Birth control helps anxiety
Can Birth Control Cause Anxiety? Which Type Is Right For You?
Medically reviewed by Sophia Yen, MD, MPH – Written by Pandia Health Editorial Team. Updated on January 4th, 2021
Did you know you can use birth control to stabilize your hormones? Get your birth control delivered to your mailbox by signing up for Pandia Health’s FREE delivery services of birth control = #PandiaPeaceOfMind.
Around 264 million people worldwide suffer from an anxiety disorder. And women are nearly 5 times as likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder than men. Anxiety can cause many significant problems in daily functioning, and severely impact a person’s quality of life.
A common question we’re asked is, ‘Can taking hormonal birth control cause or alleviate the symptoms of anxiety for women?’ This article will explore what an anxiety disorder is and if birth control has any impact on anxiety.
Can birth control impact anxiety and depression?
Firstly, it’s important to understand how hormonal birth control works to fully appreciate its effects on emotions and moods.
During the menstrual cycle, the hormones progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone are continuously rising and falling. The rise and fall of each of these hormones trigger different biological responses, including ovulation and menstruation.
When a woman starts taking hormonal birth control, hormones are prevented from rising and falling continuously, and in most cases, the hormones should be pretty stable. The body is exposed to a continuous level of hormones to trick the body into thinking it is already pregnant, thus preventing ovulation from occurring. If a woman takes monthly hormonal birth control pills, she will get a withdrawal bleed which mimics a period at the end of each month.
Women on regular birth control pills can choose to skip the monthly bleed by skipping the last week of pills of a 4-week pack and going straight into the next pack.
Hormonal birth control can cause some side effects, such as decreased libido, spotting, and nausea. Also, there are mental health side effects that can occur, including mood swings, depression, and increased feelings of nervousness or anxiety. However, most people do not experience changes in mood or any adverse side effects while taking hormonal birth control, though it is a risk.
Both progesterone and estrogen are known to affect mood, and the hormonal birth control pill contains synthetic versions of these hormones. Research has found that women with a history of depression are at increased risk of experiencing mood swings and anxiety when taking hormonal birth control.
Can hormonal birth control alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression?
TLDR: Yes, hormonal birth control can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety.
Hormones are complicated, and the impact of hormonal birth control will vary significantly from woman to woman. This can also be dependent on what is causing a woman’s anxiety. Notably, many women are anxious about their birth control! Here are some examples:
- Some women are especially anxious about unwanted pregnancies. Birth control would decrease that type of anxiety.
- However, some women experience “pill anxiety”, which covers the fear of running out of birth control and the stress of having to run to the pharmacy each month to get their birth control. Pandia Health takes care of this by providing FREE delivery and automatic refills and reminders.
- Those with uteruses who choose to use the birth control pill, patch, or ring may also be anxious about having to remember to take their medication every day, every week, or every month, respectively.
- Estrogen increases serotonin, a neurotransmitter, which generally causes positive mood and emotional well-being.
However, too much serotonin can cause increased anxiety.
Essentially, hormonal birth control can help decrease many forms of anxiety experienced by women. When choosing which method of birth control is right for you, it’s important to note that hormonal contraceptives regulate your hormone levels and can therefore impact your mood and emotions. Talk to a Pandia Health doctor to find which hormone birth control is right for you to help ease your anxiety!
Should women who have a history of depression or anxiety steer clear of hormonal birth control?
TLDR: No. Most women benefit from the stable level of hormone brought on by hormonal birth control compared to the ups and downs that many experience when they are not on hormonal birth control.
When you are not on hormonal birth control, your hormones cycle up and down. When you are on monophasic birth control, then your hormones are maintained. And if you skip the optional bleeding week, they can be even smoother.
However, it should be noted that the research into whether hormonal birth control pills make symptoms worse in women who are prone to anxiety and depression is still not clear.
The 2017 Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that there are no contraindications to hormonal contraception for women with depression, citing a lack of evidence supporting a causal relationship.
