Contraception options that no one explained to me
One of the hardest things for me when it comes to tackling my health anxiety is talking about things that I was told are taboo at home. I was never taught about birth control or anything to do with my vaginal area.
I was taught from a very young age that masturbation was a sin without actually using those words explicitly. What pastor would want to talk about sexual things in front of a congregation that may be even older than him?
Yet, when I needed birth control, I wasn’t sure what option to pick. I was still a virgin at the time because I was told that having sexual intercourse before marriage is also a sin.
I was also taught that having children is a given for me, so going on birth control is not something that I should ever consider. However, what about the health of the person who feels that they need to start birth control?
That was a huge question for me that I struggled with for a long time, and it’s something I still think about to this day. I often wonder what my health would look like today if I decided not to go past the awkwardness I felt.
I felt really awkward asking the doctor about going on birth control, but it has helped tremendously over the past several years. I don’t know how people of the female persuasion survived without it for so long.
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One of the biggest things no one ever taught me was how many options there are for birth control. Because I was essentially told not to go on birth control, I wasn’t aware that there are so many options available to us.
The second thing I wasn’t taught was what an irregular period looks like and that the effects of birth control vary with each person. I was so used to having a very regular period that I panicked when it became different.
I thought it would lighten my cycle, but I didn’t realize the cramps would get so much worse. That was a huge change for me: the level of cramps remained the same while the flow decreased to a point of concern for me.
I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first, and I was brushed off when I asked my OBGYN about it when I saw her. It made me seek a second opinion from a different office because I felt like my concerns were invalidated.
I don’t regret that second opinion because the new doctor gave me more attention than the previous office did. I’m also seeing one of the head doctors at this new office, which gives me relief.
My biggest piece of advice for people just starting on birth control is to ask as many questions as you can. You may feel like you’re coming off as annoying, but ask the questions anyway.
I know it may feel awkward as well, but I’d definitely ask what you can expect once your body becomes accustomed to the new birth control. It’s something I didn’t ask myself, and I still regret that to this day.
(Hi, I’m Lisa. I’m a writer who focuses on the intersection of mental health and sex education. Want more? Make sure to follow along! You can also email me here if you’re looking for a mental health, health and wellness, or sexual education writer.)
