The grossest period moments girls experience every single bloody month

Cramps that make you want to throw up, leaks, mood swings and the constant desire to eat your own body weight are just a few of the many things that happen every single bloody month. It’s not the easiest couple of days, so as with most difficult things the best way to deal with it is to ride it through and laugh it off. Here’s a brutally honest illustrated guide to show how much of a mess we are when we’re on our period.

There’s a certain type of underwear you reserve solely for your period

Sometimes you like to look at your bloated-ass self in the mirror and pretend you’re pregnant

When it comes to questions about your period, Google is your only friend

All hell breaks loose when you sneeze in public and have to pretend everything is fine

You sleep with a pad in and, of course, blood goes everywhere apart from the actual pad

When your cramps are in full swing it feels like you’re being repeatedly stabbed by not one but six very sharp knives

A monologue forms in your mind when you’re with your male friends and need the bathroom

That moment when you get your period after seriously overreacting to something, and realise you weren’t just being crazy for no reason

And when you’re really sure it’s all over, it’ll creep back up on you like the cruel twisted mistress it loves to be

Illustrations by Daisy Bernard.