One study indicated that women who take combination oral contraceptives or progesterone-only minipills were more likely to be prescribed antidepressants than women who did not take these types of contraceptives. However, this link could be due to other factors. For example, women on birth control are more likely to be in a relationship and at risk of pregnancy, both of which can cause depression and anxiety.
What is an anxiety disorder?
Feeling anxious, or having anxiety, is a typical response to a stressful situation, and it can sometimes be beneficial.
Anxiety alerts an individual to danger, potentially compelling them to take action to keep themselves out of harm’s way or remove themselves from an uncomfortable situation. But an anxiety disorder is a different matter entirely.
Someone who feels intense fear or stress about a future concern may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. They are usually characterized by avoidant behaviors and physical symptoms that interfere with a person’s daily functioning. An anxiety disorder can cause someone to avoid normal situations and the symptoms can significantly interfere with a person’s work, school, and personal relationships.
For a person to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, their fears must be considered out-of-proportion to the situation, not age-appropriate, and also impair the person’s ability to function normally. There are many different types of anxiety disorders:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Panic disorders
- Phobias
- Social anxiety disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Agoraphobia
Anxiety disorders are incredibly common and will affect up to 30% of all U.
S. adults at some point in their lives. Though anxiety disorders are common and often debilitating, they are highly treatable. A combination of medication and talking therapy can go a long way to treating most cases of anxiety. Medications commonly used to treat depression, such as SSRIs and SNRIs, are also used to treat anxiety disorders.
However, it’s crucial that anxiety sufferers know and understand what triggers their symptoms and how to cope with stressful situations to prevent their anxiety from getting out of hand.
The causes of anxiety are not completely understood, but genetic factors, temperament, and unique biochemical characteristics can increase a person’s risk of experiencing symptoms of anxiety. Mental health conditions like anxiety cannot be cured, but they can be effectively managed, and people can live symptom-free for life.
Emotional Side Effects of Birth Control Pills
The primary emotional side effects cited by those on birth control are anxiety, anger, and depression.
However, the limited research conducted on the subject has led to no conclusive evidence linking birth control and emotional changes. In fact, emotional side effects are not one of the common side effects listed for any form of birth control. The reason some women may experience emotional side effects when using birth control is due to the introduction of hormones to the body.
What contraceptives are recommended to women who are prone to anxiety?
TLDR: Women who have anxiety and depression can use all forms of contraception. Each woman is different and will have a unique response to hormones.
Cooper IUD, implants, condoms
No formal connection between the use of non-hormonal methods of birth control such as the copper IUD or condoms and increased risk of depression and anxiety has been made. However, some women who use the copper IUD have anecdotally reported copper toxicity, with symptoms of “brain fog and fatigue”, decreased energy, and increased levels of depression and irritability which have been resolved once the copper IUD has been removed.
IUDs and implants are long-acting, reversible birth control methods that can be removed when a woman wishes to become pregnant. IUDs and implants are also relatively easy to remove in case a woman has an adverse reaction to the hormones present. The copper IUD does not use hormones and is effective for up to 10 years.
Progestin-only
Existing research is mixed on progestin-only methods such as the IUD with hormone, implant, and progestin-only pills.
A 2018 review of 26 studies concluded there was no increase in depression with progestin-only contraceptives.
Hormonal birth control (estrogen and progestin and progestin-only)
In 2016, a study of 1 million Dutch women suggested that women on hormonal birth control (the pill, patch, ring, IUD with hormone, implant) had a 2.2% chance of being prescribed antidepressants vs 1.7% of those not on hormonal birth control — an increased chance of 0.5%. One notable flaw in the study was that it didn’t take into account that you can have depression and not be prescribed medications, or.
refuse medications in favor of talking therapy. Perhaps, those not using hormonal birth control generally take an anti-medication stance and also refused anti-depressant prescriptions.
For women with a history of anxiety, there are many different birth control options available to try. It’s common for women to try several different types of birth control before settling on an option that fits with both their lifestyle and specific biochemistry. For the birth control pill alone, there are 8 different types of progestins with at least 2 different levels available. It’s always important to talk to your provider about any history of depression or anxiety before trying a new hormonal contraceptive method.
