Teenage users also reported more crying, eating problems, and hypersomnia
A new cohort study has found that 16-year-old oral contraceptive users have more depressive symptoms in comparison to their non-user counterparts.
Over 1000 oral contraceptive users and non-users were surveyed every three years and the findings showed 16-year-old oral contraceptive users reported more crying, eating problems, and hypersomnia compared with nonusers.
Author of the study, Anouk de Wit, told Raven news: “Oral contraceptive users, parents and health care providers should be aware of the increased likelihood of the presence of depressive symptoms as it may affect the quality of life and adherence to oral contraceptive use.”
Teenage contraceptive users differed from nonusers in other ways, however. Nonusers were statistically more likely to be from higher socioeconomic status and were less likely to have lost their virginity.
Anouk de Wit added: “Depressive symptoms are common and may affect the quality of life. Data on depressive symptom severity of women currently using oral contraceptives are needed to provide information on the immediate associated risks.”
The findings showed that 16-year-olds taking the pill had scores that were 21 per cent higher than those who were not.
The study showed no association with depressive symptoms when all age groups were combined. However, the severity difference between users and nonusers at 16 years of age has elicited curiosity from researchers.
Many young women have come forward to talk about their experience having depressive symptoms due to the pill.
Holly Grigg-Spall, an author, shed light on her experience starting the contraceptive pill Yasmin at 16 in her written book, Sweeting the Pill: or How We Got Hooked on Hormonal Birth Control.
She wrote: “…swings of extreme emotion had insidiously spread from occupying a week per month to every day of my life. I had weekly breakdowns when I would spiral into deep, hopeless depression, racked with insecurities, and unfathomable anger to the point that I’d become completely unmoored from reality and unable to see a way out of my thinking.”
In an interview with Raven News, a young woman who has asked not to be named said: “I’ve experienced emotional and mental side effects on the mini pill(progestogen-only pill). It’s kind of like period side effects where I’ve become really sensitive and cry at almost anything. Some physical side effects I’ve experienced are always feeling bloated and my skin constantly breaks out.”
The pill is also used for medical reasons and often prescribed to adolescent girls and young women for irregular or absent menstrual periods, premenstrual syndrome, acne and ovary problems.
Lauren Pope, artist and a model, who’s been on the combined pill for six years said, “The reason I first started the pill was that I had such heavy periods. It was the only thing that relieved my cramps, heavy bleeding and PMS. It also shortened my periods from seven-plus days to only three days. I’ve not had any side effects and I’ve not changed my pill in the six years I’ve been on it. It’s made my hormones more stable if anything. I gained a little weight at the start but lost it when I settled with the pill.
A nurse who regularly works at a charitable organisation called The Brandon Centre in Kentish Town has commented on the topic by saying, “It’s hard to quantify the number of teens oral contraception has affected mentally. There are many other elements that can affect someone’s mood. It’s all about trial and error and finding the type of contraception that works for you.”
Services provided by the Bandon Centre are free of charge and have helped at least 2,000 young people.