You may have heard that the Pill was linked to mood disorders like depression, but the latest research says that’s not the case.  In fact, women using hormonal contraception had lower levels of depressive symptoms than non-users, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.  

The researchers looked at hormonal birth control use and depressive symptoms in 6,654 sexually active women aged 25-34, using data from a longitudinal study conducted in 1994-2008. Women taking hormonal contraception (including the Pill, the patch, and the ring) had lower levels of depressive symptoms and were much less likely to report a suicide attempt in the past year—two factors that are strongly associated with depression.

These results totally contradict the idea that hormonal birth control can lead to mental health issues, says lead study author Katherine Keyes, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University. So where does that link come from? In the past, some clinical trial research pointed to adverse effects on mood, though they only took into account short-term effects. Other small studies have had conflicting results, but they mainly found that birth control users had less mood variability across their cycles. Essentially, experts were seeing a pattern between mental health and birth control use, but they couldn’t pin down what it was exactly. 

So does the Pill actually prevent depression? Unfortunately, the results aren’t that clear-cut. It may be that some of the birth control users in this study were already less likely to suffer depressive symptoms or that some people stopped taking the Pill when they had adverse effects. That said, when the researchers did their best to control for these factors, the results stayed the same. 

But what about those women who say they felt crazy or super emotional on the Pill? Keyes notes that irritability and mood swings are very different from depression and suicide attempts, though they’re definitely something to bring up with your doctor. The bottom line: Don’t rule out the Pill even if you have a history of mood disorders. While there’s still more research to be done, hormonal birth control remains a highly effective method of contraception, and it may even come with benefits to your mental health. 

More From Women's Health:
10 Birth Control Myths--Debunked
Birth Control May Lower Ovarian Cancer Risk 
Male Birth Control Pills Finally On the Horizon