What can you do about your anxiety?
Whether you think your current birth control is contributing to your anxiety, or you want to explore how to use birth control to stabilize your hormones, Pandia Health is here to help.
If you are experiencing anxiety, it is recommended that you talk to your doctor as soon as possible to discuss what your options are, and what may be causing your anxiety.
Before prescribing talking therapy or medications, your doctor may suggest changing your birth control.
If your doctor is not a birth control expert, Pandia Health is here to help. Our expert birth control doctors are available to prescribe the best birth control for you – and it’s so easy to get started.
At Pandia Health, we take pride in prescribing birth control based on several factors, including age, ethnicity, BMI, and general health — including mental health.
All these factors can influence your body’s reaction to birth control, which your doctor will consider when reviewing the best options for you. With just one $25 payment a year, you can get access to our expert doctors (available in these states) for 364 days.
If you suspect your current prescription could be causing you anxiety, get in touch to change your birth control today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can going off birth control cause depression and anxiety?
As birth control introduces hormones into the body, it may affect levels of depression and anxiety in some users.
However, there is no specific evidence available that proves birth control causes either an increase or decrease in symptoms of these conditions.
Does birth control help anxiety?
These hormones introduced to the body by birth control can play a role in a person’s overall mood and mental state. However, there is no data that proves that birth control has either a positive or a negative effect on anxiety. It is always important to remember that different people will experience different effects.
Can birth control make you emotional or cry?
Birth control introduces hormones to the body which directly impact a person’s mood. While there is no way to know how your individual mood will be affected by birth control, it generally stabilizes fluctuations in hormones and makes a person less emotional.
Is my birth control making me depressed?
Birth control introduces hormones into the body which may affect the levels of depression and anxiety experienced by some users.
However, there is no specific evidence available that proves birth control causes either an increase or decrease in symptoms of these conditions.
Can birth control cause insomnia?
There is no evidence that birth control causes insomnia. Some types of birth control that contain only isolated progestagen may improve a person’s quality of sleep, as progestagen is a sleep-inducing hormone.
Can progesterone cause anxiety?
Yes, progesterone can cause anxiety by increasing the activity of the amygdala. Progesterone is a naturally produced hormone shortly after ovulation and is also a main ingredient in most forms of birth control.
Do antidepressants such as Lexapro affect birth control?
No, antidepressants such as Lexapro do not affect birth control. However, if you are taking any other medication, it is critical you talk to your doctor before starting birth control to avoid any negative reactions.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article intend to inform and induce conversation.
They are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Pandia Health, and are for informational purposes only, even if and to the extent that this article features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
For a person to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, their fears must be considered out-of-proportion to the situation, not age-appropriate, and also impair the person’s ability to function normally. There are many different types of anxiety disorders:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Panic disorders
- Phobias
- Social anxiety disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Agoraphobia
Anxiety disorders are incredibly common and will affect up to 30% of all U.
S. adults at some point in their lives. Though anxiety disorders are common and often debilitating, they are highly treatable. A combination of medication and talking therapy can go a long way to treating most cases of anxiety. Medications commonly used to treat depression, such as SSRIs and SNRIs, are also used to treat anxiety disorders.
However, it’s crucial that anxiety sufferers know and understand what triggers their symptoms and how to cope with stressful situations to prevent their anxiety from getting out of hand.
The causes of anxiety are not completely understood, but genetic factors, temperament, and unique biochemical characteristics can increase a person’s risk of experiencing symptoms of anxiety. Mental health conditions like anxiety cannot be cured, but they can be effectively managed, and people can live symptom-free for life.
Emotional Side Effects of Birth Control Pills
The primary emotional side effects cited by those on birth control are anxiety, anger, and depression.
However, the limited research conducted on the subject has led to no conclusive evidence linking birth control and emotional changes. In fact, emotional side effects are not one of the common side effects listed for any form of birth control. The reason some women may experience emotional side effects when using birth control is due to the introduction of hormones to the body.
What contraceptives are recommended to women who are prone to anxiety?
