Psychic Changes with Hormonal Contraception by Women

Abstract

The results of methodically exact psychiatric-psychological studies have shown that psychic disturbances in direct connection with hormonal contraception are much more frequent than is generally known. These psychic changes in the sense of the endocrine psycho-syndrome (Bleuler) appear as delicate impairment of mood, impulses and elementary drives. More often than depression, an apathic-dysphoric syndrome has been observed; quantative changes in sexuality experience for the most part an augmentation, rarely a reduction. Nevertheless, sexual changes are all together less frequent than unwanted alterations of mood. Psychic changes are therefore not least of general psychohygienic importance, because activity and spontaneity, eventually work capacity too, are impaired in connection with them. Of great interest to the psychosomatic theory are conclusions drawn from systematic studies using different hormone combinations (varying estrogen-gestagen relation) and placebo (by dysmenorrheal patients); it was found that:

• 1. There is no doubt that there is an immediate hormone-related effect on the psyche.

• 2. Different hormone combinations evoke differing psychic changes.

• 3. The different psychic changes are dependent upon the varying initial psychobiological state and total personality, in other words upon body and mind.