Feeling depressed after stopping the birth control pills?

Im off 15 months. But was on pill for 8 years. How long were you on it?

Only 3 months but started to feel this way a few weeks after going on the pill. I had some more obvious symptoms in the beginning of this that would link it to the pill but I don’t have a lot of those symptoms anymore. It’s weird because sometimes I’ll feel numb to him and everything and not care much but other times it’s the complete opposite.

Hey, guys I am 7 and half months off. I have posted on here before. I had a set back last night and feel pretty bad today. My brain feels like mush, I really could use some encouragement. My biggest problem is ocd intrusive thoughts and fear of random things I used to not worry about. Anybody else out there in my boat ? I know these things take time. And yes I am way, way better than I was at the start. But I really could use the support. Thank you.

Yes the setbacks and OCD thoughts are normal. I get ROCD thoughts and I worry about things that never used to occur to me. I am 9 months off and still battling with it, it feels like it’s never ending honestly. But good luck in your journey

I know how you feel about the setbacks and how strong they are sometimes when they come. It's discouraging but as much as I can I try to convince myself that setbacks means our hormones are trying to find its place back to our system after we lost their balance drinking the d*mn pills :(

I'm only 2 months and a half off but didnt link it to the pill right away..

The head mush/fuzzy brain sucks! I feel so imbalanced - i actually feel it right this moment.

May i ask what did you do when you just got off the pills like me? Did u take/are you taking any supplements or any tips you can give? Thank you

I am with you on that currently 7 months off and having one of those ridiculous set backs with the ridiculous ruminating thoughts, the broken record saying describes my mind perfectly. I’m so over it but at the same time it can get the best of me -.-

I take magnesium, pro biotic, cod liver oil,a multi vitamin and l lysine

Hey y’all its Iris again. My period ended two days ago and yesterday was a good day but today has been a mix. I went To see a GYN today and he wrote me a prescription for Prozac to be taken the week I get my period and only for that week as well as another birth control. The other option was to be on a birth control that would cause me not to have periods what so ever. He diagnosed it as PMDD but I did let him know this started 10 months ago when I quit Birth control and he seemed understanding.

At this point I am willing to try anything even go back on the pill if it will help. This month has been absolutely horrible and I cannot, I absolutely cannot handle another bad month like this.

Yes, the intrusive thoughts are probably the thing I’m struggling with the hardest as well as the depression.

Iris

I wanted to try Prozac but so many people told me to not even think about it. I’m not sure why my family is so against it but I guess it’s not an option for me. I would do anything as well but I don’t want to put anything else into my body. If that’s what you feel is best for you I think you should go for it. I know 10 months is a long time and it’s really discouraging to not feel 100% but I think you will feel better soon. I sometimes feel like it’s impossible to ever feel “normal” again.

Hi there! This is my first post on this forum and I’m actually a guy. My girlfriend of a year had been on birth control since around February. When she started taking it things seemed normal, but in hindsight she developed a lot of little anxieties over the course of the following months about us that seemed out of character for her. She would get moody periodically, and it seemed to increase in volume around September/October. When she quit in November things seemed good and completely smooth for 3 weeks. Then something switched and it was like those anxieties from before went up way further and she was unsure she wanted to be with me anymore. I had always been such a loving and supportive boyfriend so this surprised me a lot. By the end of December it was like she didn’t want to be touched and was really cold. Around that time I just lost a close friend to death and it was like she had no sympathy which was nothing like her. Then she wanted space, which I messed up on because I came by and surprised her with pancakes for breakfast the next morning. After we ate, she then went off on me, told me I never respect her, and told me she wants nothing to do with me. All of which was totally out of character, because normally she would’ve loved my surprise and though it was cute that I showed up to show her I cared. We have amazing memories together, and I’ve always treated her so well, but right now it’s like she can’t even remember anything good about me. I really think after all my research it’s her hormones from quitting BC, but unfortunately it seems she’s turned her family against me who loved me so much. She’s said some really hurtful things, but I’m trying to tell myself it this isn’t the girl I’ve loved for a year, and that she’s a victim to this as much as I am. I still love her and wouldn’t even think twice to forgive what she’s said. I still see the best in her through this. On top of quitting birth control, she had to have an ovary removed in surgery last year due to a cyst. I don’t know if this will affect her hormones regulating back to normal. But for now I have to turn away because my attempts to text her has made her lash out on me more. Anyways I just hope the girl I loved will remember me in the light she used to, and remember all I’ve done for her. Does this at all seem like it could be hormones. The timing of her quitting and this happening was spot on. Sorry for the long post. This forum has given me so much wisdom about hormones, I’m sorry all you girls have to go through this.

