Is feeling self conscious a birth control side effect?

[Jay27]

Since I started the pill 11 days ago all my confidence in myself is gone. I’ve always had anxiety but not about my looks. But since I’ve been on this pill I feel like everything I do is embarrassing. I feel ugly all the time and I think everyone is judging me for my outfits. It’s so hard for me to get dressed. I used to think I was pretty.

I feel like an inherently awkward and unlikeable person. I think I’m unqualified for my job because I have a bad personality and most people think I’m weird. I used to be more comfortable with my personality but now I feel defective. If someone laughs at me or I have an awkward moment it ruins my mood for the day.

Is this a side effect? Will it get better with time? I’ve been researching nonstop and I talked to my psychiatrist but I’m not seeing anything about birth control making you insecure

[Sam W]

Hi Jay27,

So, while feeling insecure isn't a recognized side effect of the pill, plenty of people report that they feel intense mood symptoms while on hormonal contraception like the pill. It may be that that's what you're starting to notice, especially if there aren't other obvious sources for the change in the way you feel about yourself.

[Jay27]

Does it get better? I don’t think I want to stop the pill because I’ve seen reviews online that say that it can stop your period or make it super light and painless. My periods off the pill make me unable to function for 1-2 weeks.

[Sam W]

That really depends on the individual person and how it interacts with their body. Since you've only been on it a little over a week, I'd wait at least a few cycles to see if some of the side effects settle at all as your body finishes adjusting to the pill. Too, it can't hurt to take some time to think if there are other things going on in your life that are contributing to those feelings of insecurity; if there are, addressing those where possible may also help you feel better.

[Jay27]

My long distance relationship and my new job are making the stress worse. I don’t know if I can take this feeling for 3 or 4 more months. I’m getting my psych meds changed to address my anxiety more but it feels kind of annoying that this birth control pill is undoing my progress. I maxed out my dose of an anti-anxiety med and it helped so much, and then as soon as I get on birth control it reverses. So now I’m gonna add another anxiety med

[Nicole]

Hi Jay27,

I'm really sorry to hear about how you've been feeling. We're happy to chat about this and help you process everything if that's any help, or maybe consider bringing it to a therapist if that's best. For now, I'm going to have to emphasize what Sam said--the best thing to do here is wait. Did you create a follow-up appointment with your gynecologist? If not, I think you should call and schedule one now (making the appointment date after 3-4 cycles, as Sam said) so you can have a discussion about how you've been doing on the pill, if or if not the self-consciousness persists, and see if switching the pill to a different pill is the best option for you.

[Heather]

You know, it might be that the additional estrogen in your system is amping up some of the feelings it sounds like you might already be having otherwise. Or not. It's really hard to say, and just as likely this has nothing to do with the pill as that it does, I'd say.

Most side effects of the pill and other methods are strongest in the first couple of months. So if this is about this, it should settle out for you pretty soon. This effect, if it is one, seems easier to manage than weeks of physical pain.

[Jay27]

It’s actually a mini pill so no estrogen. I’m high risk for blood clots. I have a follow up appointment with the gyno in 3 months. I’m still having the mid cycle cramps as always so hopefully those will stop soon. I’m so upset that I have to go on another medication, I’m on 5 now and the one I just started has a 10 page sheet of warnings. It’s not fair! I wish I didn’t have a uterus

[Heather]

I get it. I'm often on a lot of meds myself, and in the decades I menstruated (done now, wahoo!), I had a lot of issues nothing could solve.

Progestin-only pills are generally not associated with the kind of effects methods with estrogen are. My gut says that this is more likely a coincidence, that you just happen to be having these feelings at the same time you started this pill, but they aren't caused by the pill.

[Jay27]

Really? I saw depression as one of the side effects on the big sheet of paper that comes in the box. My gyno didn’t talk to me about the common and less serious side effects. She just told me about the severe ones like the long term breast cancer risk possibly being higher.

[Sam W]

The side effects lists tend to err on the side of listing every possible one, but that doesn't mean a side effect is guaranteed or even common. And from what we know, progestin-only pills aren't associated with mood changes in the way pills with estrogen are.

If you have questions about the pill and side effects, or concerns about them, that's something you could bring to your healthcare provider or to a pharmacist at the place where you get your prescriptions. But, as Heather said, most side effects of the pill tend to settle after the first few months, so a lot of this is about just giving yourself time to see how your body adjusts. With the mood stuff, it might be helpful to keep a mood journal or similar if you don't already; that can help you notice if there are factors, even if they aren't the pill, that seem to contribute to you having a lower mood or lower self-esteem.

[Jay27]

Yeah I really hope it’s temporary. I didn’t think my anxiety could get any worse.