30 Bizarre Things Women Found Out Others Actually Go Through Too

It's more something I do and was surprised to learn my girlfriends do, as well: when walking in the city, headphones are in, but the sound is off. We also watch shadows to figure out how quickly someone walking behind us is going. No one told us to do any of this. We all just kind of figured it out independently.

Difficulty with word finding now that I’m in perimenopause.

Period diarrhea

Seriously, I received a pretty good education on reproductive health and puberty, but no one told me about period diarrhea and I thought I was the only one who would s**t so much when menstruating until I was like 21 and got a gf.

I thought it was just me, but my girlfriends all agreed we used to get cat called more when we were 13-17 than we do now in our 20s.

Feeling like I had to shrink myself to make others comfortable, at work, in relationships, even around friends. I used to think it was just a “me” problem, like I was too much or too intense. But once I started talking to other women, I realized so many of us were taught to dim our light to keep the peace. Never again.

Being unable to make friends with other women.

I never realised how common emotional abuse was.

A sore vulva during my period. Not cramps, but my labia feels... extremely tired? like I was using them to lift weights the day before? The first time a friend told me it also happened to her I was so grateful knowing that I wasn't crazy!

Postpartum OCD. It's super common to have intrusive thoughts of your baby dying for the first year or two after birth. NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IT.

Having a miscarriage. I thought they were super rare, and then when I had one and told other women, I was shocked at how many of them told me they’d had one too. I don’t know why women aren’t more open about it and don’t talk about it more. Somehow, learning how common it was made my second miscarriage easier.

Really heavy and sudden bleeding during periods. Not to be gross but just suddenly like a tap turning on. I'd have to a tampon and wear multiple pads because it would come on suddenly and I could soak through a single pad or tampon in a minute or two. It didn't alwasy happen- but often happened - usually on day 2 or 3 of a period.

I met another woman who had this when she was visiting my home. I found out only because she had an episode and she had to ask me for paper towels to clean up the bathroom. It's really not something we talk about much- like periods com up with close friends form time to time - but it's hardly water cooler talk. I wonder how common this is.

Menopausal RAGE. No mention of that. Coulda used the warning tbh.

Having a difficult relationship with my mom. I see her and feel so annoyed around her presence.

I'm still convinced I'm not normal for my lack of s*x desire.

My anxiety meds/adhd meds/and anti-depressants not working as well when Im on my period.

I thought that my meds were just not consistent, turns out the inconsistency was my hormone levels affecting how efficiently my body absorbed medication.

Friggin medicine was only tested as men's hormone levels as the default so they're not built with a woman's cycle causing hormone fluctuations in mind. I just take a way higher dose now than I probably need in the hope that it helps keep me level enough during the dips. Doesn't always work though.

Realizing that “getting randomly scared you’re pregnant even when you haven’t had s*x” is a universal experience 😂

Also: the deep, irrational guilt after saying “no” to plans just because you’re tired and need time alone. I really thought I was just being weird or antisocial until I heard other women say the same thing.

Turns out, a lot of us are walking around with shared experiences we never even talk about. The power of women opening up is wild. We’re all out here thinking we’re the only ones quietly spiraling but we’re actually on the same rollercoaster. 🌀💕.

Having issues orgasming and hardly having one...


I was convinced for so long my body was broken.

Thinking I was the only one who’d pretend to text someone while walking alone because I felt unsafe… until I found out so many girls do the same.

Before my period/on my period or when I'm getting a cold, my skin hurts. All of it. My whole body skin hurts.

My old boss said she experienced the same thing!

Before my period, my legs start to really hurt and have this “pulling” sensation by the thigh area. it’s so uncomfortable.