I've been having mood swings and my tummy feels weird

Mood swings and a weird tummy feeling right before your period are super duper common, like for real. If you've already started having periods, it might be your body getting ready for the next one. But a weird tummy and big feelings can also come from other stuff, like stress or worrying about something.

What it feels like

Your hormones are doing this crazy dance before your period, and that literally can make your moods go all over the place. One minute you're fine and the next you're crying because you can't find your favorite socks, you know? And that weird tummy feeling can be a lot of things. Sometimes it's like a dull ache, or bloating because your body holds onto more water. For some people, it's mild cramps already starting.

What to do about it

Okay so for the mood stuff, it helps to just notice how you feel without judging yourself. Knowing it's probably just hormones helps me a lot, because then I'm like "oh, it's that time of the month." Doing something relaxing usually helps, like listening to music, watching your favorite show, or coloring. For your tummy, sometimes a warm bath or a heating pad can feel really good. Drinking lots of water is also honestly super helpful for everything from bloating to energy.

If the tummy weirdness turns into really bad pain, or if your mood swings feel totally out of control and start messing up your friendships or school, then it's a good idea to chat with a grown-up you trust, like your parent or school nurse. They can help you figure out if there's anything else going on, or if you need to talk to a doctor. You can also track your moods and tummy feelings in the Soso app to see if there's a pattern, because that's super helpful for predicting what's coming and knowing what's typical for your body.