The pill may have an impact on how women respond to treatment.
Even
though some brands have been in short supply recently, using an oral
contraceptive tablet (often referred to as "The Pill") is a typical
strategy to avoid pregnancy. While most users will be aware of the potential
adverse effects, recent research may have just discovered another, this one
connected to mental health.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, discovered that hormonal contraception can "exacerbate existing anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as impact the response to pharmacologic treatment." It also stated that oral contraceptive users were less sensitive to exposure therapy among the 54 women studied (in this specific case they were receiving treatment for a spider phobia).
What is the rationale for this? It's possible that higher amounts of oestrogen are influencing how the body gets rid of fear, according to the researchers. "Amount and rate of fear extinction learning and subsequent memory are mediated by oestrogen, according to findings from human and animal research. Because oral contraceptives inhibit endogenous oestrogen release, they may interfere with these mechanisms, resulting in poor fear extinction."
Obviously, this case is unique (and the study is tiny), but the findings may theoretically be generalised to a wider range of therapies and populations with more research.
The study instructed the 54 women (28 of whom were on the pill) to keep track of how they felt about spiders before and after the exposure therapy, which involved them approaching a spider confined in a glass. All of the participants felt they had improved in some way, although those who used oral contraceptives said they had improved less.
Of course, additional research on the pill's impact on anxiety, phobias, and dread is needed, so don't throw away all your contraception just yet.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, discovered that hormonal contraception can "exacerbate existing anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as impact the response to pharmacologic treatment." It also stated that oral contraceptive users were less sensitive to exposure therapy among the 54 women studied (in this specific case they were receiving treatment for a spider phobia).
What is the rationale for this? It's possible that higher amounts of oestrogen are influencing how the body gets rid of fear, according to the researchers. "Amount and rate of fear extinction learning and subsequent memory are mediated by oestrogen, according to findings from human and animal research. Because oral contraceptives inhibit endogenous oestrogen release, they may interfere with these mechanisms, resulting in poor fear extinction."
Obviously, this case is unique (and the study is tiny), but the findings may theoretically be generalised to a wider range of therapies and populations with more research.
The study instructed the 54 women (28 of whom were on the pill) to keep track of how they felt about spiders before and after the exposure therapy, which involved them approaching a spider confined in a glass. All of the participants felt they had improved in some way, although those who used oral contraceptives said they had improved less.
Of course, additional research on the pill's impact on anxiety, phobias, and dread is needed, so don't throw away all your contraception just yet.