TLDR: Women who have anxiety and depression can use all forms of contraception. Each woman is different and will have a unique response to hormones.
Cooper IUD, implants, condoms
No formal connection between the use of non-hormonal methods of birth control such as the copper IUD or condoms and increased risk of depression and anxiety has been made. However, some women who use the copper IUD have anecdotally reported copper toxicity, with symptoms of “brain fog and fatigue”, decreased energy, and increased levels of depression and irritability which have been resolved once the copper IUD has been removed.
IUDs and implants are long-acting, reversible birth control methods that can be removed when a woman wishes to become pregnant. IUDs and implants are also relatively easy to remove in case a woman has an adverse reaction to the hormones present. The copper IUD does not use hormones and is effective for up to 10 years.
Progestin-only
Existing research is mixed on progestin-only methods such as the IUD with hormone, implant, and progestin-only pills.
A 2018 review of 26 studies concluded there was no increase in depression with progestin-only contraceptives.
Hormonal birth control (estrogen and progestin and progestin-only)
In 2016, a study of 1 million Dutch women suggested that women on hormonal birth control (the pill, patch, ring, IUD with hormone, implant) had a 2.2% chance of being prescribed antidepressants vs 1.7% of those not on hormonal birth control — an increased chance of 0.5%. One notable flaw in the study was that it didn’t take into account that you can have depression and not be prescribed medications, or.
refuse medications in favor of talking therapy. Perhaps, those not using hormonal birth control generally take an anti-medication stance and also refused anti-depressant prescriptions.
For women with a history of anxiety, there are many different birth control options available to try. It’s common for women to try several different types of birth control before settling on an option that fits with both their lifestyle and specific biochemistry. For the birth control pill alone, there are 8 different types of progestins with at least 2 different levels available. It’s always important to talk to your provider about any history of depression or anxiety before trying a new hormonal contraceptive method.
What can you do about your anxiety?
Whether you think your current birth control is contributing to your anxiety, or you want to explore how to use birth control to stabilize your hormones, Pandia Health is here to help.
If you are experiencing anxiety, it is recommended that you talk to your doctor as soon as possible to discuss what your options are, and what may be causing your anxiety.
Before prescribing talking therapy or medications, your doctor may suggest changing your birth control.
If your doctor is not a birth control expert, Pandia Health is here to help. Our expert birth control doctors are available to prescribe the best birth control for you – and it’s so easy to get started.
At Pandia Health, we take pride in prescribing birth control based on several factors, including age, ethnicity, BMI, and general health — including mental health.
All these factors can influence your body’s reaction to birth control, which your doctor will consider when reviewing the best options for you. With just one $25 payment a year, you can get access to our expert doctors (available in these states) for 364 days.
If you suspect your current prescription could be causing you anxiety, get in touch to change your birth control today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can going off birth control cause depression and anxiety?
As birth control introduces hormones into the body, it may affect levels of depression and anxiety in some users.
However, there is no specific evidence available that proves birth control causes either an increase or decrease in symptoms of these conditions.
Does birth control help anxiety?
These hormones introduced to the body by birth control can play a role in a person’s overall mood and mental state. However, there is no data that proves that birth control has either a positive or a negative effect on anxiety. It is always important to remember that different people will experience different effects.
Can birth control make you emotional or cry?
Birth control introduces hormones to the body which directly impact a person’s mood. While there is no way to know how your individual mood will be affected by birth control, it generally stabilizes fluctuations in hormones and makes a person less emotional.
Is my birth control making me depressed?
Birth control introduces hormones into the body which may affect the levels of depression and anxiety experienced by some users.
However, there is no specific evidence available that proves birth control causes either an increase or decrease in symptoms of these conditions.
Can birth control cause insomnia?
There is no evidence that birth control causes insomnia. Some types of birth control that contain only isolated progestagen may improve a person’s quality of sleep, as progestagen is a sleep-inducing hormone.
Can progesterone cause anxiety?
Yes, progesterone can cause anxiety by increasing the activity of the amygdala. Progesterone is a naturally produced hormone shortly after ovulation and is also a main ingredient in most forms of birth control.
