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[@ChrisWillx] How Birth Control Changes Female Behaviour - Dr Sarah Hill

· 4 min read
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@ChrisWillx - "How Birth Control Changes Female Behaviour - Dr Sarah Hill"

Link: https://youtu.be/Xw6HpV9XyrM

Short Summary​

Here's the breakdown of the YouTube transcript:

  • Number One Action Item/Takeaway: Recognize that hormonal birth control can significantly impact mental health and potentially mask an authentic part of oneself, impacting mood, sexual desire, and relationship satisfaction.

  • Executive Summary: Hormonal birth control flatlines hormone production, primarily using synthetic progesterones that do not provide the same mental health benefits as naturally produced progesterone. This can lead to mood disorders, decreased sexual desire, and lower relationship satisfaction, potentially masking an authentic part of oneself.

Key Quotes​

Here are five direct quotes from the YouTube transcript that represent valuable insights or surprising statements:

  1. "So essentially what it does is um the progesterine which is the money maker. I mean just in terms of the action that prevents um pregnancy in uh different types of hormonal birth control but that progesterine is mimicking the acts of progesterone which again is that hormone that's released during the second half of the cycle."

  2. "All contraceptives raise depression risk by 40% in teens and women."

  3. "Women on the pill show a 10 to 20% lower relationship satisfaction."

  4. "It's like women are missing out. But it's almost like you have a jigsaw puzzle and you take out like half of the pieces and then you're like, 'How do you like the puzzle?' You're like, 'I don't know. I guess it's okay.'"

  5. "Could oral contraceptives be the biggest unexamined mental health experiment that's ever happened? Yeah. No, I think so."

Detailed Summary​

Here is a detailed summary of the video transcript in bullet points, excluding advertisements:

Key Topics:

  • The impact of hormonal birth control pills (specifically progesterines) on the brain and body.
  • Comparison between natural progesterone and synthetic progesterines.
  • Effects of hormonal birth control on mood, mental health, and relationship satisfaction.
  • Discussion about the authenticity of self while on the pill.
  • Potential for oral contraceptives to be the biggest unexamined mental health experiment.

Arguments and Information:

  • Natural Cycle vs. Pill: Naturally cycling women experience hormonal fluctuations (estrogen and progesterone) that impact mood and behavior. The pill flatlines hormone production, providing a consistent dose of synthetic progesterine and low estrogen.
  • Mechanism of the Pill: Progesterines in the pill mimic progesterone, activating progesterone receptors in the brain, which signals the brain to inhibit ovulation, thus preventing pregnancy.
  • Progesterine vs. Progesterone: Synthetic progesterines used in birth control are not derived from progesterone. They are typically synthesized from testosterone or spironolactone. This is significant because natural progesterone breaks down into allopregnanolone, a neurosteroid with calming and mood-stabilizing effects. Progesterines do not yield allopregnanolone.
  • Impact on Mental Health: The lack of allopregnanolone in women taking the pill may be a primary mechanism linking hormonal birth control to mood disorders and anxiety. Contraceptives raise depression risk.
  • Relationship Satisfaction:
    • Decreased levels of allopregnanolone may contribute to depression and anxiety, which in turn may impact overall satisfaction, not just relationship satisfaction.
    • Suppressed estrogen and the absence of natural hormonal cycling can diminish sexual desire and attraction, impacting a crucial aspect of romantic relationships.
  • Authenticity of Self: The pill can mask an authentic part of oneself by suppressing natural hormonal fluctuations. This can be "for better or worse," as some women prefer how they feel on the pill despite the masking.
  • Unexamined Experiment: The widespread use of oral contraceptives might be considered a large, unexamined mental health experiment.
  • Teen Mental Health: Teenagers are disproportionately affected by the mental health side effects of the pill.
  • European vs. American Perspective: European medical licensing groups are quicker to acknowledge mood-related side effects from hormonal birth control than their American counterparts.