Forget haunted houses and horror movies—the scariest thing I deal with every month doesn’t come with fake blood; it’s the real thing. Periods. We whisper about them like they’re cursed, but for many of us, they’re the closest thing to a real-life horror story.
To put this horror into perspective, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects an estimated 6-13% of women of reproductive age worldwide. That’s about 1 in 10 women globally. Yet up to 70% of those affected go undiagnosed. And for many, the label “PCOS” becomes a shortcut for doctors, easier than digging into root causes, while the actual triggers of our pain stay ignored. Those aren’t just statistics, they’re my reality. Unlike a scary movie, this isn’t fiction, it’s my body.
I don’t just have cramps, I have fear. I have PCOS, which turns my cycle into a horror show: one month silent, the next a bloody jump scare with pain so intense it feels like something is twisting you from the inside out. It’s not just the cramps. It’s the unpredictability, the exhaustion, the emotional turbulence. PCOS messes with more than your period — it rattles your hormones, energy, fertility, and sense of self.
And here’s where it gets darker; the healthcare system isn’t much better. Studies show that many with PCOS feel dismissed, misunderstood, and underserved by doctors. We’re treated like ticking symptom machines, not scared humans needing answers. Worse still, research on PCOS is decades behind. Though things are improving, studies remain limited and funding is scarce, especially in this political climate. In one comparison, PCOS receives far less NIH funding than diseases with similar prevalence and impact. Obstetrics and gynecology research overall struggles with transparency too, with only 10% of trials reporting data availability and a mere 6% preregistering their research.
So yeah, Halloween is scary—but for me, the real horror arrives once a month. It’s cramps that feel like monsters clawing from the inside, a cycle you never know when it will start or stop, and a system that whispers, “Just deal with it.” Women’s health is still treated like a ghost story, whispered about, dismissed, and underfunded. And until we talk openly, treat it with the depth it deserves, and actually fund the research to help us — you bet the fear stays.The good news? Talking about it makes it less terrifying. Periods aren’t monsters — silence is.