Do antidepressants such as Lexapro affect birth control?
No, antidepressants such as Lexapro do not affect birth control. However, if you are taking any other medication, it is critical you talk to your doctor before starting birth control to avoid any negative reactions.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article intend to inform and induce conversation.
They are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Pandia Health, and are for informational purposes only, even if and to the extent that this article features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
What Happens, What to Do
Hormonal birth control involves everything from the pill and patch to the implant, IUD, and shot.
There are two main types: One contains a type of synthetic progesterone called progestin, and the other is a combined form that includes both progestin and estrogen.
“These two hormones naturally flood the body during ovulation and create a lot of PMS symptoms,” explains Dr. Shirin Lakhani, an intimate health specialist and cosmetic doctor at Elite Aesthetics.
The synthetic hormones in birth control have also been linked to a range of side effects.
If you’re wondering whether anxiety is one of them, read on.
Hormonal contraception can cause feelings of anxiety in some people. But other users may find their birth control relieves anxiety symptoms.
It all depends on the individual person.
When it comes to adverse effects, the pill is often the first contraceptive method that springs to mind.
But there’s a link between anxiety and all forms of hormonal contraception, says Dr. Enam Abood from London’s Harley Street Health Centre.
A 2004 review found hormonal contraceptive users had higher rates of anxiety than nonusers.
And a 2018 study noted that users of IUDs containing the hormone levonorgestrel also had higher anxiety rates.
But the pill seems to have been the focus of more research than other methods.
“Combination oral contraceptives and progesterone-only minipills are usually associated with depression and anxiety more than other options of birth control,” Lakhani says.
Between 4 and 10 percent of users report mood problems while on the combined pill. Most people, however, say they’re satisfied with it.
In fact, a review of studies published in the past 30 years found most combined hormonal contraceptive users — those using the combined pill, hormonal patch, or combined vaginal ring — had either no effect or a positive effect on their mood.
However, the review did conclude that non-oral combined hormonal contraceptive methods may result in fewer mood changes.
There are a few simple reasons.
First, there isn’t enough research into the mental and emotional effects of hormonal birth control.
Second, the research that does exist has produced conflicting results. (Again, this is likely because hormonal contraception’s effects differ from person to person.)
And third: All of the above, plus varying research methods, has meant it’s impossible to prove cause and effect.
In other words, researchers are currently uncertain.
It’s likely to remain that way until more studies are carried out.
If you have a personal history of anxiety or mood disorders, you may be more prone to the emotional effects of birth control.
This hasn’t been fully proven, but it is a theory put forward in several studies.
Unfortunately, it’s pretty difficult to determine what effect your contraceptive will have.
If your anxiety is related to the physical taking of a pill, for example, it’s safe to say an oral contraceptive is likely to worsen those feelings.
If you have a history of anxiety, hormonal birth control may mean you’re more likely to experience anxiety. Preexisting feelings may also intensify.
But if your anxiety is a result of PMS, some combined hormonal contraceptives — especially ones containing drospirenone — may help relieve symptoms.
It’s an altogether different story if you’re concerned about your birth control causing general anxiety.
Often, that spells a case of trial and error.
Choose a method and stick with it for a few months before seeing how you feel.
Certain forms of birth control can cause anxiety simply because people worry they won’t use it properly.
A big example of this is, of course, the pill. Users may stress that they’ve forgotten to take it, or that they won’t take it at the same time each day.
The other cause of anxiety is thought to be the effect synthetic hormones can have on the body.
Most of the research into this has focused on the pill, which can contain forms of estrogen and progesterone, or the latter on its own.
“Both progesterone and estrogen are hormones that impact mood,” Lakhani explains.
And the hormone fluctuations that result from the pill — especially the estrogen — have been linked to anxiety, she says.
“Hormone contraceptive pills are believed to affect different regions of the brain,” Lakhani continues.
Indeed, a 2015 study found a link between oral contraceptive use and significant thinning in two brain areas.
As Abood explains, they were “the posterior cingulate cortex, [which is] linked to emotional stimuli based on our internal state of mind, or what is referred to as the view of self.”
