Feeling depressed after stopping the birth control pills?

I always feel really bad and sad and emotionnal right after my period or towards the end of it.
Currently on day 5 and feeling so so shitty. I have ROCD and am being dramatic about it. :(

Does that happen to some of you as well?

Emma

Yes that always happened to me! (Not with ROCD but with another theme) I would feel relief during my period and would have setbacks immediately after :( it sucks but it gets better and eventually goes away!

This is how I feel!! My period ended 3 days ago but i feel worse than ever. It makes me feel like maybe it's not hormones because I thought you were supposed to feel awful before a period!?!

Not sure if you are using anything to help you but basically you need to support your system during the detox. I used something called cortisol balance by medford and have been on magnesium, vit c, b12 . Clean eating of whole foods, as in no processed stuff, no sugar, no caffeine, lots of water and light training like walking or jogging or cycling or swimming , it helps .... it been 3 months now for me and i can say i'm about 85 - 90% myself again. I still struggle with depression / hopelessness on some days but its getting better. Look up a lady called Dr Jolene Brighten, her website is great at helping us understand what is going on.

Thankyou! I am taking cod liver oil, multivit with B and D vitamins, magnesium and tried evening primrose but didnt think it helped. I will look into something to balance cortisol! Do you know what the active ingredients are? I have found I feel a bit better when I'm exercising and eating healthy. But recovery is painfully slow still :(
So glad you're feeling better though and thank you for the advice. Do you still have physical symptoms? Does your depression flare at a certain time of the month?

That’s what I thought too, but I’m assuming the hormone fluctuations during/after menstruation are even more off because of the birth control withdrawal. get better soon!!

Hi ladies, I post on here quite regularly and I’m currently 10 months off. My psychological symptoms are all gone and I’ve been feeling so relieved. However, one of the symptoms I’ve been dealing with since May 2018 (2 months off the pill) is horrendous acne. I know it could be worse but I get such painful acne on my chin/jawline area which I know is hormonal. Anyone ever take Spironolactone?

Hi Emma,

I just got my first natural period after 8 months of being off birth control. I have found that this month I have been very irrational and emotional. My ROCD was starting to be somewhat quieter. And this month has been bad. I’ve been more emotional and crying more too. I’ve been seeing a therapist but lately every time I go she, I am starting to feel more threatened by her and half the time leave there feeling worse and emotional.

My first period ended yesterday. But Sunday I was a crying mess, ROCD was bad!! And today I just feel so down and in the dumps. I am beginning to wonder if this isn’t hormonal either and if I just have depression. I just want to have my happy and healthy relationship back. And feel happy and healthy myself. Sometimes it’s even hard for me to remember what it is like to be my “normal” self. It seems like so long ago.

Hey,
I cant imagine how you must be feeling! No period for 8 months... Don't worry it's forsure all hormones. They are so so so powerful. They are chemicals acting on our brains so it is normal to feel like we are going insane. I send good vibes your way... It does get better. I have been feeling great for the past month and a half! But I have major setback right now, it is part of recovery I guess... Im 17 months off and still get irregular period, but got my period everymonth. So let yourself some time.

Look what I found, for those of you who suffer AFTER YOUR PERIOD :

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"However, there is a second phase of the menstrual period that can also bring about weeping spells, increased anxiety, nightmares and depressive thoughts. This second bout of emotional instability generally commences about three days after the start of menstruation and typically lasts about three to four days.

Women who suffer from pre-existing anxiety and depression are especially prone to hormone-induced mood swings, yet many are not familiar with this second phase which occurs while they are actually menstruating. In fact, some women may not suffer too badly during the typical PMS period, only to find that they “go off” once the period is well under way.

What is occurring in this case is similar to what occurs to new mothers around three days after delivery. The famous “3-day blues” is caused by the sudden drop in progesterone after birth. The side-effects include uncontrolled weeping, tense mood, and nervousness. The new mother’s body is reacting this way because it is trying to adjust to the rapid change in the hormonal regime her body has grown used to in the preceding months.

Similarly, once the menstrual period commences, progesterone levels also dramatically fall, albeit to a lesser extent than that which occurs after pregnancy. Nevertheless, women may also experience a mini “3-day blues” of their own each month."

This is really insightful. Crazy to think that one little pill can create such havoc. Thanks for sharing that information about how progesterone can impact us after our cycles!

Hi ladies, just posting a little update: I’m a little over 10 months off and have been feeling great for a few months now. However, I haven’t had a period in a while. I’ve been feeling quite off (emotionally and physically) this week so I’m thinking I may get it soon. I’m praaaaaying I don’t have a setback after months of improvement. Hope you’re all doing well!!

Well done for getting through all this!! Dont feel too bad if you have a setback- remember even 'normal' girls who haven't gone through this get symptoms from their period! I'm at a stage where I can cope with most things daily, but the anxiety comes for about a week after my period.
Can i ask at 10 months do you have physical symptoms?

Thank you so much! Your comment made me feel a lot better. I got my period today after not having it since October!! So now I know why I feel like I’m having a bit of a setback. I’m having some anxious thoughts again but not really as bad as it used to be. I think I’m just scared of the memory of those old thoughts and I keep thinking “what if this isn’t hormonal” but I know deep down it has to be.

That’s good that you know the pattern of your anxiety, it shows that our hormones are just fluctuating in times like these. To answer your question I don’t really have physical symptoms anymore (I used to get heart palps, trembling, twitching, just feeling overall on edge). I have noticed today though that my hand is twitching a bit like it used to so I’m assuming it has to do with the hormones.

I have the same thoughts about it not being hormonal! my symptoms all started when I stopped taking BC to prepare for a surgery. I have panic attacks thinking the surgery gave me brain damage... why else would I be dizzy for 5 months straight!?

It really sucks, I think it’s because I had a history of anxiety and now the fluctuating hormones are just making it worse. I even spoke to my mother about it and she’s been so supportive through all this, she told me that I’m just a natural worrier and the hormones are simply making me anxious about having a mental illness/other sickness (aside from anxiety). I wonder if a lot of us have developed PMDD after this. But regardless I really hope we get through this soon!! We just have to have faith and try to take everything as lightly as possible.