Some women who are on hormonal birth control get mood swings and other emotional side effects. Sometimes the changes may help, such as easing your crankiness or anxiety. But other women report feeling depressed or going through such a severe emotional roller coaster that they quit their hormonal contraceptives.

Why does birth control make people depressed?

Birth control that uses synthetic hormones could influence a person's mood, potentially triggering depression or other mental health symptoms. Hormones are the body's chemical messengers. They affect many processes in the body, including mood, health, and how a person thinks.

Can birth control pills affect mental health?

“Combination oral contraceptives and progesterone-only minipills are usually associated with depression and anxiety more than other options of birth control,” Lakhani says. Between 4 and 10 percent of users report mood problems while on the combined pill. Most people, however, say they're satisfied with it.