Jordan Harbinger avatar

Dexa/Jordan Harbinger

Learn more
Published Oct 3, 2019

259: Jolene Brighten | Finding Balance Beyond the Pill

Jolene Brighten delves into the complex effects of hormonal birth control on women's mental and physical health, underscoring the importance of informed healthcare choices and evolutionary perspectives that influence modern relationships and well-being.
Episode Highlights
The Jordan Harbinger Show logo

Topics covered

Popular Clips

Questions from this episode

Episode Highlights

  • Mental Health

    Hormonal birth control can significantly impact mental health, with studies indicating a 23% increase in depression among users of combination pills and even higher rates with progestin-only pills. highlights the importance of awareness, especially for teenagers who may access birth control without parental knowledge, emphasizing the need for informed support systems 1. She advises that young women inform close friends about starting birth control to monitor potential mood changes 1.

    If I start ignoring your text messages, if I stop hanging out with you, if you notice I'm crying all the time, I break up with my boyfriend -- if these things start happening, can you please remind me I need to go talk to my doctor?

    ---

    Additionally, Brighten discusses the broader implications of hormonal birth control on mental health, urging for more comprehensive education and communication between patients and healthcare providers 2.

       

    Relationships

    Hormonal birth control can alter relationship dynamics by influencing attraction and mate selection. explains that women on the pill tend to select partners with more feminine features, prioritizing intelligence and financial stability over traditional masculine traits 3. This shift can lead to dissatisfaction in relationships, with a higher likelihood of women initiating divorce after stopping the pill 3.

    Women on the pill will actually select for men that look more feminine. But you know what they're really interested in, what they're really selecting for is intelligence and money.

    ---

    Brighten also notes that hormonal changes can affect sexual satisfaction and attraction, leading to mismatched partnerships once the pill is discontinued 4.

       

    Physical Health

    Physical health concerns related to hormonal birth control include reproductive health issues and potential side effects like clots. emphasizes the importance of individualized healthcare, noting that synthetic hormones in birth control differ from natural hormones, potentially leading to side effects like depression and infertility 5. She warns that birth control can mask underlying conditions such as PCOS and hypothyroidism, which may only become apparent when trying to conceive 6.

    Most women don't even know, "Oh, I started the pill, now I'm feeling depressed. Well it must just be me."

    ---

    Brighten advocates for open discussions with healthcare providers to address these concerns and explore alternative formulations if necessary 5.

Related Episodes