Comments on: Depression: The New Sexually Transmitted Disease? https://wthrockmorton.com/2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/ A [retired] college psychology professor's observations about public policy, mental health, sexual identity, and religious issues Wed, 18 Jan 2006 00:59:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 By: Throckmorton https://wthrockmorton.com/2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/#comment-890 Wed, 18 Jan 2006 00:59:00 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/#comment-890 Anon: Thanks for sharing this story – I am glad you have discovered you are worth it.

]]> By: Anonymous https://wthrockmorton.com/2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/#comment-889 Tue, 17 Jan 2006 23:36:00 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/#comment-889 I’m not going to argue with all the scientific debate going on below, but I can give testimony from my own personal experience. I am a 21 year old female, and I became sexually active as a teenager. 2 years later, I have been diagnosed with clinical depression. I know that the depression is related to my sexual experience; I have been fully realizing the self-harming implications of that choice ever since it was made. I can absolutely see how females would be more prone to depression after a sexual experience outside of marriage than males. From talking to various females and males, I have gathered that women are just wired differently. Everything about women is deeply tied to their emotions. While males obviously experience deep emotions as well, they don’t seem to have the same, all encompasing, life controlling element that they can have in females. So after a sexual experience, in which some of the most deep emotions and spiritual aspects known to humans are shared with another person, something changes within the individuals involved. Sexual relations outside of marriage inevitably will be discontinued. There is no committment involved. Giving away the sexual aspect of oneself causes an emotional tie that is excruciatingly painful to break. In my case, the tie had to be broken due to life circumstances, but against my wishes, even though I knew then and know now that those wishes were wrong. Personally, I am a Christian, and I believe it is amoral to have sex outside of marriage, but I can say that it is obvious for other reasons why sex outside of marriage should be considered detrimental. Aside from unwanted pregnancy and STD’s, there are lasting emotional consequences that can require a lifetime of healing. I did not become pregnant, nor did I contract any STD’s, for which I am ever thankful. However, I still have deep emotional wounds, and depression that I struggle with every day. Not to mention several broken relationships and a bad reputationn as a consequence of my actions.
Maybe sex education at an early age is correlated with early sexual behavior. But kids are going to find out about it one way or another, regardless of what they hear from a teacher. The factor that is going to influence what they DO with the information is the key. Do they have strong enough moral convictions to keep themselves from sex before marriage? If not, they risk several harmful consequences. I wish I had thought more thoroughly through the consequences before I acted. Thankfully, I know healing is possible, and I know I have been forgiven by God. For any girls out there who have been through something similar, I hope they hear this – that Jesus can make you pure again. His love covers our deepest, ugliest sins. Thank God for that. And for anyone who has not sinned sexually, please, please, I beg of you – don’t do the harm to yourself and others – you don’t realize the long-lasting implications of your actions! Please take the advice of someone who has been there, and save yourself for that one person you will someday marry. You are worth it.

]]> By: Throckmorton https://wthrockmorton.com/2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/#comment-888 Mon, 12 Dec 2005 18:39:00 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/#comment-888 Gender Differences in Adolescent Attitudes and Receptivity to Sexual Abstinence Education.
Smith, Thomas Edward, Steen, Julie Schwendinger, Andrea Spaulding-Givens, Jennifer Brooks, Robert G.
Children & Schools; Jan2005, Vol. 27 Issue 1, p45-50. For a study of attitude change.

Can Abstinence Work? An Analysis of the Best Friends Program
Robert Lerner, PhD, Adolescent & Family Health, 2004, 3(4); p. 185-192. Innercity program that has lessened sex, drug use, etc.

The hallmark of successful efforts is repetition and mentoring.

Other programs (contraceptive based or asbstinence based) have not been as successful. For the most part, the differences between the two are not dramatic. We have a small percentage of kids that neither programs do anything to help use condoms or delay sexual activity. Sexual education must respond to the characteristics of the demographic in question. I doubt what helps or will work in Kansas will work in Seattle.

]]> By: grantdale https://wthrockmorton.com/2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/#comment-887 Sat, 10 Dec 2005 23:16:00 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/#comment-887 Sorry, had to answer a phone call.

The percentage of female American teens who have had sex by grade 9 is 28% (table 42). That doesn’t sound like a rare 14 year old. Same age males are at 37%.

But perhaps Pennsylvania is different and there is only the one girl that age who has had sex. You may be correct. I’m not sure how to explain the 720 pregancies and 295 births in 2000 though. (table 5)

Immaculate conception?
I understand it’s happened before.

]]> By: grantdale https://wthrockmorton.com/2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/#comment-886 Sat, 10 Dec 2005 22:48:00 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2005/12/09/depression-the-new-sexually-transmitted-disease/#comment-886 No Warren.

I know you’ve stated that simplistic correlation before, but I have actually run the numbers. It’s the online survey by Durex, and I’ve been following it for several years.

Did you also bother to run the GDP of each country against age of first sexual activity? No? Any other factors (such as when the school year commences)? No? Why is it that teens in wealthy countries commence sexual activity at an earlier age?

Rather than sex ed. causes sexual activity — another (more realistic) view is that sex ed. begins in anticipation of the age of first sexual activity. We could, of course, end all teen sexual activity very easily; but most places do not wish to reintroduce chastity belts or locking up daughters in the house.

Regardless, you are still faced with one simple, unassailable fact — the United States has very high rates of teen pregnancy, abortion, STDs and number of partners when compared against every other developed nation.

And the United States is the only nation where abstinence-based “sex ed” is even debated to be either sensible or realistic (let alone funded).

Germany and Austria have (in that survey) lowest ages of first sexual education and they also reported lower ages of first sexual activity. Now — tell me how their pregnancy, abortion and STD rates compare. And how many partners have these teens had vs. U.S. teens? How about the Netherlands?

Very clearly, if we are concerned about pregnancy, abortion and STDs… it is not the average age of first sexual activity that matters.

As for the “I would need to prove” nonsense… go get the relevent data from each U.S. State, and graph that against the various indicators of abstinence-based education (funding, reach, lessons plans etc). I have already done that — myself. The data is very clear, and no wishful thinking on your part will alter those numbers.

(And quite clearly sexual activity cannot be compared to smoking. ANY cigarette is harmful. That is not the case with sexual activity, and it is why comprehesive sex ed. works).

And as for that peer-reviewed study on abstinence-based sex. ed. that I asked for? You know, the one that shows it works…

Oh, that’s right. There isn’t one.

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