The second was the side orbitofrontal cortex. This is “linked to emotion and behavior in relation to external stimuli,” Abood says.
Further research is needed to confirm whether the pill is causing brain thickness changes.
But, Abood says, these changes “suggest that hormonal contraceptives not only affect how [users] view external circumstances, but may also affect their view of themselves.”
Hormonal birth control has also been linked to an increased risk of depression.
A 2016 study of more than 1 million Danish women found hormonal contraception was associated with first antidepressant use and first diagnosis of depression. The risk was especially present in adolescents.
But a 2013 study of women in the U.S. found the opposite: Hormonal contraception may reduce depression levels in young women.
Neither study proves that hormonal birth control causes or prevents depression — just that there may be a relationship between the two.
However, it’s worth noting some contraceptive methods — like the pill and ring — list mood changes as a potential side effect.
Some users have also reported experiencing panic attacks, though there’s very little research into this.
“There are a number of ways to manage anxiety,” Lakhani says, “from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions and counseling to simple things that can be done at home, such as yoga and meditation.”
Lifestyle changes, like eating nutritious food and exercising regularly, can also help, Abood says.
Of course, you can consider changing your birth control method too.
If you already have an anxiety disorder or are worried about a specific type of contraception, speak to your doctor.
Be as open and honest as you can. Remember, their job is to help you decide which birth control method is right for you.
If you’re concerned that your current contraceptive is affecting your mood, track your symptoms in a diary and show it to your doctor.
“The earlier they can address those symptoms, the better,” Abood says.
Your doctor can then recommend self-help strategies, refer you to a mental health specialist for therapy, or prescribe medication, like an antidepressant.
Changing birth control may alleviate feelings of anxiety. But there’s a chance it could make little difference.
If you begin to experience anxiety or other mood changes, you can consider switching to a nonhormonal form of contraception. The list includes:
- copper IUD
- diaphragm
- condoms
Long-acting reversible contraception (known as LARC) is also a possibility for people who are worried they’ll forget to take a pill or apply a patch.
Your doctor can guide you down the best path.
If you want to stop taking hormonal contraception, it’s entirely your choice.
But Lakhani advises never coming off your birth control without consulting with your doctor first.
Ask them the following:
- Can I get pregnant straight away?
- What side effects might I experience?
- What should I use for contraception now?
Some methods, like the pill and patch, can be stopped immediately. Others, like the implant, will need to be removed by a healthcare provider.
Something to consider: It’s good practice to not stop the pill or patch in the middle of your pack. Doing so can cause irregular bleeding.
The hormones from birth control should exit your body within a few days. (The shot, however, is designed to last for 3 months, so you may have to wait a little longer.)
Stopping any kind of hormonal birth control can have an impact on both your body and mind.
You may find that your menstrual cycle becomes irregular, or that your mood changes.
You may also experience symptoms your contraception was helping to manage, like painful periods and acne.
None of the side effects should be too severe. Many will right themselves as your body gets back to its usual hormone production.
But if your menstrual cycle is still irregular 3 months after stopping your birth control, or the effects are becoming difficult to manage, visit your doctor again.
It’s also important to know that you may get pregnant rather quickly. Use an alternative form of contraception if you don’t want to conceive.
Whether hormonal birth control will help or hinder anxiety is difficult to say.
Just because someone else has a bad experience doesn’t mean you will.
But before deciding on a contraceptive, weigh the potential effects.
And if you’re worried, speak to a doctor. They’ll work with you to find a method that suits your needs.
Lauren Sharkey is a journalist and author specializing in women’s issues. When she isn’t trying to discover a way to banish migraines, she can be found uncovering the answers to your lurking health questions.
She has also written a book profiling young female activists across the globe and is currently building a community of such resisters. Catch her on Twitter.
why the planet is not in danger of overpopulation
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The number of people on Earth, according to the UN, has reached eight billion people. Mankind managed to gain the seventh billion in 12 years. And for eight billion it took a year less. According to UN forecasts, the mark of nine billion will be reached by 2037. Vechernyaya Moskva learned from experts why there was a sharp jump in population growth over 11 years and whether overpopulation threatens the planet.
