[lmg103]

does anyone know if birth control can worsen your depression?

[e_sort]

you mean hormonal birth control, right? like the pill? Or there are other hormone things too.

Personally the pill has done great things for me but I have heard a LOT of stories about how it has really badly affected some people's moods. I know a couple of people who no longer take it for that reason.

So the short answer is, I think so.

[sorrel]

It can, yes.
Although I don't agree with it [for many reasons too complex to list here] they wouldn't give it to me as treatment even as an option for severe PMS symptoms in my case, due to the potential depression exacerbation effects.

[90mphINneutral]

I know depo provera can. I was on that and it made me depressed. Now I don't get that shot anymore now I'm on the pill.

[Perzephone]

I just recently had to stop taking the pill because I was losing my hair - don't freak out, though - I was on one of the stronger pills & I've been on bc in general since I was 12 (so like, 22 years now). Most of the newer pills are lower in hormones & a gynecologist would normally start someone out on a low-dose pill before stepping things up.

I don't feel any different emotionally now than when I was on the pill, so I don't think it made my depression worse. Losing my hair freaked me out, and I hate the acne that I'm dealing with again - my skin makes my depression worse, that's for sure. I know the pill can make some women feel fatigued & achey & kind of flu-like.

Like any medication, your response to it may be completely different. I never experienced any of the side-effects listed (other than hair loss - and since I stopped it, I haven't noticed any new growth, but I'm not losing as much hair on a daily basis). The pill never made me nauseous, it kept my periods regular, I didn't gain immense amounts of weight (I'm fat, but I was a fat kid, a fat teenager & now I'm a fat adult - but the pill didn't make me fatter), I don't cramp or bloat - and I'm a non-smoker, so no danger there.

I think the pill is probably a better choice of birth control than the shots or implants because you can stop taking them & the effects will wear off fairly quick. However, if you're worried about it making depression or anxiety worse, you could try the patch or the new 'Nuva Ring' thing & see how those work for you.