Kara_S

Hello, would you please give an overview of advantages / disadvantages to continue birth control into your 40's?

Basically a time when controlling fertility is not such an issue but menopause hasn't arrived yet?

Many thanks.

There's a research study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that concludes refined sugar acts on our brains in the same ways as cocaine.

Does this match up with your experience in addiction medicine? Do you think food abuse is a form of substance abuse? Thank you!

Ah, thanks for this. I was wondering more about the pros and cons of continuing with birth control pills to even out hormone levels that are fluctuating / dropping. If pregnancy prevention is not a concern, is it still worth it to your body to continue with the pills?

Ah, thanks for this. I was wondering more about the pros and cons of continuing with birth control pills to even out hormone levels that are fluctuating / dropping. If pregnancy prevention is not a concern, is it still worth it to your body to continue with the pills?

Thanks for your response, Doctor. It's interesting to read your comment that there is both a chemical (sugar) and behavioural (food more generally) addiction process involved.

Reading the AMA discussion generally, I suspect that chemical / behavioural combination is true in addiction to any substance of abuse. It is helpful to have you put it that way. It strongly suggests abstinence + consistent behavioural changes are needed to get free from any pattern of addiction.