Boys may scoff at menstrual stroppiness but premenstrual syndrome is a real condition caused by chemical imbalances – so it deserves a little more of their sympathy! But be warned – don’t become one of those girls who uses PMS as the ‘multi-purpose excuse’ whenever they feel like it. Use the PMS excuse all the time and sympathy will soon be in short supply.

To work out when you’re really suffering from PMS, it makes sense to keep a journal or calendar record of your symptoms and rate their severity in addition to a period journal. If you feel rotten for only the 3-10 days before your period and recover as soon as you come on it’s likely you’re suffering from PMS. If you experience symptoms for any longer perhaps puberty is just giving you a rough time. Double-check with your doctor that nothing else is amiss and then do your best to struggle through.