Women Are Sharing The Most Obscene Things They’ve Done While ‘Under The Influence Of Hormones’

There are two kinds of “under the influence.” One involves a questionable margarita tower. The other involves a perfectly innocent Tuesday where you’re crying because your sock “feels misunderstood,” rage-cleaning the fridge like it personally betrayed you, and craving a snack that can only be described as salty, sweet, crunchy, and emotionally supportive.

If you’ve ever looked at your own behavior and thought, “Who was that? And why did she order 36 lip balms at 2 a.m.?”welcome. Hormones don’t make you a different person, but they can turn up the volume on mood, appetite, and impulse in ways that feel wildly out of character. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), pregnancy, postpartum changes, and perimenopause are all real biological eras where hormone fluctuations can affect how you feel and what you do.

This article breaks down what’s actually happening in the body, why “hormone brain” can feel so dramatic, and the kinds of hilarious, chaotic, and occasionally “I cannot believe I did that” stories women commonly share onlinewithout turning anyone’s private moments into a circus. (We’re laughing with you, not at you. Also, please step away from the “Buy Now” button.)

What does “under the influence of hormones” even mean?

Hormones are chemical messengers. They don’t just manage reproduction; they influence sleep, stress response, appetite, energy, and brain signaling. During certain life stageslike the luteal phase before a period, pregnancy, postpartum, and the menopausal transitionlevels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone can rise and fall quickly. That shifting pattern is one reason some people notice changes in mood, cravings, sleep, and patience (RIP to patience, gone but never forgotten).

The common “hormone rollercoaster” seasons

• PMS (and sometimes PMDD): Many people experience physical and emotional symptoms in the one to two weeks before a period. Mood swings, irritability, fatigue, and food cravings are often reported.
• Pregnancy: Big hormone changes can affect taste, smell, emotions, and energy. Mood swings and shifting food preferences can show up early.
• Postpartum: After birth, hormone levels change rapidly. Some new parents experience “baby blues,” and others experience postpartum depression, which is more intense and longer lasting.
• Perimenopause: The transition leading up to menopause can include irregular cycles, sleep disruption, hot flashes, and changes in mood.

Why hormones can make your brain act like it opened 47 browser tabs

“It’s just hormones” is often said like a shrug. But the biology is real: hormones interact with neurotransmitters and stress systems that help regulate mood, motivation, and reward. Translation: you’re not “being dramatic.” Your internal settings may be changingtemporarily or for a season.

1) Mood can swing because brain chemistry is involved

Serotonin and GABA-related signaling are commonly discussed in research and clinical guidance around premenstrual disorders and mood symptoms. That doesn’t mean every bad mood is hormonalbut it helps explain why some people feel a distinct, recurring emotional shift at certain times.

2) Appetite and cravings have hormonal inputs, too

Hunger and satiety aren’t purely “willpower.” Hormones like ghrelin (hunger signaling) and leptin (satiety signaling) are part of the appetite regulation story, along with stress hormones such as cortisol that can influence cravings and reward-driven eating. If you’ve ever wanted chips with the intensity of a romance novel, you’re not alone.

3) Sleep disruption can pour gasoline on everything

Poor sleep makes emotions spikier, cravings louder, and impulse control softerlike a cookie left out in humidity. Life stages like perimenopause and postpartum commonly involve sleep challenges, which can amplify mood and stress.

The “obscene” confessions women commonly share (aka: chaotic but relatable)

Let’s define “obscene” the way the internet often does: not explicitjust ridiculously over-the-top, embarrassing, or so extra that it deserves its own tiny documentary. The examples below are composites inspired by common themes women describe in online communities, not quotes from any one person. Think: “the greatest hits of hormone-fueled chaos,” respectfully remixed.

Category A: The Food Crimes (No Jury Would Convict)

• The “I invented a snack” moment: Peanut butter + pickles. Fries dipped in a milkshake. Cheese on everything including emotions.
• The midnight pilgrimage: Driving to a store “for one thing” and returning with a bakery’s worth of comfort carbs.
• The smell obsession: Standing in the kitchen inhaling the scent of oranges, coffee, or bread like it’s aromatherapy and rent is due.
• The “I cried over a sandwich” incident: Not because of the sandwich. Because of what it represents.

