Can birth control worsen anxiety?

Birth control is one of those things that people either love or hate. For some, it’s a godsend that helps them prevent unwanted pregnancies and regulate their periods. For others, the side effects can be debilitating. One common concern for women on birth control is whether it worsens anxiety. It’s an important question, and one that deserves an answer.

What Is Anxiety?

Before we dive into the question at hand, let’s take a step back and define what we mean by “anxiety.” According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), anxiety is characterized by excessive worry or fear about everyday situations. Symptoms include sweating, trembling, difficulty breathing or sleeping, and palpitations.

Anxiety disorders are incredibly common; in fact, they’re the most common mental illness in the United States. They affect around 40 million adults each year – that’s about 18 percent of the population! And while there are many different factors that can contribute to someone developing an anxiety disorder (such as genetics or traumatic life experiences), hormones can play a role as well.

How Does Birth Control Work?

In order to understand how birth control might temporarily exacerbate feelings of anxiety, it helps to know how hormonal contraceptives work. Most pills contain synthetic versions of estrogen and progesterone, which are hormones naturally produced by your body during your menstrual cycle.

These synthetic hormones have two main functions: they prevent ovulation (the release of an egg from your ovaries), and they thicken cervical mucus to block sperm from reaching any eggs that may have already been released. By preventing pregnancy in this way, birth control also has other benefits like regulating periods, reducing acne, improving bone density, easing symptoms of premenstrual syndrome…. you get the idea!

There are many different types of hormonal contraceptives out there beyond just “the pill,” too. There are things like the patch, the ring, injections, and IUDs. Each works slightly differently, but they all rely on hormones to prevent pregnancy.

Can Birth Control Worsen Anxiety?

OK, now we’re getting to the meat of it! So… can taking hormonal birth control make anxiety worse? The answer is complicated – because as with most medical questions, “it depends.”

For some women, hormonal changes due to birth control might temporarily exacerbate feelings of anxiety. This could be especially true if you’ve been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in the past. However, there’s not enough scientific evidence out there to definitively say that one way or another.

It’s possible that certain types of birth control may worsen your symptoms while others don’t have much effect at all. People react differently to different medications and doses after all.

On the other hand, many women find that using contraception helps decrease their stress overall. For instance it can ease worries about an unwanted pregnancy which naturally will ease anxieties which come from such worry.

Ultimately, whether birth control worsens your anxiety comes down to individual factors related both to personality traits alongside biological changes brought on by hormone therapy

Age may also play a role; for example, young girls often report worsening mental instability when staring contraceptives at younger ages. Some specific formulations (like those containing Drospirenone) appear less likely than others (

At any rate, as long as you take your prescribed dose(s) correctly.It really goes back again into what works best for each lady specifically

Managing Anxiety Symptoms While On Birth Control

If you do decide that taking hormonal contraceptives isn’t right for you or if ‘you’re worried about temporary effects’, there are other options available.
At first glance, quitting Hormonal Contraceptives entirely would seem like a logical step given its perceived link with temporary mood changes. However, the withdrawal of estrogen can also lead to anxiety so this strategy may not work for everyone.

Since hormonal fluctuations are often a factor in anxiety, it’s important to find ways to manage your symptoms that works well alongside our contraceptive medication. Here are some things you might try if you’re worried about birth control worsening anxious thoughts:

  1. Exercise regularly – exercise is a natural stress reliever
  2. Avoid caffeine and too much stimulant intake as they can increase feelings of edginess
  3. Try yoga, deep breathing exercises or meditation practices towards relaxation.
  4. Ensure lifestyle choices prioritize healthy eating and getting enough sleep.

Anxiety doesn’t have to keep you from living your best life, even when taking regular doses of hormone medication. There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes on how birth control affects anxiety levels because every woman’s body is different. The most important thing we do, however, like with any medical decision,is the ability to document and share our experiences with health professionals so we make informed decisions tailored for us specifically.

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