Mental Illness

In response to Julia, I think hormones are sometimes confused with mental illness--such as depression, or being bi-polar. People suffering from those diseases can't "pull themselves out of it" and need medication and other help. Hormones are different because, while they can exert the same control of your reactions, they usually level out again--after a period or, in my case, a d&c, so after the "episode" you can think again. Also, I don't think many of us can "pull ourselves out of it" when we are having a hormone induced reaction to something. I think you basically said that yourself--how you respond to your hormones and how you plan before and after the hormones hit can be your only way to positively handle the problem. During is pretty much lost. For Kammers, things like "don't live in Chicago during the winter" is an example of a positive help. Not solution, but help. My mom tracked her period and the three days leading up to it she and dad weren't allowed to talk about money. At all. Positive strategy. For me, lots of sex usually helps. I know, too much info--but seriously, my emotional health is directly related to how much I'm being touched. So---these are the things we need to know about ourselves to make a positive plan of action.

I don't know. Kelly, does the book talk about specific things in your diet that can help??