Scarleteen

hi, have been freaking out lately over my period being super weird. first, I got it twice in a month because it came like 2-3 weeks early. (first one around sep. 9-10, second one around sep. 28, which is the one i'm worried about) it only lasted 2-3 days with fairly light bleeding the first and last day, and around the last day I noticed wet spots on my boobs, and my boobs hurt a bit sometimes. now, a day after it ended, i'm getting brown spotting and i'm really confused and anxious. I'm 14 and not sure if this is normal or if i should talk to my parents about it. i've been super anxious about maybe being pregnant because every time i google my symptoms pregnancy comes up as a cause even though i've never done anything that could get me pregnant, and it's driving me crazy! is this just some weird hormonal imbalance thing, or anxiety affecting my period, or what? i also had a bit of a headache and very mild nausea last night but i think that's just from anxiety. sorry if i sound weird lol

Hi bluebrry,

It's really common to have irregular periods, especially in younger people. Without any activity that could cause pregnancy, rest assured these irregularities are not due to pregnancy. Many things can affect our periods, and you're absolutely right that anxiety is one of them. Everything from stress and anxiety, to diet, hormones, and a slew of other factors can impact menstruation. You're doing the right thing by tracking what's happening. For more info, I like this answer to a similar question. If you were to talk to your parents about your concerns, how do you think they would react? Too, do you have access to a healthcare provider in case you'd like to get everything checked out?

thanks so much for replying : ) do you have any advice to talk to my mom about it? i really wanna tell her about it but im nervous itll be weird or ill cry while im talking to her.

I'd recommend asking to talk with her in a space you're most comfortable in, like your bedroom or another cozy spot. What has your experience been like in the past talking to your mom about things like this? Have the two of you discussed puberty and other body changes? Chances are, your mom may also have experienced irregular periods at some point as a younger person as well.

she's talked about periods with me before but i've never really started the conversation and that's the part i struggle most with lol. but i've talked with her about my ocd and stuff before and she's helped alot so i think itll be ok

I'm glad to hear it sounds like she's been helpful and open about talking about these things in the past. I'll reiterate starting the conversation within a space and time you're comfortable with, and reminding yourself of how helpful she's been in the past. You'll probably still be nervous, and that's totally okay. It's understandable to be stressed when something unexpected is happening with our bodies, even if it's not due to any underlying issue. How does all this sound?

sounds good, thanks so much!! you've been really helpful : )