Pat's Answer
I have hidden my period from my parents for nearly three years because I don’t feel comfortable talking to anyone
Your Question
I have hid my period for nearly three years from my parents cause I don’t feel comfortable talking to anyone
Answer
Hello, you’re welcome to ask Pat.
You’ve told us that you have hidden your period for nearly three years from your parents as you don’t feel comfortable talking to anyone. That is a long time to keep a secret to yourself, and chances are your parents would not be surprised to hear that you have your period by now. Periods are a natural event in a young woman’s life and although it can be embarrassing to chat about this topic, it’s not something anyone needs to feel ashamed about. If you’d like to confide in your parents or someone else you trust, a piece of advice might be to think about the thing that really makes you nervous about the situation and write down ways you might be able to approach it. This might not be with your parents at first and that is okay. Another option that might work for starting the discussion would be to let somebody know in a letter, written in your own words. This may ease the pressure of talking about your period face to face.
Although it might not be very convenient getting your period and it can be an awkward topic to discuss, remember that there are people you can turn to for help. With a bit of practice, you’ll get in the habit of being more open about it. And before you know it, getting your period and perhaps even talking about it will be no big deal.
I hope this helps you. You might like to have a look at this article about the benefits of talking on the Childline website: https://www.childline.ie/3-ways-talking-can-improve-your-mental-wellbeing/. This article gives useful tips for talking to your parents about your period: https://www.ubykotex.com/en-us/periods/period-basics/talking-to-an-adult-about-your-period
Thanks for getting in touch with us today and if you ever want to Ask Pat anything, please just leave a message. We are here to listen to you and offer you information and support.
If your question is urgent, or you would like to talk privately, you can contact Childline for free by calling 1800 66 66 66, chatting online via our webchat on www.childline.ie or by texting 50101. We are available 24 hours a day, every day.
Take Care, Pat.