Why is the population growing so fast
According to demographer Sergei Chesnokov, the population is growing faster because there are more people on the planet Earth than before.
In addition, this is not affected by an increase in the birth rate, but by life expectancy.
- In fact, everything is deceptive. The population is larger, so it is growing faster. Although the main indicator for demography is the total fertility rate. He's going down. This will cause the population to stop growing around 2055. Perhaps it will grow a little due to the increase in life expectancy. This figure is still decreasing. For example, at 19In the 1970s, the total fertility rate was above 5.5, and now it is 2.5,” Chesnokov said.
Demographer Aleksey Raksha assured that earlier the population of the planet increased much faster than now. At the moment, the growth rate has halved:
— There was no sharp jump. There was a slow decrease in growth rates in relative terms. If the population of 4 billion grows by 10 percent, that's 400 million plus. And if the population of seven billion increases by 10 percent, then this is plus 700 million. Now we are talking about an absolute increase in every new billion people.
This means that with each relative increase, the rate of population growth decreases. They were at their maximum at the end of 1960s. I note that from 1960 to 1974, humanity grew by one billion - from 3 to 4. These rates are more than twice as high as now. Will the population grow in the future? will the forecast of the death of mankind come true by 2050
- For a short time, the population will grow and possibly reach 10 billion. But then comes the big crash. This is a serious trend. It is no coincidence that sane people, for example, Elon Max, say that the main problem of mankind is extinction.
Aleksey Raksha is of the same opinion. However, the expert believes that the population will not reach the mark of 10 billion.
- Population growth will not continue indefinitely. I think that it will stop in the second half of the 21st century and will go down. There is a high probability that humanity will not reach the number of 10 billion, - said the interlocutor of "VM".
How much population can the planet support?0003 The demographer spoke about the "overpopulation" of the planet
The demographer spoke about the "overpopulation" of the planet
— The planet could withstand a much larger number of people than it is now, if nature-saving and energy-saving technologies would develop to a high level. This progress is being made, but at an insufficient pace. In principle, there are no big barriers to the population being much larger.
Demographer Sergei Chesnokov assured that even 100 billion people can live on Earth in comfortable conditions.
- There is a limit, of course. But there is an understanding that the planet Earth is able to withstand 100 billion even with the current lifestyle. However, it will be a completely different world structure, for example, with cities under water, the expert believes.
Is it true that overpopulation is dangerous
Demographer Sergei Chesnokov noted that Western countries deliberately convince people of overpopulation of the planet in order to control the birth rate in competing countries.
— All the talk about population growth being a terrible problem is a smokescreen. It is beneficial for Western countries to establish control over the world's birth rate and population through programs to reduce the birth rate. They organized an international family planning fund. It has branches in 186 countries around the world. The foundation promotes abortion, contraception, and sterilization. Its goal is to weaken economic competitors. The program is active in the most developed countries. For example, China, India and Russia have been exposed to this impact to the maximum, - the interlocutor of "VM" believes.
The specialist said that the main demographic problem in the modern world is not possible overpopulation of the planet, but underpopulation:
— The West has long been in a crisis of traditional family values and has a problem with fertility. However, the population in these countries is not decreasing due to the flow of migrants from all over the world.
Those countries that consume the most resources do not want to reduce their population. They agitate other states for these actions. I believe that the main problem in the world is underpopulation.
Demographics Planet Earth Population
Why there are more people on Earth, and less in Crimea and Russia
On November 15, the population of the Earth officially reached 8 billion people. However, whether this can be attributed to the achievements of mankind is a big question. Especially when you consider how the demographic situation differs in different states and even in certain regions of the same country.
About what the new billion figure means and what place Russia occupies in the overall picture, ForPost talked with a Crimean scientist, associate professor of the Department of Economic and Social Geography and Territorial Administration of the TA KFU named after. IN AND. Vernadsky Sergey Kiselyov.
The echo of the African baby boom will “sound” in Europe.
