects of menstruation. While taking a history from any women we used to ask her last date of menstruation. Expressions women show while answering this difficult question can teach you many things.
Myths about Menstruation
Last year there were many protests against Sabarimala temple in Kerala. In this temple, women between the age of 9-50 years can't enter or worship. It was believed that if women of reproductive age/menstrual age" will enter this temple it will get impure and will cause a curse for society. This tradition was followed for many centuries. When few women activist opposes this and filled a case against this they were badly threatened and beaten. Even after supreme courts, decision temple committee didn't allow women in the temple campus. Interestingly many women themselves opposed supreme courts decision and supported the Temple committee. This shows how many women still believe that they get impure during the menstrual cycle. It is very deep-rooted in our tradition and minds that menstruation is something bad, unhygienic and unnatural.
Many parts of the world have very different myths about menstruation like
1) Female gets impure during MC
2)She should not enter the kitchen, temple or any holy place.
3)She should not touch flowers.
4)She should not touch Pickles
5)She should not touch curd.
6)She should not play or do exercise or go outside
7)She should not wash hair or even bath because water will get impure with her blood and if this water will get mixed with other water sources then everything will get impure.
8)In Nepal, they used to keep women with cows during their menstruation.
9)When u gets the first period you get slapped from nature so you get pimples.
10) Having sex during menstruation can kill partner.
Many such unscientific myths caused so much harm. This gives girl feeling that something is wrong with her and she starts hating her own body. Menstruation was used as a tool to strengthen patriarchy. Many opportunities were denied to females on the basis of their monthly cycle. Still many women isolate themselves completely like they have done something wrong or MC is their fault. In some tribal communities menstruating females have to stay in one hut outside the village. We can't imagine till now how many females have gone through this social stigma, isolation and guilt feeling. Due to social stigma, I have seen many female patients requesting for pills to delay her periods. Initially, I used to avoid it and explain this superstition and how these medicines can harm them. I sent many females back without medicines. Then I realised that explaining her is not sufficient until and unless society will understand that impurity is in mind and not in body. When I look back I feel sorry for those females whom I dint gave medicines because of it they may have missed many of their important work or functions.
Mental health and menstruation.
It is commonly believed that menstruation is mostly related to one organ- Uterus but it's not the only uterus but your brain also shows many changes during this cycle. While many hormonal changes occur and can use reaction at uterus level few chemicals also changes in the brain. There is a very strong relationship between brain and menstruation. With extreme stress, females can miss periods or it gets delayed. Mostly after marriage when young girls try hard to adjust with the new environment with the stress they quite often miss periods in initial months. Interestingly few research study found that if two females start living with each other their period's dates get synchronised after few months. Serotonin is the main chemical which gets reduced during menstruation causing low mood, irritability, fatigue, low concentration, decreased pleasure etc. Along with psychological symptoms, many females get abdominal cramps, headache, backache, weakness etc. This physical symptoms further increase mental stress. Most of the females go through these symptoms and a group of these symptoms is known as Premenstrual syndrome. In some female, these symptoms get severe and last long causing her " Premenstrual dysphoric disorder". In this condition, females can get more severe symptoms and even short episode of severe depression(which may need treatment). More than physical problems psychological changes cause more harm. Sudden mood changes, low concentration, negative emotions etc can affect their work capacities. I have seen many girls saying with irritation "Why I got birth as a girl...what is my mistake?". Physical and psychological pain along with social restrictions don't allow them to enjoy this most beautiful event of womanhood.
Last year I used to visit one NGO for some work. Every time I used to stay with one family in their village. My day was fixed for that particular work(say every month 1st Thursday). Interestingly that same day female(homemaker)used to get her periods so she used to stay aside and husband used to do all work. To complete our remaining work and discussion I used to help him with cooking so we can talk n work together. I really enjoyed those days. I haven't seen this thing in Maharashtra. Assamese females are really lucky that they get this rest and care for a few days. This was the positive side of a few wrong beliefs about menstruation. Now we need to work hard so even after knowing the reality of superstition n wrong beliefs of impurity males should work, support and care for females during this problematic days of the month.
Happy menstrual day