Managing Hormonal Rage

No discussion of women’s anger would be complete without acknowledging the physical and hormonal influence over the course of your life—from puberty to post-menopause. Each stage has its own challenges. Whatever the phase, there are some basic commonsense steps you can take to treat your body gently. Women in their anger can harbor a great deal of animosity towards their body and those around them.

For some women, their period runs in the background; they accommodate it but it does not control them. For others, the time leading up to, and including, their period is one of dread and discomfort. It’s as if half the time you’re yourself and the other half you turn into someone else, someone you aren’t that fond of!

This period-person often displays anger, irritation, defensiveness, and tears in greater measure than the non-period person. Irritations that dissipate or simmer under the surface during normal days erupt to the surface during their period. Anxieties and fears kept in check break out afresh in despair.

There is quite a bit a woman deals with during “that time of the month.” All of which are induced by the interplay of hormones. When a woman menstruates, their estrogen and progesterone levels drop. When they ovulate, their estrogen and progesterone levels rise. Up and down, up and down, every month. These dramatic shifts in hormone levels can result in uncomfortable physical and volatile emotional symptoms.

No matter what phase of your menstrual cycle or phase of life, there are some basic things you can do to help you feel better. Most of these aren’t unique to women; they are universal for people in general.

• Eat healthily
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Be careful what you put into your body
• Exercise
• Take a multivitamin
• Stay hydrated
• Get restful sleep
• Consider hormonal support

All of these rituals will contribute to a healthy, balanced body to support this monthly cycle. By keeping your physical body in balance, you are more likely to regulate the emotional waves, such as anger and hostility, that might surface during this cycle.

 However, one insightful peace of wisdom to keep in mind is to not necessarily dismiss everything you get angry about during your period. Instead, make a note of what made you angry, take a deep breath, focus on something positive, and come back to this issue later in the month. Choose not to indulge the anger right then because hormonally charged conversations are not the best time to address sensitive situations. Instead, come back to it later once the emotions have settled. By waiting, you acknowledge the truth of the anger, but also give yourself time to examine it and determine the best course of action to resolve the issue. Waiting for the right moment isn’t a defeat, it’s a deferment. For highly emotional or volatile issues, timing can be the key to successful resolutions.

Anger is a normal emotion that everyone experiences. However, the difference between feeling anger and acting out of that anger is a very important distinction. If you, or someone you love, struggles with managing their anger, especially during hormonal fluxes, seek professional guidance. At The Center • A Place of HOPE, we can help uncover the root causes for this anger, and help create strategies to healthily manage this anger. If you believe you or someone you love is in need of anger management, fill out this form or call 1-888-771-5166 to speak confidentially with an anger management specialist today.