Yep, it's very common for periods to change over time, for cycles to fluctuate, or to have different symptoms from one cycle to the next. None of that is unusual! We have some more in-depth info on menstruation here, which you may find helpful: On the Rag: A Guide to Menstruation.

Masturbation is important for a lot of people, but there are some people who don't masturbate at all, or do sometimes but don't have particularly strong feelings about it, or who go through periods where they enjoy it and periods where they don't. If it isn't happening for you right now, then even i...

Someone can be good in a lot of ways and still choose to act in ways that cause harm. He may not have been clearly thinking "I know, I'll do something terrible to hurt my partner!" in those moments, but he was still choosing to ignore you telling him no, and deciding to push past your boun...

Yes, him trying to push for something you'd said no to is still coercion, even if you were okay with it eventually if you did go along with it. He was still making the choice to ignore your stated boundaries. Stocking up on fruit sounds like a good plan, as does finding a good outlet for all your fe...

I'm so happy this is reassuring for you; that's what we're always hoping for! :) I hear you on not being comfortable officially reporting anything about this situation, but assuming your therapist would not be mandated to report (which it sounds like she would not, as it doesn't sound like you were ...

It's pretty common to have these kinds of doubts, I think; a lot of people tend to second-guess themselves when they come to a realization about something like sexual coercion in a relationship. It's upsetting to realize it's happened to you, and sometimes it might feel "easier" to decide ...

Because I saw you post a message about this in another thread: your first few posts here will go into moderation, so you won't see them until a volunteer approves them but they are going through! So don't worry if you don't see them appear eventually; we're able to see them.

Hi flores2231, and welcome to Scarleteen. We're glad you found us, although I'm sorry it's because of a stressful and traumatic experience. It can be difficult to break up with someone even when we know it's going to be the best decision; it sounds like there have been some really positive aspects o...

I'm glad apps sound like a good place to start! Apps can definitely be a mixed bag, and it's hard to know what to expect beforehand, but I do think they are a good choice to start with. If you have any further questions or thoughts about any of this, feel free to let us know!

Not ridiculous at all! It's an important skill to learn, pushing through that nervousness and discomfort and starting those tough conversations anyway, but the nervousness itself is understandable.

The question of where/how to find a partner can be tough to answer; so much of the process of finding partners (whether someone is looking for one-time casual sex, ongoing casual sexual relationships, or long-term romantic relationships) is going to come down to the luck of running into someone with...

I'm definitely glad to hear you were able to start that conversation! I also struggle with this sort of thing, sometimes, so I know it can feel super intimidating.

It sounds like this most recent ex wasn't being as manipulative as the earlier ex was, but that some of the ways they communicated wound up being stressful or hurtful to you. Someone doesn't always have to be acting in bad faith to be incompatible; I think that can be a very painful thing to learn a...

Hi there Elias, welcome to Scarleteen. :) While it's normal to feel an occasional itch around the vulva, the same way any part of the body might have a brief itchy feeling at random from time to time, a persistent itching, especially if it's paired with sensitive or sore areas or an unusual smell, i...

I'm so glad to hear you're feeling better! Taking that time to enjoy your own company for a bit sounds like a wonderful plan. I hope your exams go well!

One thing that can be helpful, when talking to women or anyone else you feel tense around, is to come at the conversation from some sort of shared experience or interest. If you're meeting someone through a class, event, shared hobby, etc. that can be a topic to talk about in order to get a conversa...

I've really appreciated hearing from a lot of friends lately the general sentiment of "I get that communication right now is hard for a lot of us, please don't assume I don't like you if you don't hear from me and I won't assume that about you either; when we can reconnect again I will be so ha...

That does sound frustrating! It's certainly something you could bring up to a gynecologist just to be sure there isn't anything else going on, but since it doesn't sound like you have any other signs of a problem, you may just be experiencing some heavier-than-average (but otherwise normal) discharg...

I've found that I'm doing a lot less when it comes to gender expression, in a way that's been kind of a bummer for me; because I'm masked when leaving the house, and because I only get out for errands or walks and not really to go anywhere for fun or to socialize, I haven't worn makeup very much in ...

I do think the best way to find out what your boyfriend likes is to take things slow and get feedback from him. If I remember correctly, this will be his first time receiving oral sex as well, am I right? He may not know exactly what he prefers yet, so it's likely that the first time will involve so...

While "normal" isn't an easy term to define, when it comes to sexual preferences, being interested in reading about BDSM certainly isn't uncommon, and having that interest doesn't necessarily means you will need it in order to be turned on or interested in sex with a partner. A lot of peop...

I can understand why you'd be looking forward to your mom being out of the house for a while, but it sounds like her stress at being back in school might manifest itself in ways that will make things tense in a different way than having her at home all the times does. For now it might be best to foc...

It is online now! We are generally signed in and ready to go right at 2 but occasionally it'll take a minute or two.

It would be so nice if it was possible to forget or remove the impacts of trauma; it's so unfair that you have to carry this pain. Even if you aren't always feeling a lot of distress about the sexual coercion in your previous relationship, it sounds like the distress you do feel impacts your life qu...

I'm sorry to hear this is causing you so much anxiety! If it helps, while I can understand your worry and frustration here, I don't think what you've described is necessarily a sign you're dealing with vaginismus or some other serious problem. You could certainly check in with a doctor or gynecologi...