30/08/2019
How many young women do you know who are taking/have taken ‘THE PILL’?💊 — A groundbreaking study has just been published, highlighting a concerning link between the use of ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES during adolescence and an increased risk of DEPRESSION later in life. 😫Scarily, the findings suggest that the use of oral contraceptives during the teenage years, may continue to have an enduring effect on a woman’s risk for depression - even years after she has stopped using them!
The Pill is taken by more than 100 million women around the world and is especially popular amongst teenagers 🌍👨🏾⚕️👩🏻⚕️and is prescribed to them as a means to ‘treat’ everything from acne, menstrual cramps, to helping with ‘regulating’ the menstrual cycle or simply because they’re menstruating!
By design, the pill, the patch, the shot, the implant, the ring, and the hormonal IUD all disrupt the normal functioning of the endocrine system. ⚠️🚺 That is their job. In order to make a woman temporarily infertile, the artificial hormones need to disrupt the delicate balance of natural hormones produced by her body. ⚖️🚺 This is what prevents ovulation, causes changes in the uterine lining, and alters cervical mucus production.
The teenage years are an extremely sensitive time in the developmental trajectory, marked by rapid growth and changes in the body and brain. These changes can be impacted by the use of synthetic hormones such as estrogen and/or progestins, which are the hallmark ingredients in the majority of ‘the pill’ formulations which are often 10x stronger than our own endogenous hormones! The present study indicates that manipulating s*x hormones during the critical time that is adolescence, can influence later behaviour in a way that may be irreversible - and have very real, long-lasting consequences for mental health and dramatically increases the risk of depression in women.
While use of the pill may be very convenient, and we wholeheartedly support every woman’s reproductive rights, studies like this highlight the importance of further research and proper INFORMED CONSENT. Any woman, teenager or otherwise, should understand completely the risks and side effects that they are opened up to when deciding to take hormonal contraceptives.
You can read the full article by the link below. I would love to hear your thoughts on the study? Let’s start a conversation in the comments below.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcpp.13115
