To think that 'hormones' is a lazy excuse and does women no favours?

[Cel982]

Ok, so admittedly the thought was triggered by this story, and its "I was pregnant, I didn't know what I was doing" punchline

But, more generally, do women do themselves a disservice when they attribute emotional behaviour or episodes of questionable judgement to 'being hormonal'? You hear it all the time in relation to periods, pregnancy, menopause. Does our hormonal milieu really have that much of an effect on our ability to reason and act rationally? I think not, but I fully accept that other people may have different experiences. Or is it just a convenient excuse?

It just makes me uneasy, as it seems to feed into very Victorian male attitudes to women, female hysteria and so on, and paints us as helpless victims of our own bodies. Which I really don't believe is the case.

This has nothing to do with hormones or pregnancy or tiredness, it's an excuse for indecent behaviour in public. I'm pregnant and tired and any kind of sexual act is the last thing on my mind at the moment. Perhaps that's why they have 4 kids and I only have 1.

Sorry you've had such a tough time Fluffy. Be kind to yourself

Thanks Cel982 - I'm very lucky to have incredibly supportive friends, family and a wonderful partner. Until 3 months ago I'd never have thought it possible to have such a dramatic personality shift due to hormones....

Thankfully the anti depressants seem to have worked and I'm seeing the Dr's next week with a view to coming off them now that I'm no longer pregnant. I am desperate to be a Mother but won't try again until I've worked through all of the issues and put in place as much support as possible in case I feel the same next time

I thought it must have been a handjob but an article in Metro says oral sex. In public. In front of your kids. How effing tired and hormonal do you have to be to think that's okay???

My depression is hugely affected by my hormones when I ovulate and as classic PMT.

It's hideous and as my cycles are not regular and predictable it just adds to the fun of the "how am I going to feel today" life that I live.

And Kitty, sorry you've been through such a tough time as well

Effects of a hormonal imbalance - say due to PMT- can be massively strong, although I must say personally I've never had the urge to give someone a blow job in a shopping centre .

I normally manage to keep it together when I've got PMT though- I just feel shit, clumsy, oversensitive, exhausted and overexposed inside. It's like trying to appear normal when you're at work with a severe hangover.

But what is this bullshit about women, and women only, getting "hormonal". Why don't aggressive or sexually promiscuous men get given the "hormonal" label? Testosterone is a hormone too!

It's not just women. All that testosterone can have an impact on how stabby/fighty/warmongering etc men are.

I don't think I do myself a disservice to recognise that hormones affect my attitude and behaviour at times. I have an issue with other people dismissing womens opinions, anger, etc as hormones when they can't possibly know or its just a way to belittle someone.