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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wilfrid Laurier chapter.

When people think of birth control, the first thing that comes to mind is that it’s just a contraceptive. But in reality, that’s not the only reason people go on birth control.

I mean, think about it – who wants to take a pill every single day? Not me! You might be wondering why people don’t use other contraceptives if they dislike birth control. The reason is that birth control is more than just a contraceptive!. Even if it’s a pain to have to take a pill every day, it can actually help during that time of the month in so many ways.

I know every girl complains about how bad periods can be, and you’re not alone! My period often left me in a lot of pain during that time of the month. I’m talking awful cramps and throwing up all day and all night. There were times I literally missed a whole week of school because every time I ate it just came right back up. To make matters worse, my period was irregular. This meant additional anxiety because I never knew when my period would hit. 

My period basically controlled my life. I never made plans during that time of the month, worried that I would get my period, be sick and embarrassed and I would have to leave. If it had been a while since my last period, then I would eat less to try and avoid throwing up. Spoiler alert – it never helped.

I’m sure I am not the only person to experience this. Periods are the worst, and no one wants to be in pain. However, besides Advil, there’s not much else you can do besides deal with the pain once a month. That is what actually makes birth control so handy. It is a way to have more control over your period, get regulated and maybe even lessen the pain. Yeah, not getting pregnant is definitely a bonus, but that doesn’t mean it’s the sole reason someone is taking birth control.

The worst thing is that, in my experience, everyone assumes that I’m on birth control because I have an active sex life. This is my PSA that birth control is more than a contraceptive! It can be helpful to stop cramps or even just regulate a period. If you find out that someone is on birth control, instead of assuming they are just using it to avoid being pregnant, think of the other reasons someone could be on birth control. Chances are they might just be using it to control their period!

 

Megan Cruz

Wilfrid Laurier '21

Megan Cruz is a 4th-year film studies student at WLU. She already has a diploma from Vancouver film school for writing for Games, Television, and film. When she isn't writing she can be found in a pillow fort watching cartoons  
Chelsea Bradley

Wilfrid Laurier '21

Chelsea finished her undergrad with a double major in Biology and Psychology and a minor in Criminology. She loves dogs way too much and has an unhealthy obsession with notebooks and sushi. You can find her quoting memes and listening to throwbacks in her spare - okay basically all - her time. She joined Her Campus in the Fall of 2019 as an editor, acted as one of two senior editors for the Winter 2020 semester and worked alongside Rebecca as one of the Campus Correspondents for the 2020-2021 year!