A few months into using the Pill, I effectively lost my damn mind. Normally a very stable, happy, secure, and social person, I suddenly became incredibly anxious and antisocial. I panicked constantly that I would stop breathing or that my heart would stop beating. I became an extreme hypochondriac. Any slight cold or sore throat led me to believe that I'd be one of the unlucky few to get DVT or a pulmonary embolism as a result of the Pill's hormones. I was prone to hyperventilation because of these worries and ended up in the hospital after my arms and legs lost feeling. The final six months I was on the Pill felt like a state of constant impending doom. I almost didn't graduate from college--and worse than that, I truly wanted to jump out of my own skin. I abruptly stopped taking the Pill and went through about 2 or 3 weeks of what I assume menopause feels like--hot flashes, extreme mood swings, crying, trouble sleeping--and the anxiety continued for a while. After about 3 months, though, I was back to my normal self and 7 years later, I haven't experienced similar panic attacks since then. I have been much happier using condoms or the withdrawal method and have not had a single unplanned pregnancy. I also feel more in touch with my body and just more like myself.

It took a few months to balance out, but I was much happier off the pill than I was on the pill. I felt like myself again--my life improved. My depression and anxiety went away. Going off the pill was the best decision I've made for my reproductive and overall health.