Hey! What you are describing almost sounds exactly how I was at first. I was only on BC for a short period of time and during that time I developed a bunch of little anxieties. While on the pill I believe I fell out of love with my boyfriend which killed me so I stopped take it it. About a month later I fell into a week long depression. I didn’t eat, get out of bed and all I wanted to do was sleep. During this time I felt like I needed to break up with my boyfriend because it was my only option and I thought that it would make all the anxiety go away. I actually told him to not let me break up with him because this isn’t me. ANYWAY, 8 months later and I am feeling a lot better. Obviously if I’m still on this site I still deal with the ROCD ( relationship OCD) and I’m not sure if my old feelings will come back. I still get thoughts that I don’t want to be with him anymore or that he’s not attractive just stupid little things. Idk from what everyone says on here it is so clear that birthcontrol did it but everyone also always has the doubts that maybe their relationship really did change. For now, give her time. If that’s what she wishes for it probably means she just really needs that time. And don’t take anything she says to offensively. I was so mean to my boyfriend for about 6 months after coming off the pill and I look back on it now and feel so bad. Good luck, Just give her some time.

Hello! First off you are an excellent boyfriend for researching what your girlfriend is experiencing to try to help things - shows how much you truly care . I am 5 months off the pill and thankfully found this forum early on; It sounds like your girlfriend doesn't know where to turn. What you've described is ROCD, a symptom many (if not most) of the women here getting off of the pill have experienced. ROCD means Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The pill is a hormonal contraceptive. Hormones effect a range of emotions (You can research this more) and therefore connection to a significant other. When getting off of the pill, some people experience depression, anxiety, OCD, along with physical symptoms like fogginess, feeling off/out of it, dizziness, headaches and so on. When taking the pill it is preventing pregnancy by simulating that you're pregnant. So, when you get off it your body is like whoa - what's happening, and need to learn how to produce the hormones you've been taking artificially on it's own. Not everyone's body quickly readjusts to the change (i.e.e everyone on this forum), instead the hormones deplete, and act like a rollercoaster.

There is a chance that your girlfriend is experiencing ROCD. If she is, she may not understand what's going on because her feelings are real to her of course. Though, they may not becoming from a genuine place. Have you asked your girlfriend if she thinks the pill may be effecting her? Even if it's out of her system, it can take months for her body to adjust. I have not had ROCD, although I've experienced feeling distant from my now fiancé, which is so not like me at all/. If I hadn't found this form I don't know what I would've done.

Forgot to mention I definitely experienced a little anxiety before getting off the pill (especially in the month I knew something wasn't right and that's what made me get off).

I should probably ask my Naturopath about taking magnesium.. i just picked up my probiotic yesterday so hopefully that will help with my recovery.

I'm currently having setbacks for 3 days. It really get you down sometimes.. I feel the things I was feeling back when all of these started and it makes me scared. Yesterday I had this weird pressure in my head and a headache. I was dizzy and nauseous.. According to my tracker I'm due to have my period on the 25th so I guess im feeling this way because of that.

Do you girls feel bad also days before your period? Do you feel all those bad anxiety symptoms like when all these started?

Martha
10weeks off the pill
Manila, Philippines