According to the pre-prepared forecasts of the services of this organization, it was on this date that the population of the Earth reached a new round mark.
There are at least two candidates for the purely symbolic role of the "anniversary" person. According to UNICEF, this is a girl born in Armenia. And the Philippine government hastened to announce that it was a girl born to them.
However, the determination of who among those born on November 15 became the eight billionth person is even more conditional than the appointment of the date, Sergei Kiselev noted. According to the scientist, it is simply impossible to establish this for sure.
The highest population growth rates in the third world countries. Sub-Saharan Africa is the leader in this indicator. Growth rates are also high in India, which next year is likely to overtake even China in terms of population.
“Population is booming in countries with low living standards.
In turn, this leads to migration from these countries to more prosperous ones,” Sergey Kiselyov recalled.
Children help collect metal from a scrapyard in Africa.
Not being able to arrange life in their homeland, people will look for a better life in the same Europe. The problem of migrants is already relevant there. Bursts of mass migration can take place during famine, military conflicts, natural disasters. The larger the population in a country experiencing such problems, the more refugees and migrants will leave it to seek a better life in a foreign land.
There are no easy solutions to the problem.
“By increasing education, family planning and birth control can be achieved. But at the same time, human needs are growing. Poor countries are not able to meet such growing needs,” the Crimean expert noted.
Russia is still paying for the nineties
The world's population is growing at the expense of poor countries, where the death rate is high and the birth rate is even higher.
Europe has low mortality and low birth rates. The situation is better in the United States, where natural growth is maintained with low mortality and relatively good birth rates.
But the demographic picture in Russia is alarming, the expert notes. And on both counts.
According to Rosstat, a million more people died in Russia last year than were born. This has become an anti-record, to which the country, judging by the statistics, has been consistently moving since 2016. Every year during this period more people died than were born, and every year the gap between the indicators widened.
The pandemic has only exacerbated an already existing problem.
The migration increase smoothes the picture, but even taking it into account, the population of Russia has been decreasing in recent years.
In Crimea, the trend is similar: in recent years, there has been a natural decline in population.
“Our country is now in a demographic hole. There is such a thing as an age-sex pyramid. And the situation with her in Russia is terrible. The country survived the civil war, famine, the Great Patriotic War, and finally, 90 years. As a result, a monstrous picture, I would compare it with a petal eaten by pests, ”complained Sergey Kiselev.
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The country is demographically “paying” for what happened in the 90s, with their devastation. If society fails to cope with this challenge, this means that we will pass the problem on to the next generations, further exacerbating it, the specialist concluded.
The state "asks you to give birth." But do they want to?
The state needs population growth. For the economy, this is the market, the most important resource. Its decrease, as a result, hits the well-being of the country.
How to reverse the situation? In Russia, from the birth of a child, especially when it comes to the second or third, people are often held back by economic considerations, Sergei Kiselev recalled.
“The level of income does not meet the needs of people. People plan a family with this in mind, ”he stated.
In Russia, the birth rate is stimulated by various benefits, including for the third and subsequent children. But the tactic of lump-sum benefits raises questions. By itself, in some cases, it can push rather marginal segments of the population to the birth of another child.
Of course, there are "conscious" families with many children, where there are many children, not because of benefits, but because the parents want it and are ready for it. But if they give birth precisely and only because the state will pay, there is anxiety about how a child will grow up in such a family.
“Such an allowance will not be superfluous.
Support is good anyway. But in itself, this is similar to the purchase of new citizens (children) by the state. This is simply not enough to solve the problem. And it needs to be solved comprehensively, ”said Sergey Kiselyov.
Marginal families often give birth in pursuit of benefits. In this case, the well-being of the children is in question.
Any person needs confidence in the future. For example, the confidence of parents that all the necessary conditions will be created for their children at school or in a children's clinic. That the state will really do everything possible for children.
However, a "well-fed economy" does not guarantee an increase in the birth rate. Competent propaganda of the family with children is also important. This, by the way, has long been done in the United States, where Hollywood films have long been “impregnated” with “family values”.
