Young People Ask . . .

Why Is This Happening to My Body?

ADOLESCENCE​—this can be an exciting time in your life. You are gradually changing from a child to an adult!

Perhaps, though, your parents have not discussed with you beforehand what to expect. Even if they have discussed it, the reality of puberty may be more than you bargained for. Things may be happening to you that make you wonder if something is seriously wrong with you. More than likely, though, quite the opposite is true!

The Menstrual Cycle​—Curse or Blessing?

About two years after puberty begins, a young girl experiences a significant development​—the beginning of the menstrual cycle. Without adequate preparation, however, this milestone event can be frightening, shocking.a “I’m really scared,” wrote a girl named Paula. “About three months ago, I started bleeding for a few days a month. Does this mean I have cancer? . . . I’m so upset thinking about this bleeding that I’m crying and shaking.”

The book Adolescents and Youth reports that some girls even feel shame and guilt when their cycle begins. Little wonder, then, that many girls keep the event secret. Said one young girl: “I was embarrassed to tell my mother. She’d never talked to me about it and I was frightened to death.”

But far from being something to be ashamed of, the menstrual cycle is evidence that your reproductive powers are maturing. Your body is now capable of conceiving and bearing a child. Oh, it will be years before you are really ready to be a parent. But here you stand, poised on the brink of womanhood. Is this something to be ashamed and embarrassed about? Hardly!

Besides, this is something universally experienced by women. The Bible refers to the menstrual cycle as “the customary thing with women.” (Genesis 31:35) And contrary to the opinion of some, it is not a curse.b Perhaps, though, it will allay some of your fears if you better understand why and how this cycle takes place.

The “Monthly Miracle”

The word “menstruation” comes from a Latin word that means “monthly.” Once a month your body becomes capable of conceiving a child. First, a rise in your body’s hormone levels signals your uterus, or womb. This prepares itself to receive and nurture a fertilized egg; its lining becomes rich with blood and nutrients. Nearby are the two almond-​shaped organs known as the ovaries, each containing thousands of tiny eggs. Each egg is a potential baby, needing only to be fertilized by a male sperm. Once a month, an egg ripens and bursts free from the ovaries.

Gentle “fingers” now sweep up the egg and draw it into one of the Fallopian tubes. The tiny egg now begins a four-​to-​six-​day journey through it to the uterus. If a woman does not become pregnant during this time, the tiny egg disintegrates. The blood-​rich lining of the uterus also breaks down. The uterus begins contracting and gently expels this lining through the vaginal canal.

For anywhere from two to seven days (varying from woman to woman) the menstrual discharge flows. And then the process repeats itself, month in, month out, until menopause.c Well did one writer describe it as a “monthly miracle”! It is a process bearing the unmistakable signature of a Master Designer. It is yet one more reason to exclaim, as did the psalmist: “I shall laud you because in a fear-​inspiring way I am wonderfully made”!​—Psalm 139:14.

Finding Help

Nevertheless, the menstrual cycle does present you with a number of practical concerns. For example, many girls worry, ‘What if it starts while I’m in school?’ Granted, this could stain your clothing and cause you some embarrassment. Sex educator Lynda Madaras assures us, however, that “most girls don’t bleed enough right at first to have it show through on their clothes.” Still, you will want to be reasonably prepared.

A number of books dispense sound medical advice. But why not also share your concerns with your mother? No doubt she will have a number of practical suggestions. “My mother was like a friend to me,” says one young woman. “We had big discussions, and she would answer my questions.”

Admittedly, some mothers have a tough time talking about intimate matters. But if you approach her respectfully and let her know that this is really important to you, she just may be able to overcome her reluctance to talk. If that fails, why not confide in a mature Christian woman with whom you feel comfortable?

Though most women are able to go about their daily routine during their period, the book Changing Bodies, Changing Lives reminds us that some women suffer from “headaches, backaches, skin problems, mood changes, depression, cramps, nausea, and water retention.” Simple aspirin compounds often relieve these symptoms. (Your doctor can determine if stronger medication is needed.) And if possible, you can avoid undue stress at that time by planning your activities around your cycle.

Nocturnal Emissions

Young boys also have a number of problems to deal with as their reproductive system matures. For example, your sexual organs begin manufacturing a fluid called semen. This contains millions of microscopic sperm, each of which is capable of fertilizing a female egg and producing a baby if released during sexual intercourse.

Since you are not married, sperm simply builds up. Some is gradually absorbed by your body. But from time to time, some will be released at night while you sleep. This is commonly called a wet dream. A better name for it, though, is nocturnal emission, since the emission often takes place on its own, with or without an accompanying erotic dream.

A boy’s first experience with a nocturnal emission may be unsettling. “I had my first wet dream when I was about twelve and a half,” recalled one teenager. “I didn’t know what was happening. . . . I woke up and the bed was kind of wet. I thought I had wet my bed or something.” Be assured, though, that such emissions are normal. Even the Bible makes mention of them. (Leviticus 15:16, 17) They are an indication that your reproductive system is functioning and that you are well on the way to manhood.

Admittedly, the thought of your mother discovering wet sheets may horrify you. But it is most unlikely that this would either shock or surprise her. It might help, though, to talk matters over with your father or another mature adult. This may relieve you of any lingering anxieties you may have. You may even be able to work out some way of maintaining your privacy in this matter.

Coping With Arousal

As the reproductive system matures, both boys and girls are often extremely sensitive to sexual arousal. When this happens to a boy, the male sex organ, or penis, becomes engorged with blood, causing it to become erect or stiff. “But,” reminds The New Teenage Body Book, “many erections happen for non-​sexual reasons​—and sometimes it seems, for no reason at all! Vibrations of a bus, tight clothing, exposure to cold, fear, and other stimuli can cause an erection.” Young girls may similarly find themselves aroused for no apparent reason.

Unwanted sexual arousal can be upsetting, embarrassing. But it is a part of growing up and may happen frequently. Some youths manipulate or play with their organs so as to gain sexual relief. This is wrong and can, in the long run, create other problems.d It is better simply to relax and get your mind off the matter. The arousal will soon pass. As you get older and your hormone levels settle down, you will find that spontaneous arousal occurs less frequently.

Puberty doesn’t last forever. Perhaps one day you will even be able to laugh at some of the things distressing you now. In the meantime, take comfort in the fact that you are normal.

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 15]

Parents can help you adjust to the changes of puberty