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(Un)natural Suffering: A cultural analysis of experiences of individuals receiving medical interventions for Premenstrual Syndrom

Norrby Andersson, Emma LU (2026) TKAM02 20261
Division of Ethnology
Abstract
This thesis explores experiences of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and receiving medical treatment for it. Adopting a material-discursive intrapsychic model of thought, the participants' depictions are analyzed through objects, discourses, emotions and internal value systems in order to give various perspectives on PMS as well as contextualize the complex relationship between individual, group, and objects. This study was mainly conducted by five ethnographic interviews, where the participants drew “what PMS is like” for them. In the thesis it is argued that PMS is mostly categorized as an external ailment infringing on the body. This categorization of PMS contributes to making it into a “sad object” and therefore an object which the... (More)
This thesis explores experiences of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and receiving medical treatment for it. Adopting a material-discursive intrapsychic model of thought, the participants' depictions are analyzed through objects, discourses, emotions and internal value systems in order to give various perspectives on PMS as well as contextualize the complex relationship between individual, group, and objects. This study was mainly conducted by five ethnographic interviews, where the participants drew “what PMS is like” for them. In the thesis it is argued that PMS is mostly categorized as an external ailment infringing on the body. This categorization of PMS contributes to making it into a “sad object” and therefore an object which the participants attempt to distance themselves from, mainly by the means of medication. Through concepts such as the good life, deference and demeanor, purity and danger, naturality and “true selves”, PMS is constructed as that which hinders them from reaching the imagined good life. It is further argued that medication becomes an “ambiguous object” due to its value switching tendencies from being “good” and “bad” in the PMSers’ lives. The results point to a need for reimagining PMS from being a sad object, to give space for alternative modes of feeling and being in societal norms and rules of conduct. The PMSer can rarely “escape” neither PMS nor medication. As such, it is suggested that these objects may rather be reconfigured to allow PMSers a higher quality of life. Self-compassion, norm-criticism and acceptance, created an environment which allowed PMSers more respite and less stress. These findings are of importance for healthcare professionals, SRHR-organizations, companies targeting menstruating individuals and more. (Less)
Popular Abstract (Swedish)
(O)naturligt lidande: Ett kulturanalytiskt perspektiv av att få medicinsk behandling för premenstruellt syndrom

Syftet med denna uppsats är att utforska erfarenheter av premenstruellt syndrom (PMS) och medicinsk behandling för det. Med hjälp av en materiell-diskursiv intrapsykisk tankemodell analyseras deltagarnas skildringar genom objekt, diskurser, känslor och interna värdesystem för att ge olika perspektiv på PMS samt kontextualisera det komplexa förhållandet mellan individ, grupp och objekt. Studien genomfördes huvudsakligen genom fem etnografiska intervjuer, där deltagarna ritade "hur PMS är" för dem. I avhandlingen argumenteras det för att PMS oftast kategoriseras som en extern åkomma som inkräktar på kroppen. Denna kategorisering... (More)
(O)naturligt lidande: Ett kulturanalytiskt perspektiv av att få medicinsk behandling för premenstruellt syndrom

Syftet med denna uppsats är att utforska erfarenheter av premenstruellt syndrom (PMS) och medicinsk behandling för det. Med hjälp av en materiell-diskursiv intrapsykisk tankemodell analyseras deltagarnas skildringar genom objekt, diskurser, känslor och interna värdesystem för att ge olika perspektiv på PMS samt kontextualisera det komplexa förhållandet mellan individ, grupp och objekt. Studien genomfördes huvudsakligen genom fem etnografiska intervjuer, där deltagarna ritade "hur PMS är" för dem. I avhandlingen argumenteras det för att PMS oftast kategoriseras som en extern åkomma som inkräktar på kroppen. Denna kategorisering av PMS bidrar till att det blir ett "sad object", eller sorgligt objekt, och därmed ett objekt som deltagarna försöker distansera sig från, främst genom medicinering. Genom begrepp som det goda livet, vördnad och framtoning, renhet och fara, naturlighet och "sanna jag" konstrueras PMS som det som hindrar deltagarna från att nå det föreställda goda livet. Ett centralt argument är även att läkemedel blir ett "tvetydigt objekt" på grund av dess
skiftande tendenser från att vara "bra" och "dåligt" i PMS-personers liv. Resultaten pekar mot ett behov av att omtolka PMS från att vara ett sad object, för att ge utrymme till alternativa sätt att känna och vara i samhälleliga normer och uppföranderegler. PMS-personer kan sällan "fly" varken PMS eller läkemedel. Därför föreslås det att dessa objekt snarare bör konfigureras för att ge PMS-personer högre livskvalitet. Självmedkänsla, normkritik och acceptans skapade en miljö som gav PMS-personer mer vila och mindre stress. Dessa resultat är av betydelse för vårdpersonal, SRHR-organisationer, företag som riktar sig till menstruerande individer med flera. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Norrby Andersson, Emma LU
supervisor
organization
course
TKAM02 20261
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Premenstrual syndrome, Happy objects, Deference and Demeanor, Ethnography, Medical humanities, Material-discursive intrapsychic perspective
language
English
id
9239356
date added to LUP
2026-06-16 14:29:29
date last changed
2026-06-16 14:29:29
@misc{9239356,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores experiences of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and receiving medical treatment for it. Adopting a material-discursive intrapsychic model of thought, the participants' depictions are analyzed through objects, discourses, emotions and internal value systems in order to give various perspectives on PMS as well as contextualize the complex relationship between individual, group, and objects. This study was mainly conducted by five ethnographic interviews, where the participants drew “what PMS is like” for them. In the thesis it is argued that PMS is mostly categorized as an external ailment infringing on the body. This categorization of PMS contributes to making it into a “sad object” and therefore an object which the participants attempt to distance themselves from, mainly by the means of medication. Through concepts such as the good life, deference and demeanor, purity and danger, naturality and “true selves”, PMS is constructed as that which hinders them from reaching the imagined good life. It is further argued that medication becomes an “ambiguous object” due to its value switching tendencies from being “good” and “bad” in the PMSers’ lives. The results point to a need for reimagining PMS from being a sad object, to give space for alternative modes of feeling and being in societal norms and rules of conduct. The PMSer can rarely “escape” neither PMS nor medication. As such, it is suggested that these objects may rather be reconfigured to allow PMSers a higher quality of life. Self-compassion, norm-criticism and acceptance, created an environment which allowed PMSers more respite and less stress. These findings are of importance for healthcare professionals, SRHR-organizations, companies targeting menstruating individuals and more.}},
  author       = {{Norrby Andersson, Emma}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{(Un)natural Suffering: A cultural analysis of experiences of individuals receiving medical interventions for Premenstrual Syndrom}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}