Alix Lane
Like many people, I first learned about safe sex and different birth control methods back in middle school during those infamous sex ed classes. Yes, they were awkward, and everyone giggled when putting a condom on a cucumber, but we all seemed familiar with what was out there to keep us safe from STDs and unwanted pregnancy.
Personally, I started out on the contraceptive pill at age 14 with the original goal being clearer skin, hoping the pill would balance out my hormones. I myself saw no correlation between the pill and my mental health and still don’t to this day. I never noticed a difference in my mental health whether I am on or off of the pill. However, there have always been stories floating around about a potential correlation between the pill and one’s mental health, specifically depression. Numerous studies can be found that seem to highlight this growing concern and I am sure if you ask one of your friends who are currently on the pill or have gone off of it, they would have a story of their own to share.
That’s exactly what I did with a survey posted to Facebook asking people what kinds of contraceptive methods they used and what were some experiences they had felt while interacting with these types of birth control.
Sixty-three percent of those who took the survey said they used the pill as their main form of birth control with the rest divided among traditional condoms and the intrauterine device (IUD). Sixty percent said they used the brand Alesse, with other notable brands being Alysena, Lo Loestrin Fe and Tricyclen-Lo. All of these brands can be categorized within the “mini-pill” which is said to contain higher levels of progesterone. In some articles, progesterone is said to be linked to higher rates of depression among its users.
For the second part of the survey, the responses varied from how these forms of birth control had affected people’s mental health. Some people claimed that birth control had no effect whatsoever on their mental health with others told stories of drastic change. People seemed to notice changes in declining mental health, whether that be low libido, depression, feeling emotionless, or anxiety. There were also those who fell into the category of having been on the pill since they were in their early teens, like me. I started taking the pill when I was 14 but within this survey, the age for some had been even lower. This resulted in people reporting that because they have been on the pill for so long, they don’t really know any different.
I also want to add a note that my housemates mentioned to me the other day. They, along with many others I imagine, only started on the contraceptive pill when they first came to university in first year. This, combined with the added stress of starting a new school away from home and all the many challenges that come with first starting university only contributed to a decline in mental health suggesting starting the pill has also played a role in increasing mental health issues.
A word of advice from someone who is by no means a guru of birth control, most of the time I forgot to take my pill, so you really need to find what works for you. An IUD seems for most to be a better alternative, and if that’s not for you and you aren’t feeling 100% on whatever pill you are on, go back to the doctor and find one that does make you feel 100%. We shouldn’t have to pay the price of potentially poorer mental health to go on the pill.
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