Contraception
Switching the focus of sex from procreation to pleasure, the introduction of the birth control pill in the 1960s was a huge milestone for feminism and the sexual revolution. Even now, almost six decades later, starting birth control is a pivotal moment in most young girls’ lives.
Girls as young as 11 may be put on birth control to regulate hormones and lessen the effects of intense and painful periods. A lot of women, like me, only start taking the pill when they become sexually active. Although 3.5 million women are prescribed the contraceptive pill in the UK, we don’t learn anything about it, or the effects it has on us, in school. For people that don’t already know, there are around 15 types of hormonal contraceptives. I’ll give you the run-down of the most common methods:
The Pill
There are two types of birth control pills: The Mini Pill and the Combined Pill. The former (aka the progestogen only pill) contains, well, only progestogen and is taken once daily. The combined pill contains both progestogen and oestrogen and is taken every day for three weeks, followed by a week-long break. Both pills must be taken at the same time every day to ensure their effectiveness.
The Implant
The implant is a small, flexible, plastic rod that is placed under the skin in your upper arm. It contains progestogen and lasts for up to three years. It works by steadily releasig the synthetic hormone into your bloodstream to prevent ovulation.
The Injection
The injection (typically the Deva-Provera) also works by releasing progestogen into the bloodstream. It is injected in either your arm or your bum and lasts for 13 weeks.
Although we are briefly told about the side effects of taking birth control - weight gain, bloating, skin problems, etc. - most girls will eventually start taking contraception anyway, due to a feeling of responsibility. A responsibility to not get pregnant. And let’s be honest, most people (with a long term, monogamous sexual partner) don’t even want to know about condoms. We have more responsibility for not getting pregnant than we do for looking after our health – both physical and mental. I’m not saying everybody who starts taking contraception is going to have a terrible time, but I definitely did, and I think it’s important to share that side of the story.
I began taking the mini pill when I was 18. It was okay, you know, except for the extremely long, painful and heavy periods twice a month, which kind of defeated the purpose of taking birth control. So, I switched to the combined pill. It was fine. Fine being I had normal(ish) periods, but I noticed a severe impact on my mental health and behaviour, especially in the form of mood swings. I ended up stopping this pill after a month-long period (again, it really defeated the purpose of being on the pill in the first place). After this, I decided to give my body and brain a break. After a short hiatus I tried a different brand of the combined pill. This time (and every time since, on every type of contraception I’ve tried) I was a complete mess. First of all, and sorry for the TMI - my bowel movements were seriously messed up. Like, not going to the toilet for seven to ten days messed up . Not only this, I genuinely felt insane! My mood would change at the drop of a hat (and if I did drop my hat or, in fact, anything, I would probably have screamed the house down).
I was anxious, bloated, sad, hungry, angry – all at once and all the time! I was the worst person to be around. I know that this was all due to the pill, by the way, because as soon as I’d stop taking it the bloating would immediately stop (and I’d stop passing as 12 weeks pregnant) and I would seriously mellow out.
Lydia’s arm after getting her implant taken out.
It’s not only me who has had to endure these side effects of the pill. One friend, Lyd, who was on the injection, said that she was “constantly in a bad mood and extremely snappy.” She also had a terrible experience when getting her implant taken out: the nurse couldn’t find it in her arm, so she had have an ultrasound scan and be put under local anaesthetic for it to be successfully removed, leaving her with a lot of pain and bruising.
Another friend, Alyshea, said that the pain when getting the implant put in was almost unbearable and lasted for days. She also said that she occasionally suffers with feelings of depression, sometimes feeling completely empty inside. She claims she’s nothing like she was before she started using hormonal contraception and is planning on taking a break from it soon so she can find out what “non-hormonal Alyshea is like.”
You might be thinking, well, taking birth control is a choice, and you’re right. But, it’s a choice that only women have to make. We can either feel sad 80% of the time, anxious 12% of the time and angry the rest of time, or risk getting pregnant. We shouldn’t have to treat ourselves as Guinea pigs, putting our bodies and minds through hell to find the “right” method for us. The worst part about all of this is that I can’t tell young girls to avoid birth control, because that would be encouraging teen pregnancy, but quitting contraception was one of the best decisions I’ve made for myself.
Sometimes it does just take finding the method that works for you. That might not be hormonal contraception, though. Try using the copper coil, apps such as Natural Cycles or Moody Month or I don’t know… Condoms?
Until next time…
Ella
P.S. most birth control methods don’t protect you from STD/STIs – only condoms do!
My inspiration for this post was not only my own experiences, but also this Youtube video – I highly recommend watching it!
