"Menstrual Restriction and Perceived Stress"
Covered by ignorance, myth, and taboos, the menstrual restriction has had its root in many societies since eras. According to the Hindu mythologies, it is forced upon women so they are unable to perform daily work during the menstruating time mainly for five days. There is a number of restrictions like restriction on entering the temple, cooking food and eating together, touching plants, and so on. The severe form of restriction is Chaupadi. Excluding the hormonal imbalance and physical pain that women go through during such discriminatory practices, such hazardous practices have a direct effect on the mental health of those women and girls.
All human beings know that menstruation is a natural biological process but restriction during menstruation is still in practice by many families. Many girls hide their period and dysmenorrhoea to get rid of restrictions. Many women think of menstruation as a sin’ due to restrictions. Most of the girls are restricted in their house which is the major origin point of stress. Restriction to the entire temple, attending cultural rituals, cooking food, and eating together has first-hand relation to perceiving stress. It is also important to note that this stress directly affects the menstrual hygiene of those women.
As the world is modernizing many girls and women don’t accept the restrictions, but a maximum of them had no option except to adhere to it. The belief in myths was so strong and deeply rooted in our society, especially in our grandparents. Many menstrual restrictions are highly criticized by the human rights organization because they are directly related to women's rights. Different awareness program has been done to address these issue but their impact is not satisfactory. In conclusion, effective intervention needs to be followed to uproot these issues. Empowering young girls in terms of making an effective decision regarding such restrictions should be fostered. Gender sensitization and advocacy should also need to be carried out side by side.