Contraceptive pill linked to depression

What do you think? Anyone already experience this? ~ink
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Contraceptive pill linked to depression

New research shows women taking the oral contraceptive pill are almost twice as likely to be depressed as those who do not.

The Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre studied 60 women, and found that those taking the pill containing both oestrogen and progesterone were almost twice as likely to be depressed as those who did not.

The centre's director, Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, is urging clinicians to be aware of the psychiatric side effects of the pill.

But she says more research is needed to understand how hormones effect moods.

"When you have an outside agent it is going to have two possibilities," she said.

"One is have a direct impact in the brain itself and may in fact trigger those chemicals that might be depressiogenic.

"Or it could actually impact on the natural hormone production and have a pathway that then triggers off depression that way."

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is advising women to continue taking their contraceptive medication, despite the research findings.

AMA vice president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal says if women on the pill are feeling depressed, they should discuss their concerns with their GPs.

"There's no reason to stop taking the pill because of this particular concern that's been raised," he said.

"The pill is still very good, very strong and an excellent method of contraception.

"If there are other symptoms that are coming on including depressive symptoms it should be discussed."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems...2/s1312627.htm

wow. they just told me I was not responding to the pills properly when I complained about any side effects fifteen years ago when I took those wretched things.

for the unenlightened medical profession---->Gee, ya think hormones could affect moods thereby having a role in depression? Duh!

Good article inky. Makes ya want to knock some of these docs with a foam bat though.....

The psychiatric literature is almost completely devoid of the effect of hormones on mood. If you ever have a hysterectomy, keep those ovaries!

Hi Inky --

I was in a women's liberation consciousness-raising group more than 30 years ago, when birth control pills were the "new new thing."

One theme that emerged by sharing our common experiences this way was that (male) gyns were telling us we were "nuts" and "whiners" and "making things up" when we reported depression and other ill effects from taking The Pill. I had thought that the dosages had been perfected since then -- but you are right -- hormonal medication is likely to affect us big-time.

It depressing to think that the same pharmacological hoodwinking of females is going on today as three decades ago.

An interesting thing I learned on NPR -- the diaphragm, a birth control method that has fallen into disuse -- also provides a shield against the transmission of STDs and AIDs. My sexual activity was at a time before "safe sex" had become a national obsession -- in fact, I think we were all pretty stoned and loaded and into "unsafe sex" in a fairly big way. Yet, I managed to avoid the scourges, even without condoms. When I heard that news report, I was very grateful that I "had" to find an alternate method of birth control, bec. it turned out my good little angel who protects me helped me find one that probably kept me safe at a time when condoms were not widely used.

WOW, I've had the complete opposite. I've been on the pill for 15 years now and it's helped my depression a great deal. I still get depressed at times, but not like I did before taking the pill. Before the pill my depression was to the point I couldn't get out of bed. I know since being on the pill that my monthly's aren't as bad and don't last half the time the used to. I think maybe taking the pill has kept my hormones from jumping up and down??? Who knows??