🩸 Because it’s not just about pads and tampons. It’s about what happens when someone can’t afford them. When we talk about period poverty, we usually talk about access to products. But here’s the deeper truth.
Lack of access impacts your mind just as much as your body.
It’s the anxiety of bleeding through your clothes in school.
It’s the shame of making toilet paper “work.”
It’s the constant fear that someone will notice - and judge.
And that stress? It builds. Especially for young people. Especially when no one’s talking about it.
What Is Period Poverty, Really?
At its core, period poverty means not having consistent access to safe, affordable period care - like pads, tampons, period underwear, or pain relief.
But it also means:
- Missing school or work
- Wearing the same pad for too long
- Avoiding sport or social activities
- Hiding symptoms or pretending everything’s fine
It’s not a rare issue. Globally and right here at home, too many people are stuck choosing between food and period products. And that choice? It chips away at your sense of safety, dignity, and belonging.
How Period Poverty Affects Mental Health
Let’s be real: bleeding without support is terrifying. Especially when it happens in public. Or in silence. Or with no idea what to do.
Here’s how it impacts mental health:
🧠 Chronic stress and anxiety
Not knowing when (or if) you’ll have the supplies you need turns every period into a source of panic.
🧠 Shame and low self-worth
When society treats periods as gross or embarrassing and makes care inaccessible, people internalise that. They start to believe their needs are too much.
🧠 Isolation
Young people miss school, skip sports, and avoid friendships because of period poverty. That isolation doesn’t just hurt academically - it hurts emotionally.
🧠 Depression and hopelessness
Over time, the message becomes clear: “You don’t matter enough to be supported.” That’s a heavy thing to carry, month after month.
Why This Matters for Schools, Mental Health Professionals & Families
If you're a teacher, therapist, parent, coach - or anyone who works with young people - period poverty isn’t a “women’s issue” or a hygiene topic.
It’s a mental health red flag.
If a student is distracted, withdrawn, or missing class around the same time each month - ask if they have what they need. If a teen seems ashamed to talk about their period - create a safe space. Let them know they’re not alone.
And if you're in a position to provide products, do it with dignity. No questions, no shame, no fuss. Just access.
What Compassionate Action Looks Like
🤝 Free products in schools and public spaces
Because a pad should never be a privilege.
📢 Shame-free education about periods
Let’s teach young people and adults that periods are normal, powerful, and nothing to hide.
🧠 Mental health support that includes cycle care
Therapists, coaches, and wellbeing staff can check in on how periods might be impacting mood, self-esteem, or access to basic needs.
🩲 Choose brands that give back
At WUKA, we believe period care should be a right - not a luxury. That’s why we support organisations working to end period poverty here and around the world.
The bottom line
You can’t talk about mental health without talking about dignity. And there’s nothing dignified about having to hide your period, patch your underwear with tissue, or miss out because you couldn’t afford care.
Period poverty isn’t just a physical issue. It’s emotional. Social. Systemic.
But it’s also something we can change - when we care enough to connect the dots and take action. If you believe everyone deserves to bleed with dignity, stick with WUKA. We’re not just here for periods - we’re here for equity, mental health, and change that lasts.