By Leo Aquino
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a more aggravated version of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). PMS feels like bopping to an angsty No Doubt song on the radio, while PMDD feels like being trapped in a Hawthorne Heights screamo concert with no end in sight.
PMDD is a medical condition that causes severe irritability, anxiety, and depression in the week or two before your period(1). Symptoms subside 2-3 days after your period starts. An estimated 5-8% of women and AFAB (assigned female at birth) individuals have PMDD(2).
Those of us that have PMDD can thank our lucky stars that masturbating serves as a fun way to relieve symptoms. Masturbating during your period, or before it starts, has many health benefits, including:
- Orgasms release endorphins that elevate mood.
- Orgasms release hormones, like oxytocin and melatonin, that help you relax and sleep better.
- Allegedly, masturbating helps shed the uterine lining quicker, which means that it can shorten your periods(3).
Personally, I’ve been masturbating to cope with these symptoms long before I even received my PMDD diagnosis. The 4-5 days leading up to my period were plagued by muscle pains and intense cramps when I was in my teens. I pushed myself to go to classes and work after-school, even though I had feelings of despair and hopelessness. I would collapse onto my bed, exhausted but unable to sleep. Masturbating was the only thing that helped me sleep.
Using the many dope features of the Lioness rabbit vibrator, I wanted to compare what my orgasms look like before, during, and after my period to answer the question,“Does masturbating help relieve the symptoms of PMDD?”
Using the Lioness vibrator, I gathered data to see what my orgasms look like at different points in my menstrual cycle. I was even able to compare all three of the sessions to see what they look like side by side.
Orgasms before my period
Besides the gut-punching cramps and achy muscles, my brain can’t seem to make any decisions during the week leading up to my period. PMDD makes it difficult for me to focus on daily tasks or think clearly. Simple questions like,What do I want to eat for breakfast?keep me trapped in bed for hours.
The only question with a guaranteed answer is: What can I do to make myself feel good right now? My first decision of the day is a simple one. I reach for my Lioness vibrator stashed in my bedside table and choose pleasure.
I started noticing that I had the ability to have orgasms that last longer than usual when I’m on my period. It’s as if my vagina knew that the big monthly boxing match — Leo’s masculine soul vs. constant, bloody reminders thatI’m not in the body that I want to be in — was coming up.
My muscles down there feel stronger, but more tense at the same time. There was more tension to release than normal, and my muscles were willing to work harder.
This weird combination gave me three perfectly delicious orgasms, followed by one big one at the end that made me forget my own name, tbh.
Orgasms during my period
As my cycle becomes more regular, I’m more aware of how to shift my work schedule to give myself time to relax.
By the time the first day of my period rolls around, the Lioness and I have become besties. I used to feel a lot of shame for masturbating to get me through my periods before my PMDD diagnosis. Once I was able to watch my orgasms dance around the screen, thanks to the Artgasm feature, I realized that I didn’t need to feel ashamed.
My heightened emotions make me so much hornier on the first day of my period. Instead of feeling ashamed about it, I just ride the crimson wave, envisioning a massive release of shame and fear with every muscle contraction.
This time, my orgasms are longer and stronger. It helps to have all that extra natural lube.
The major benefit here is that my period was shortened to 1.5 days, instead of the normal 3.5 days. My instant reaction upon realizing my period was over so quick:Yooooooooooo!! Ok, this really works!*caresses my Lioness vibrator*See you next month, baby!
Orgasms after my period
Once my period is over, I’m a totally new person. Bleeding from a body part that I don’t always feel connected to feels like a cruel reminder that I’m always going to be trapped in this body. I feel like I was a hormonal football player in a Snickers commercial for 7-10 days, transforming instantly from hangry to cordial, after waking up to find that my period is over. I quickly notice how sore my vagina feels after days and days of beating off, yet my brain still feels a little horny.
Instead of savoring my self-playtime like I did before and during my period, I just wanted to get it out of the way. I wasn’t as aroused as I was during my period, and I needed to use lube. There was a disconnect between my brain just wanting an orgasm and my brain wanting to feel pleasure in other sensory ways. I could have taken a walk, written in my journal, or started a watercolor painting just for fun, but I felt like I needed to keep my mood in check by masturbating.
My session only lasts 40 seconds, and after one big orgasm less than halfway through, I realized that my muscles were contracting in response to pain and soreness that I was already feeling from masturbating repeatedly during my period.
Comparing orgasms before, during, and after my period
Session length
-
Before period: 1m 57s
-
During period: 2m 10s
- After period: 40s
Orgasms
-
Before period: 3 orgasms that felt regular (Force: ~50), followed by one big one at the end (Force: ~60).
- During period: 3 orgasms that were more intense and long-lasting than normal (Force: ~70), followed by one very powerful orgasm (Force: ~80-90) that lasted about 40 seconds.
- After period: One quick orgasm (Force ~40-50) followed by painful muscle contractions (Force: ~60).
Final thoughts
Periods used to be a time for me to disconnect with my body. Instead of facing the fear and shame that society imposes upon gender nonconforming folks, I flicked my lady bean and kept telling myself that as long as I can experience orgasms, staying in a body that didn’t feel like my own can be bearable.
With the help of the Lioness — the most innovative and empowering sex toy I’ve ever used — I am beginning to understand the strength I hold while menstruating. Literal strength!
The graphs show me the strength that both my vagina and my soul hold. Month after month, I get dragged against my will to that Hawthorne Heights screamo concert, but I still choose to follow pleasure, continuing to be guided by what feels good.
I’m grateful that self-play is a tool I can use to cope with the symptoms of PMDD, but it shouldn’t be the only thing I depend on to get me through those grueling days. The comparison between the three sessions reminds me that caring for myself after my period is important, too. Masturbating with Lioness during my period gives me insight for future period care preparation. I look forward to using this knowledge to improve the monthly hormonal rager inside of my body.
Bibliography
- “Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).” (2018) U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
- “About PMDD.” (2019). International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD).
- “Period Symptoms? Why Masturbating Could Be the Cure-All You Need.” (2019). Healthline.
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