Birth Control and Long Distance Counseling

I’m an undergrad at a state university in Ohio.  Last night I got a phone call from a close friend from high school going to school several states away.  She was in tears and expressed the fear the birth control pills were making her depressed.

We throw around the word “depression” a lot, but in this case what she told me about were several symptoms of what sounds like real depression, and they are very clearly connected to when she began taking oral contraceptive.  I’m using this forum to ask for advice on how to approach this situation for a number of reasons.  I’m not a counselor, and I’m also a long distance away, but I’m worried about my friend and want to make sure she’s ok.

The reason my friend thinks that her symptoms come from the pill are that they started when she started taking the pill and they tend to be a monthly cycle.  Mostly, we’re talking about a strong feeling of disconnectedness and occasional urges to harm herself.  This morning I found this article, which reinforces the point: http://www.aphroditewomenshealth.com/news/hormones_depression.shtml I told her to get rid of her pills.  She said if she went to the doctor asking for new pills they would just prescribe the next generic on a list without really asking what kinds of problems she was having.  She said she was afraid her boyfriend wouldn’t use a condom.

Both of these things worry me.  I would like to insist she break up with her bf if he cares more about slightly less enjoyable sex than her mental health, but there’s more at play here than that.  And I find it really said that someone so close to me is afraid to insist on something like that.  Of course, depression makes all the things that cause that worse.

And I don’t know what to tell her about the doctor.  Maybe she should ask about alternatives to hormonal contraceptives? Do you guys have any recommendations for dealing with doctors who just want to give you the next pill? I was thinking about telling her to specifically ask about nonhormonal contraceptives.  Have any of you experienced mental health problems because of the pill or known someone who has? Do you have general advice for me?