Here’s How Birth Control Can Support College Students

If you’re getting ready to go back to college, chances are you’ve been spending the past few weeks gathering all the supplies you’ll need. Obviously, there are the backpacks and the calendars and the party playlists, but there’s something else that might be worth taking along: birth control! Here are a few ways birth control can help college students get the most from their time on the quad. For free or low-cost access to all the methods of birth control, talk to a provider at your nearest The Right Time health center.

1. Birth control can alleviate symptoms of depression

For many students, college means being away from home for the very first time. Maybe you’re excited by this fresh start. But for others, the “newness” of college and the separation from friends and family may result in depression. Thankfully, there are many ways to treat depression. Using hormonal birth control can reduce or eliminate periods, which can make depression symptoms worse. Additionally, using birth control to skip periods means you spend less time stuck in bed with painful cramps and more time doing the things you enjoy – which also supports mental health.

2. Birth control can help students focus 

College students are busy. Considering how much time is taken up by jobs, extracurriculars, friends, parties, sporting events, sleeping, and classes, there’s less time for homework and studying than one might think. Regular use of birth control can take anxiety about pregnancy and STIs off the table so you can concentrate more on your studies and establishing a campus routine.

3. Birth control can support gender identity

College is where many people begin figuring out their goals, hopes, and dreams for their future. Everyone’s journey is different, of course, but for some that discovery process includes exploring their gender identity. If you’re someone who experiences gender dysphoria – or a severe sense of distress that their body doesn’t match their gender identity – birth control is a valuable tool that can help you get closer to being your authentic self.