This Is Your Brain on Birth Control: How the Pill Changes Everything Paperback – July 11, 2023

Insightful, well researched, and crucial reading. Need more like this, and fast. Not only did it bring to light a lot concerning possible effects of the pill, but it also (embarrassed to say) educated this man on female biology quite a bit. Must read!

As someone who was on oral birth control for 10+ years I decided to get off a month ago. This book was extremely eye opening and I’m shocked I never knew how birth control worked to prevent pregnancy and the effects it can have on multiple systems in your body. Highly recommend this for all women and those who are considering going off birth control or feel they have side effects from the pill. Your doctor will not have the time or care to understand or explain the consequences of the pill. Be your own advocate!

Love this book so much. It’s much more than a book about birth control. Dr Hill breaks down our hormones and how they change who we are and how we interact with the world, but also how others interact with us. She references many case studies and explains them in a simple, to-the-point way. And they’re all fascinating. A must-read for everyone!

Pretty insightful as a man. Understanding the opposite sex is in my opinion one of the most important things you should focus on. I do however have some complaints.For one, not enough data is used when explaining tests or results from tests. "Probably could happen to you" is not good enough. "A number of people were tested" How many? A pool of 100 people is not enough. Where did you find them? What was the percentage? This could mislead readers. Also, at one point the author states:"It is not (I repeat, not) the responsibility of women to inspire the achievements of men. This is so, so not our job. We have enough on our plates (especially being as busy as we are outachieving men). At the end of the day, individual men are responsible for their individual choices.."I could not disagree with this more, especially after the author spent several paragraphs talking about how women directly affect the choices men make in their lives to attract the attention of women. If women lower their standards then men will follow suit because they no longer have to try to get what they want. It should be the goal of women to inspire men to become more than they ever thought possible so that they can be the kind of man women want to love. You cannot say "Women control how men act" and then say "We are not responsible for how they act".Also, I feel since the author is an evolutionary-based scientist, they see everyone from a very dehumanized perspective that attempts to simplify humanity based on hormones. Which I can understand is hard not to do. I think people have much more that goes into play with their decisions than just hormones. Humans, despite any other creature on this planet, have a sentient consciousness and knowledge of good and evil and can override their hormones and other bodily functions to do amazing things that can defy any evolutionary reason.

As a physician, bioethicist, and father, I have to tell you: READ THIS BOOK. I was well into my medical career before I was introduced to the vast majority of what Dr. Hill details. The data are now overwhelming that hormonal therapy has effects throughout the body - not just in the reproductive system. As Dr. Hill says, the hormones in the pill affect EVERY organ system - billions of cells - and especially the brain. Unfortunately, the number of healthcare providers who know this is appallingly small. I've been waiting for this book to be written for more than half a decade! The book is a repository of evidence that allows professionals to source-check, but it's also explained for a lay audience to completely follow along. The mixture of commentary and anecdote make it a page-turner.It's a fantastically enjoyable read, but more importantly, it's a NECESSARY read. Dr. Hill's approach is evenhanded - she presents the data and background as she finds it, gives caveats on the ability to make causal versus correlational conclusions, and repeatedly remarks that the point of her investigation is informative. Throughout, she gives her own story of using hormonal therapy and the decisions made along way. And at the end of all of that, she writes a letter to her daughter with recommendations she'd give to a young woman considering starting hormonal therapy.The science is solid, the personal and societal implications are important, and the story is really well told.Read the book!

Super excited to read this book! I've really been interested in the birth control world; the good, the bad, and the ugly!

Way eye opening and interesting!

In more ways than you would assume, this book taught me things about myself I didn’t know and probably never would’ve known. It helped me understand things my body did that just aren’t taught. Very helpful to have something to break down all birth control options for you without the awkwardness of having your doctor judge you for wanting ALL of the information (if you know, you know). Whether you’re on the pill, thinking about going on the pill, or even wanting to go off of it this is a necessary read for you. I say all of this as someone that has been on the pill for over 10 years.