The Mayo Clinic defines Endometriosis as,

Endometriosis (en-doe-me-tree-O-sis) is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining your pelvis. Rarely, endometrial tissue may spread beyond pelvic organs.

Everyone has heard women "complain" about their periods. The hormones that affect eating patterns, mood swings, and general unrest touch every woman's life. I've heard women talk about solutions to these problems: get proper rest, eat gluten-free, avoid dairy, take NSAIDs like Ibuprofen. I have generally been one of these women who mention problem-solving techniques for period woes. Except, my solution involved a few thousand dollars and two weeks off work.

I've also heard women shame those who say that their period pain is off the charts. A woman once said to me, "grow up, every woman has it," in response to telling her I had to take off work because of my period pain.

There have been times in my life when my body overproduces the hormone that causes contractions, and so I am bedridden for hours dealing with the pain of a fake labor. I choose not to leave my bed on those days.

I smiled, laughed, and agreed. I didn't think it was necessary to tell her that, when I interviewed for that position, I was on narcotics because I was recovering from laparoscopic surgery that confirmed I had six "solid" cysts in my ovaries, and that I had (according to my MD) "a lot of work done to take out that problematic tissue."

I didn't tell her that I was taken to the hospital in the middle of the night while studying for my math final because I thought my appendix had burst. An ultrasound later, the doctor recommended me to another who would perform laparoscopic surgery to see if I had the beginning stages of ovarian cancer.

I didn't tell her that, if I wanted to have children one day, I would most likely be required to have an expensive surgery that would have a high chance of negatively affecting my ovaries and, thus, complicating fertility even more.

I chose not to tell her these things because, at the end of the day, why did it matter for someone who would shame another person for their experience to know the ins and outs of the month-to-month pain I lived with?

Now, with marriage right around the corner and many women asking me, "how many children do you want?" and my terrifyingly simple response, to the chagrin many, "hopefully one, or adoption," I see the importance of educating others about the complicated nature of Endometriosis. Bringing awareness to this silent disease that many women never even know they have can be the first step in fighting one of the three leading causes of female infertility, and preventative measures that may halt ovarian cancer.

Please, if you suffer from irregular periods, spotting, or abnormally painful periods and extreme mood swings surrounding your cycle, go speak with your gynecologist. It's important that the collective brings awareness to a complicated disease that affects so many women around us. According to the Endometriosis Foundation of America, 1 in 10 girls are affected by endometriosis.

Before shunning another woman for the painful experience of her period, or believing that yours to be "more painful" than the rest, be mindful of the fact that no one experiences this disease (or their monthly cycle) the same.