Not Just Moody — A Story About PMS and Emotional Overload

After a long, exhausting day filled with endless calls and looming deadlines, she finally stepped onto her balcony. Her phone flashed—9:00 PM. She sank into her chair, staring up at the sky, searching for the one thing that always calmed her: the moon.

It had been one of those days. You know, the kind that makes you want to throw your hands up and walk away from it all. She almost did, during a client call. Her emotions were at the brink, but somehow, she managed to pull herself together. Deadlines don’t care about how you’re feeling, do they?

The frustration was simmering inside—her manager’s impossible timelines, the client’s last-minute changes. She felt her body and mind crumbling under the pressure. But now, in the quiet of the night, as the world slowed down, she took a deep breath and felt a bit more in control.

Have you ever had those moments? When all you want is to turn everything off, escape for a few days, and just breathe?

Her mind wandered back to the morning. She had woken up with a headache after tossing and turning all night. She knew exactly what was coming. Her period was around the corner, and that familiar dread settled in.

The PMS was already hitting hard—mood swings, headaches, exhaustion, and irritation that seemed to flare up over the smallest things. You’d think after all these years, she’d be used to it by now, right? But can anyone truly get used to feeling like their body is turning against them every month?

What she craved at that moment was so simple—a warm hug, someone who would listen to her vent, someone who would just say, “It’s okay. You don’t have to keep it all together.” But instead, she sat there, alone, staring into the night, wondering if anyone would ever make these days just a little easier.

Does this sound familiar? So many women like her—like you—go through this every month. We push through the exhaustion, the mood swings, the mental and physical drain. We slap on a smile, show up for work, handle the never-ending to-do lists at home, and somehow, we keep going.

But how? How do we manage to stay afloat when it feels like we’re drowning?

The worst part is when someone says, “Aren’t you used to this by now? It happens every month.” That’s the comment that stings the most. How could anyone ever get used to this rollercoaster of emotions and physical discomfort?

All she wanted was a bit of empathy, a little care on those days when even she couldn’t stand herself. It’s not too much to ask, is it?

She knew the next few days would be a blur of irritability and exhaustion, just waiting for her cycle to run its course. She tried to prepare herself mentally, but how do you predict when the next wave of emotions will hit?

This wasn’t something she—or any of us—chose. It’s a part of life that we deal with in silence because that’s what’s expected of us.

What she wished was simple: instead of hearing, “Why are you so moody? Are you PMSing?” people would pause and understand.

One day, maybe she’ll feel comfortable enough to tell her manager, “I’m not okay right now. I don’t have the mental space for this.” But we still have a long way to go as a society before these conversations can happen openly, without judgment.

Until then, we continue to smile, to work, to push through—hoping for a bit of care and understanding along the way.