For many women, the emotional aspect of hormone imbalance - anger, irritability, anxiety, mood swings and depression - is the hardest part of PMS to deal with, because it makes us feel out of control, and because it causes serious damage to both our relationships and our very sense of wellbeing. 

Negative emotions, such as anger, fear, depression and shame, are so powerful that they can seem to seize control of our personality at times. We experience everything around us in a colored and distorted lens, leaving us feeling like we’ve been turned into a completely different person.

I admit that I’m a sensitive and emotional woman. My emotions can run quite strong and deep, and I cannot seem to get a grasp of them at times.

Worry is like a rocking chair – it gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere. We all know that. And in our modern society, we worry way too easily.

I admit that it took me a very long time to uncover, understand and process the anger I’d held onto since childhood. Raised by a tiger mother, I was not encouraged, even allowed, to express the slightest hint of anger growing up. I learned to repress it and push it deep down into my psyche, and my body.

In about four days I start my period. During this time of the month, I often feel a sense of discontentment or dissatisfaction that’s normally absent from my life. Fear pops up. I feel dissatisfied with my work, study, and relationships – basically my life in general.

Recently I read a post written by Tess Marshall, the founder of The Bold Life. I was deeply touched by her story. In her post, she offers some really good tips on how to overcome fear and live a fearless life. With her permission, I'm sharing her post...

“What’s wrong?” “Nothing.” “Are you okay? Is everything okay?” “Yeah. I’m fine.” But at the time you were not fine. Something was bothering you, and your tone of voice showed it all.

When we feel sad, depressed or unhappy, we often think that we’re the only one, and we’re alone. And we think that if we had more money, if were rich and famous, all our troubles would just go away. We'd be together and happy all the time. But money and being rich and famous do not make us immune from the stresses and emotional struggles of life.

How many times, on the spur of a PMS moment, have you said hurtful things to the people you love? It’s like you had no control, the words just came out. But despite your later regret, you can’t take them back. The damage has been done – and sometimes it’s irreversible.

The brilliant Albert Einstein once said, “You can't solve a problem with the same mind that created it." In a way I think this is also true when it comes to difficult emotions such as anger, sadness, depression, or PMS mood swings.

Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed, exhausted or stressed out? Do you stare at the seemingly endless obligations on your to-do list but just can’t seem to summon enough energy to get through them?

“Sometimes during the premenstrual phase, I feel as if I’ve been taken over by a totally different personality. I cry or burst into a rage over things that wouldn’t normally bother me very much. It’s frightening because I feel completely out of control.” This is a typical confession of a woman who’s experienced an uncontrollable PMS outburst.

The day before my period started, I felt a deep sadness and a profound loneliness. Looking around at the love and blessings in my life, I knew that the feeling came from distant memories. When the veil between the conscious and the unconscious thins out during the premenstrual phase, these deep and intense feelings surface into my conscious mind, and into the present.