the pill and your mind: mood, memory, and behavior

Dr. Sarah E. Hill is a research psychologist specializing in evolutionary psychology and women’s health, with a focus on sex hormones and the effects of hormonal birth control. She explores the profound impact of contraceptives on women’s brains. While the pill’s primary purpose is to prevent pregnancy, Hill emphasizes that it can also influence emotions, cognition, and behavior in ways many might not expect.

One significant aspect she discusses is how hormonal contraceptives can alter a woman’s stress response. For instance, women on the pill may experience a blunted cortisol response to stress, which can affect memory processing and emotional regulation. Additionally, the pill can influence areas of the brain responsible for learning, memory, attention, emotional processing, language processing, social interaction, self-control, and eating behaviors.

Hill’s research suggests that hormonal contraceptives may impact partner preferences and relationship satisfaction. She found that women using hormonal birth control may be more likely to choose partners with similar genetic backgrounds, potentially influencing long-term relationship dynamics.

Understanding how hormonal contraception can influence the brain, emotions, and behavior allows women to make choices that support not just reproductive health, but overall well-being, mental, emotional, and social. Awareness of these effects can help align lifestyle, relationships, and self-care with personal health and balance.

For more on Dr. Hill’s research, watch her TED Talk or listen to her Diary of a CEO interview.