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Birth Control and Mood Connection

Birth Control and Mood Connection

your birth control might be impacting your mood. and it probably isn't for the better.

Birth control has been found to be related to mood swings, anxiety, and depression. Read the following stats to see just how big of an effect it can have.

  • Women taking the combined contraceptive pill were 23% more likely to be prescribed antidepressants.
  • A study in 2017 showed that women who used hormonal birth control, including the pill, the ring, IUD, and patch had three times the risk of suicide compared to women who have never used hormonal birth control. This risk peaked in the first two months of beginning birth control.
  • Teens prescribed the pill were 80% more likely to develop depression when prescribed the combination pill.
While there isn't a solid answer on why  it happens, there are some things to take into consideration that may shed light onto these mood swings.

Nutrient Deficiencies
It has been show that birth control depletes critical nutrients that support the mood. These include magnesium and antioxidants like vitamin c and vitamin e. The pill also depletes vitamin B6 and messes with tryptophan in the brain, both which are necessary for serotonin production.

Birth Control is Inflammatory
Inflammation in the body disrupts neurotransmitter production and can impact healthy neurotransmitter levels significantly.

Adrenals and Thyroid
The pill, ring, patch, IUD, and implant all mess with thyroid and adrenals, which impact your mood. It has been show that hypothyroid women are more prone to anxiety and depression, so if your birth control is impacting your thyroid function, you bet it's going to have an effect on your moods!

Decreased Brain-Protecting Molecules
There has been evidence that pill users can experience decreased neuroprotective molecules and increased neurotoxic chemicals. This shift in brain molecules can be detrimental to your mood.  

Did any of this surprise you? I had no idea that my mood was so connected to birth control! Share your experiences in the comments below! Until next time :)


Just so you know, I may earn a commission off the links on my blog at no cost to you through various affiliate programs. I appreciate your support and love sharing my favorite products with you! :)
Just so you know, I may earn a commission off the links on my blog at no cost to you through various affiliate programs. I appreciate your support and love sharing my favorite products with you! :)

I Felt Out of Balance

 

It all started with small rashes under my armpits. They grew bigger. They were fiery red. They burned. I couldn’t itch them since they burned so bad. They flaked. They were embarrassing. I didn’t know what they were. Then they showed up on the crook of my elbow and on the top of my right hand. I thought it might be due to a gluten or dairy intolerance, so I changed my diet. It helped temporarily and my rashes didn’t hurt as bad and weren’t as red. But diet changes weren’t enough. I was devastated. My rashes remained for MONTHS!

Then the "fluff" showed up around my belly and hips. Maybe the start of winter contributed as well; either way I swear my pants used to fit me way better…

My hair started falling out. In chunks! I’d always had some hairs come out when I washed my hair, so I was used to it. But not to this extent. I knew something was going on.

My acne became out of control, almost to the extent when I was in high school. Red, painful, cysts that I just couldn’t resist picking. And here I had spent all these years at the dermatologist “healing” my acne for it all to come back with a vengeance.

I was in tears at least once a week. I felt hopeless. I felt so alone. No one could relate besides one girl I followed on Instagram. My boyfriend was supportive, but how could he understand though? He had no idea what I was going through.

I took a deep breath, wiped my tears and trucked on. Then the next week would start all over again with a meltdown because I was fat, my hair was falling out, my acne was returning, and my rashes burned SO. FREAKING. BAD. I was angry, frustrated, confused & hopeless. 

I had heard that stopping birth control could come with some pretty gnarly symptoms. And I thought I was ready for whatever would happen. But I didn’t realize how mentally and emotionally challenging these symptoms would be.

Like many people, I started taking birth control in high school. I took it mostly for my acne, but pregnancy prevention was nice too. My hormones were manipulated for over 7 years. The birth control was prescribed by my doctor, so why would I ever question how it was affecting my body?

Turns out, I had NO idea just how much it affected me. All of me. It wasn’t until I read this book that I understood how much my body was impacted by these synthetic hormones that I didn't even realize were synthetic at the time. How hormonal birth control can be prescribed to “treat” certain conditions, yet it’s really only a bandaid fix. I didn’t want that bandaid fix anymore and I wanted to heal myself naturally. So I took the leap and ditched my birth control.

Aside from some of the challenges of getting off birth control, I noticed a whole new world of positives that came from it. For the first time in my life, I actually had energy! I no longer needed to sleep half the day away. The mental fog was gone! My mood increased, as well as my libido, which I swear was gone for good. I finally felt like I was in control of my health for the first time. Truly healthy and truly better.

My goal is to be that shining beacon of light for you if you are struggling with the decision to finally get off hormonal birth control. You are not alone in worrying how your body will react. You are not alone in this transition and your experiences. It might be challenging. But we are strong. We are healers. We are self-advocates. And only we know what’s best for our bodies.

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