To think that (pregnancy) hormones are a poor excuse...

[HeathcliffMoorland]

for shouting at or hitting someone?

I get that being hormonal can make someone feel more... delicate. I've been there myself.

However, I just don't think it's any excuse to take it out on other people.

AIBU?

No excuse for hitting or any type of physical violence, but pregnancy rage can often cause a raised voice!

no no excuse at all

Thanks people - I know quite a few pregnant women in real life who are using it as an excuse to behave appallingly. The worst part is, most people accept it, it seems.

I mean, if their DHs behaved similarly and blamed testosterone nobody would be sympathetic, I don't think.

i think shouting is allowed

Would you feel similarly if a man did so and blamed testosterone? I'm not being deliberately inflammatory. I'm genuinely curious.

There's never an excuse for hitting. But pregnant hormones give me rage.

I can't think of a time in men's lives when they would be having quite such a hormone surge, tbh.

well i have shouty sons and i suppose testosterone is powerful

When I was first pg, I was reading a book aloud to DH, which said, I would be 'irritable and grumpy' due to pg hormones.

DH muttered, 'have you been pg for 6 years then?'

To be fair, the testosterone may be a poor example, as its association with rage really depends on what you're reading, but the whole idea of taking things out on people doesn't sit right with me...

Perhaps I am bu.

The trouble with a hormonal response is that it's very difficult to control. not impossible though (apart from the ones that make you go into labour).

Personally I feel pregnancy can be so awful that you don't even need the hormones as an excuse - the discomfort alone is enough.

And while of course it's not morally acceptable I'd be inclined to shrug it off if done to me. Pg women need all the slack they can get.

ha, i used to get angry, really, really angry, start shouting and then just cry (hormones), so whoever it was i was shouting at then used to go get me a cuppa and give me a hug

No excuse for hitting though.

hormanal imbalances can make you act crazy, I know my endocrine disorder has symptoms like that, but I don't think pregnancy does it to much extent. And its never any excuse to hit anyone, ever.

Okay, I wasn't referring to endocrine disorders.

I really just meant altered physiological states.

My apologies if it came across otherwise.

I have shouted and cried at my husband a lot today. This kind of behaviour is completely out of character for me, but I haven't been able to do anything about it. Either I am having some kind of breakdown or pregnancy hormones are to blame, I know which I would prefer to think!

I'm in the first trimester and very miserable at the moment - I think I actually have a bit of depression caused by all the hormones running riot.

It just tends to make me weepy rather than aggressive though. The main symptom is that even doing the smallest thing seems to require such an effort.

However I know that in a few weeks it will probably lift ...

My moods are normally flat as a pancake but pregnancy sees me act very out of character, very hormonal and easily upset; as I don't get much ebb and flow normally the difference is extremely noticeable to those around me. I can see how someone might swing a punch despite never normally being violent. Doesn't make it acceptable of course.

I never felt angry or flat, just cried at the drop of a hat! Still do though to be honest.

agree.
I have no time for people who think that they can abdicate responsibility for their actions because of their hormones.

Its still just hormones, no matter what the reason.

I had a male friend who had a nightmare GF - he seemed to excuse her behaviour as being premenstrual, but 4 weeks out of 4, or being pg. Or perhaps she was just a bitch...

Hitting, no. Never an excuse for that. But hormones can make you shout/cry/be generally unreasonable. I massively envy those who do not get effected by hormones or meerly get a little irritable. I cant take any hormone based contraceptive as it turns me into an angry, irrational, depressed mess. PMT has seen me suicidal at its absolute worst.

Im 7 months pregnant and lost the plot for the first time (in this pregnancy) today and I KNOW I was out of line and there was no need for it. Non- pregnant me would never have reacted like that (unless I was due on!) and yes, I fully blane hormones. My mother is the same, and hers before her.

I am awful in the first trimester. Shouty, tearful and often plain nasty. I've improved alot but still quite shouty at times (I am naturally mouthy though) Probably largely down to the hormones (so the GP, MW and my mum all said). However being hormonal shouldn't be a get out of jail free card to behave badly.

Hormones can cause people to go somewhat bonkers. It isn't an excuse to hit anybody, but perhaps it contributes to the reason/lack of control. If this person is usually a non shouter/hitter, I would suspect the hormones.