Hi,

Apologies if something like this has already been done but I've searched and can't really find anything relating to this.
So I've been on the pill for years, few different kinds, I've found the one that works for me, but I have depression, as well as anxiety etc, a'll that palaver! I've had that for decades as well. But since a few bad life hurdles past few years I really feel my depression has morphed into something that's really starting to get out of hand and affect my life so much more now.
I've got a passion for psychology, I've also studied it, and having had this for so long and being an avid reader as well as someone who does a lot of self reflection, I'm pretty well versed in how to tackle depression as well as having my own tactics.
So anyway, I've been coming across so much information lately suggesting the pill can make all these symptoms worse, I guess it makes sense, they're hormones.  Trouble is it's all empirical evidence so the only way to know is to be a guinea pig for myself, that scares me as I know my mood and perspective will change, maybe for the better (that's the desired outcome obviously) and if it's for the worse then I'm sure I'll get through it and go back on it.
BUT my sex work related fear here is I'm TERRIFIED of getting pregnant. I've never been pregnant before, I'm 30, single and would like children so if it did happen I run the risk of being unable to emotionally handle an abortion, or the trauma of biting the bullet and getting one as that would be the right thing to do for me.

Are there any non-chemical ways of avoiding pregnancy? Or does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do?

Apologies for such a long post!

The diaphragm, the coil and the sponge.

The Coil is pot luck really. I love mine (apart from painful insertion) but I know plenty of women who have had problems with it too. There is a whole thread someone about it and plenty of horror stories.

I have a friend who swore by the cap. It isn't quite as reliable as other methods- 92-96% effective but if you are using it in conjunction with condoms then I'm sure any pregnancy risk would be teeny.

How about visiting your GP- make sure you get whoever is the contraception expert in the practice though, there should be one- uusally the one who is qualified to insert coils. You don't need to mention sex work but you can talk about your reasons for wanting to avoid anything that messes with hormones and might cause further depression/anxiety.

AFAIK spermicide is no good used alone - it should be in conjunction with a cap or diaphragm.

For info, my first IUD fitting I dosed myself with paracetamol and codeine and I also had an old diazepam. I've got a deep vagina that collapses in on itself apparently, and have never had children (which makes it easier because you don't have a 'virgin' cervix). Also, the Marie Stopes clinic I went to - despite being private - didn't have a great couch set up: I'd recommend your local GUM clinic. Anyway, the first time they have to go through your cervix twice, once to gauge the depth, then to fit the IUD. It's just a really weird sort of pain as it's internal, but with analgesia it was no more than 8/10 and it's literally seconds.

I took max dose painkillers for 72 hours afterwards and it was like moderate period cramping, no worse. My periods were always light and they just went up to more like medium for 4-5 months.

Unfortunately for me, my original dislodged almost immediately, so on the follow-up appointment I had to have another one inserted - with no analgesia! But it was only one pass through the cervix this time, and although the pain was pretty hideous, it was only for a few seconds, and I've no issues in the almost six years since.

In a nutshell, I would at least try it if you want to be 99 percent pregnancy proof.

Maybe get a pack of morning after pills that you can take straight away if you realise a condom has split too

Maybe get a pack of morning after pills that you can take straight away if you realise a condom has split too

 That's a good idea thanks for that 

Depending how much you want to spend... there are very effective natural methods to avoid getting pregnant, I can?t think of the exact name but a quick google would give you the info. You get an app on your phone and a very precise thermometer that you use every morning to take your temp, you then then record this data and it will tell you if it?s actually possible for you to get pregnant that day.
So if you used that method you would know what day/s you were at risk so you?d just avoid bookings or be super careful.
I mean the chances of you actually ovulating, a condom splitting and receiving ?baby making soerm? are very very low. I think it?s very very unlikely.
And after all that, even if it did happen you can get the morning after pill just to be sure?

It?s not as easy to get pregnant as we may Think. Oh and also, The pill can really effect the chances of getting pregnant for some time after stopping it

To put this into perspective, I?ve not been on any contraception for over a year. My partner and I don?t use condoms and he pulls out and we are abit more careful around the days I?m at risk of getting pregnant.
So far, it?s worked perfectly and no horrible pills or hormone imbalances