Study links Contraceptive Pills to Depression

An extensive study in Denmark has indicated that contraceptive pills might have a link to depression. The studies show higher rates of depression among those taking contraceptive pills.

The study has covered more than a million women over the past 19 years. It suggests that women who use hormonal contraceptives and those who used hormonal implants were either diagnosed with depression or began taking anti-depressants.

The results are even more detailed when researchers divided the study in two parts: one for teenagers and the other for older women. Girls aged between 15 and 19 years who take oral contraceptives are 80% more likely to be depressed. In fact, those who took pills that contain only one hormone and not two, were noted to be twice as likely to be depressed. The average age of women in the study was taken to be 24.4.

Women taking oral contraceptives were 23% more likely to be diagnosed with depression, while the number changed to 34% for all those who took progestin-only pills (one hormone).

This study could be a huge breakthrough in understanding women's health -- especially specifically mental health. In India, mental health is not even discussed because it is considered to be a lost cause. The careless attitude of people towards depression has actually made lives of people suffering from it even more difficult. Many don't even consult the doctor, embarrassed that they might be officially termed as mentally ill.

Sonali Gupta, a clinical psychologist in Mumbai, told shethepeople.tv, "This study is very region specific and hence cannot be applied across the globe. Many aspects change with regions, culture and habit and therefore, need more detailed work."

She also talks about the how depression is manifested in different genders and "since it is a mental illness that carries a social stigma, not many people come forward with it. But in the past five to six years, the response is changing and people are more open to the idea of therapy. I've been working for the past 12 years and the change has happened only in these last few years."

Feature Image Courtesy: qz.com

News Source: QUARTZ (qz.com)