Category B: The Shopping Shenanigans (Your Cart Was Possessed)

• Impulse-buy Olympics: Ordering three water bottles, five planners, and a “life-changing” face roller at 1:43 a.m.
• Nesting-adjacent upgrades: Suddenly convinced you must reorganize the entire pantry alphabetically or society will collapse.
• The “treat yourself” spiral: One lip balm becomes 12. One candle becomes a candle collection.

Category C: Texting While Hormonal (Proceed With Caution)

• The rage text draft: Writing a 1,000-word message, rereading it, then wisely deleting it like a responsible menace.
• The “let’s resolve everything tonight” message: Attempting to solve your entire relationship history after dinner.
• The ex-contact temptation: Not always acted onbut the urge shows up like a pop-up ad you didn’t invite.

Category D: The Crying Games (Tears With No Plot)

• Commercials become cinema: You saw a dog. It looked loyal. You wept.
• Random kindness = sobbing: Someone held the elevator. You felt seen by the universe.
• The “my plant is thriving” cry: The plant is fine. You’re just proud. Deeply, profoundly proud.

Category E: The Anger That Arrives With a Clipboard

• Rage cleaning: Scrubbing baseboards like they insulted your ancestors.
• Over-correcting justice: Writing a strongly worded email about a parking issue that is, realistically, a minor parking issue.
• Being mad at an inanimate object: The jar wouldn’t open. The jar is now your enemy and you will remember this.

Category F: Pregnancy and Postpartum-Specific “What Was That?” Moments

• Cravings with a mission statement: “I need watermelon. Not soon. Now.”
• Scent superpowers (and super annoyances): Suddenly able to detect a trash bag from three rooms away.
• Baby blues surprise: Feeling fine one moment, then crying for no clear reasoncommon early postpartum for many.

Humor helps, but it’s important to say this plainly: hormones can explain a feeling; they don’t excuse harmful behavior. If you’re noticing a pattern of severe rage, depression, panic, or risky impulses, it’s worth talking with a clinicianespecially if symptoms interfere with work, relationships, or safety.

When it’s more than “normal PMS”: signs to take seriously

Many people have mild-to-moderate PMS symptoms. But there are also conditions like PMDD (a severe form of premenstrual disorder) and perinatal mood disorders that deserve real support and treatment options.

Red flags that warrant professional help

• Symptoms that feel severe, disruptive, or consistently worsen before your period
• Depression, hopelessness, intense irritability, or anxiety that interferes with daily life
• Postpartum sadness or anxiety that lasts longer than two weeks, worsens, or includes scary thoughts
• Perimenopause-related mood changes that feel unmanageable, especially with sleep disruption
• Any thoughts of self-harm or harming others (seek urgent help immediately)

How to cope without banning yourself from the internet for 10 days a month

Coping isn’t about “fixing your personality.” It’s about supporting your body and planning around predictable patterns. If you can name the wave, you can surf itpreferably without sending a message you later reread like it was authored by a raccoon in a trench coat.

1) Track patterns (data beats vibes)

Use a calendar or app to note mood, sleep, cravings, and conflict days. Patterns can help you anticipate your “spicy week,” plan important decisions, and give a clinician useful information if you need support.

2) Build a “low-friction” week

• Batch stressful tasks earlier in the cycle if possible
• Prep easy meals and snacks so hunger doesn’t become a villain origin story
• Reduce optional commitments; protect sleep where you can

3) Feed the biology: sleep, movement, and realistic nutrition

Gentle movement, consistent meals, hydration, and sleep hygiene won’t eliminate hormones, but they can reduce how loud symptoms feel. If postpartum or perimenopause sleep disruption is the core problem, addressing sleep support can be a game changer.

4) Make “pause rules” for texting, shopping, and arguing

• Text rule: Draft it. Save it. Re-read it tomorrow.
• Cart rule: Add to cart, wait 24 hours, then decide.
• Conflict rule: If it’s important, schedule itdon’t ambush it at 11 p.m.

