Sweetening the pill
Subtitle: or how we got hooked on hormonal birth control
By: Holly Grigg-Spall
Publisher: Zero Books, an imprint of John Hunt Publishing Ltd
Published: 2013
Place of publication: Winchester, UK; Washington, USA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 197
ISBN-13: 9781780996073
Subjects: Contraceptives; Oral contraceptives; Side effects
Description: "Millions of healthy women take a powerful medication every day from their mid-teens to menopause - the Pill - but few know how this drug works or the potential side effects. Contrary to cultural myth, the birth-control pill impacts on every organ and function of the body, and yet most women do not even think of it as a drug. Depression, anxiety, paranoia, rage, panic attacks - just a few of the effects of the Pill on half of the over 80% of women who pop these tablets during their lifetimes. When the Pill was released, it was thought that women would not submit to taking a medication each day when they were not sick. Now the Pill is making women sick. However, there are a growing number of women looking for non-hormonal alternatives for preventing pregnancy. In a bid to spark the backlash against hormonal contraceptives, this book asks: Why can't we criticize the Pill? "--Publisher's description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: it's not me; title: Section one: In the habit; title: Who am I when I'm not on the pill?; title: The pill-takers; title: Old myths as new fictions; title: Do you want to take the pill?; title: Section two: The drug. What you don't know ...; title: ... Won't hurt you; title: Keeping the secret; title: Section three: The hook; title: Safe, effective, easy; title: The greater good; title: Sealing the deal; title: Section four: The Addict; title: Muted; title: Corsetry; title: Beyond female; title: Section five: The drug pushers; title: The push and the pull; title: Being patient; title: Section six: The addiction; title: The fix; title: The fall-out; title: Section seven: The recovery; title: Withdrawal; title: The change; title: Pill refugees; title: Section eight: The rebellion.