5) Consider evidence-based treatment options if symptoms are significant

Clinical guidance for premenstrual disorders includes a range of optionslifestyle approaches, psychological support, and medications (including certain antidepressants and hormonal options) depending on symptoms and medical history. For perinatal and perimenopausal mood concerns, support may include therapy, medication, and addressing sleep and stress.

of Experiences: Hormone Brain in the Wild

Below are short, true-to-life composite experiences based on common stories women share about being “under the influence of hormones.” They’re meant to feel familiarbecause for many people, they are. If you’ve lived any version of these, consider this your reminder that you’re not broken. You’re human… with an endocrine system that occasionally chooses chaos.

Experience 1: The Snack That Became a Moral Issue. She wasn’t hungryshe was emotionally hungry. The kind where the body is fine, but the brain insists that a very specific food will solve every unresolved feeling since middle school. It started as “I could go for something salty,” then escalated into an intense conviction that only kettle chips would do. Regular chips were an insult. Baked chips were a lie. When the store was out, she stood in the aisle and felt tears gather, not because of the chips, but because the universe clearly didn’t respect her needs. She went home with pretzels, ate them dramatically, then laughed at herself the next day like, “Wow, I auditioned for a soap opera over sodium.”

Experience 2: The Text Message That Never Should’ve Been Born. It was late. Everyone was tired. A tiny comment from her partnertotally harmlesslanded like a personal attack from the Department of Disrespect. She opened her phone and began writing a novel: chapter one, “When You Said That Thing In 2019.” Chapter two, “The Tone You Used At Dinner.” Halfway through, she paused and remembered her rule: draft it, don’t send it. She saved the message in notes, brushed her teeth like an adult, and went to bed. The next morning, she reread it and realized it sounded like a villain monologue. She deleted it, made coffee, and said, “Hey, can we talk later? I’m feeling extra sensitive this week.” The conversation went better. The relationship survived. The notes app took one for the team.

Experience 3: Perimenopause and the Mystery of the Sudden Rage Clean. She didn’t wake up planning to scrub grout with the focus of a professional athlete. But after a night of choppy sleep and a day of feeling “off,” she noticed the microwave handle had fingerprints. And that was it. She turned into a cleaning tornadocabinets, baseboards, the top of the fridge (who even goes up there?). Halfway through, she caught her reflection holding a sponge like a weapon and thought, “Okay… this is about more than fingerprints.” Later, she talked to a clinician about sleep and mood changes, learned that perimenopause can involve both, and started treating her rest like a priority instead of a luxury. She still cleansjust with less vengeance.

Experience 4: Postpartum Tears With No Script. A few days after birth, she felt an emotional whiplash she didn’t expect. She loved her baby fiercelyso why was she crying because someone asked what she wanted for lunch? She cried at a text message. She cried because the baby made a tiny sneeze. She cried because the sunlight looked “soft.” Once she learned that “baby blues” can include mood swings and crying spells early postpartum, it made the experience less scary. She also learned what would be a sign to get extra helpsymptoms that last longer, worsen, or feel overwhelming. Knowing the difference didn’t erase the feelings, but it gave her a map. And on the days she felt lost, the map mattered.

If any of these experiences feel too close to homeand especially if your symptoms feel severeconsider that support isn’t a luxury item. It’s healthcare. Hormones can be a reason; you still deserve relief.

Conclusion

Hormones don’t “make women crazy.” They can, however, change the intensity of emotions, cravings, sleep, and stress responseespecially during PMS/PMDD, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause. That’s why so many women share stories that sound outrageous in hindsight: the crying over commercials, the impulse purchases, the snack experiments, the rage-cleaning, the texts drafted and thankfully deleted.

The goal isn’t to shame those momentsit’s to understand them. Track patterns, protect sleep, create pause rules for decisions, and get professional help when symptoms are severe or disruptive. You can laugh at the chaos and still take your health seriously. Honestly? That’s a power move.