Study Links Teen Depression with Sexual Experimentation, Drug Use

Agape Press ^ | 12/5/05 | Jim Brown

[wagglebee]

(AgapePress) - A prominent mental health counselor says depression may be the new sexually transmitted disease. He points to a new study that finds sexual experimentation and drug use often precede adolescent depression.

Many mental health counselors assume students will medicate their depression with sex and drug use. However, a recently published study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine finds that depression is actually a risk factor for sexual experimentation on the part of girls, and heavy drug use on the part of boys. The study, led by Dr. Denise Hallfors, followed more than 13,000 middle and high school students for two years in a row.

Dr. Warren Throckmorton, a psychology professor at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, says discussions of risks associated with teen sexuality need to include more than just STDs and pregnancy.

"Students who are depressed may owe their depression to their risky behavior," he observes, "which again is just one more reason why students should be warned about their behavior, that it does have consequences."

Throckmorton also contends that the findings expose some of the adverse effects of condom-based sex education in public schools, and should prompt parents and educators to discourage teen sexual relationships.

"Teenagers simply don't have the financial [or] the emotional resources to handle those kinds of relationships," the educator says. "And yet there are many people who are in the Planned Parenthood camp ... and [agree with] Advocates for Youth and groups like that who essentially say that sex if fine as long as it's physically safe. Well, this study should wake everybody up that it isn't safe."

While he acknowledges that more research is needed to isolate the causes and cures for the link between experimentation and depression, Throckmorton says "there is no reason for policy makers to wait to encourage abstinence." He says every health-care professional, school counselor, teacher, and parent should be doing that.

"Whatever we think about the morality of sexual behavior, can't we agree that teens should be given a clear and consistent message that it is best to wait to engage in sex until they are ready to accept the financial, relationship, and emotional consequences of making that choice?" he wonders. For nearly all teens, he adds, that would be adulthood.

[wagglebee]

"Whatever we think about the morality of sexual behavior, can't we agree that teens should be given a clear and consistent message that it is best to wait to engage in sex until they are ready to accept the financial, relationship, and emotional consequences of making that choice?" he wonders. For nearly all teens, he adds, that would be adulthood.

Yet the message they get in school and from the media is that it's no big deal as long as they use a condom.

[wagglebee]

Moral absolutes ping.

[jer33 3]

How many teens are taught that sex is not just a physical union but a spiritual one... and what are the conseqences of that union?

[whispering out loud]

depression, lemmesee could be caused by, uhhh, Iduno guilt maybe, or perhaps the fear of getting sick as a direct result, or just maybe it could be because it wasn't everything they hoped, or thought it would be. I've been a youth minister for ten years, and realized they get depressed easily, but usually the reason has more to do with emotions, than physical problems. But I do however agree though sex has one place, inside the bonds of holy matrimony.

[Casaubon]

any gardener here knows that plucking a flower before it blooms always damages the plant.

the MTV kids distroying their youth. Not truely understanding what they have had pushed on them until they see only in hindsight.

sad.

[bella1]

From my perspective in the medical field, the birth control pill and antidepressants go hand-in-hand.

[Bosco]

We don't break God's laws, we break ourselves on them.

[gondramB]

"However, a recently published study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine finds that depression is actually a risk factor for sexual experimentation on the part of girls, and heavy drug use on the part of boys."

What an interesting way to look at it - instead of saying sexual activity and experimentation are risk factors for depression.

[Right Wing Assault]

I'm impressed! Someone actually realizes that cause and effect can go both ways.

[wagglebee]

I can't tell you how many women I have talked to who say that birth control pills totally screwed up their emotional lives and led to other health problems. Being a teenager is tough enough as it is without filling your body with unnecessary hormones and mood altering drugs, but that is what society is pushing.

[whispering out loud]

I agree, but it's prevalent in more than just MTV, our youth are targeted by nearly every morally reprehensible group of action in our nation. We as adults need to make a stand, and be there to reach out in love, and the appropriate affections to our young people if we hope to have any counter effect.

[sarasmom]

Your tagline is disturbing, considering you are a "youth minister", and one assumes a Christian, since you mention the Bible.
What denomination?

[whispering out loud]

I lay claim only to being a Christian, denominationally however, I have served in Methodist, Church of Christ, Apostolic, and I currently serve in a baptist church. As far as my tag line, I believe that the bible is 100% true, but the statement means that the Bible makes the claim to be "The Truth", so if there is even 1 lie in it, then the Bible itself would be a lie. But I challenge anyone to find even 1 lie.

[the808bass]

Your tagline is disturbing, considering you are a "youth minister

Why is it disturbing? Do you think the Bible is only partially true?

[beaversmom]

This article is poppycock. If it feels good, do it. (sarcasm--for the sarcastically dense)

[Bones75]

Okay, so... depressed, troubled teens are more likely to get into things they shouldn't.

What a forehead slapper that is.

[sarasmom]

Which edition are you working from?

[sarasmom]

Which edition are you basing your faith upon?

[Strategerist]

I was seriously depressed as a teenager, and it was due to a lack of sexual experimentation.

[whispering out loud]

edition? If you are referring to the Scriptures, I always refer back to the Greek, Hebrew, and Chaldea

[The_Reader_David]

Although the epidemiology in the study---a correlation between teen depression and previous sexual activity---and the sort of post hoc ergo propter hoc reasoning which makes it easy to confuse correlation with causation suggests that sexual activity leads to depression, I would suggest the contrarian view that depressed teens are likely to try to assuage their depression with sexual pleasure, and are only diagnosed as depressed when the attempt fails.

The Fathers of the Church gave a good analysis of the relation between our fallen passions and sinful behavior. Pleasure-seeking is almost always a flight from the pain of our fallen condition, and always, just as the serpent's promise in the Garden, fails to deliver, producing more pain, and more pleasure-seeking.

[wagglebee]

The Fathers of the Church gave a good analysis of the relation between our fallen passions and sinful behavior. Pleasure-seeking is almost always a flight from the pain of our fallen condition, and always, just as the serpent's promise in the Garden, fails to deliver, producing more pain, and more pleasure-seeking.

Try getting the leftist to allow you to say that in a public place, especially a school, where God forbid some kid might find out that the answer to all of his problems is something other than Ritilan, Prozac and condoms.

[The_Reader_David]

Oh, and I'm an Orthodox--we follow St. John Cassian's listing of Eight Grevious Vices. Seven are familiar in the West, where they are called the "Seven Deadly Sins", the eighth is self-esteem. (Anyone who doubts it's a vice should try dealing with a classroom full of ed majors--they take offense at being made to work hard.)

[nicmarlo]

A prominent mental health counselor says depression may be the new sexually transmitted disease. He points to a new study that finds sexual experimentation and drug use often precede adolescent depression.

I would add in with this abortions, about which the 9th Circus said parents have no right to know about...even though parents ARE REQUIRED to care for their children, otherwise they risk removal of said children by DSS for neglect/abuse, etc. But, how can parents know how to treat their children for unknown ailments when they are not allowed to be told by school and/or other authorities who have taken it upon themselves to give minor children, not their own, birth control pills, prescriptions for STD's, and/or whisk them off for abortions, etc.?

[wagglebee]

I had always assumed that self-esteem (which I have found from bitter experience is often the catalyst for the other vices/sins and is also the most difficult to let go of) was a form of hubris (pride).

[coloradan]

I'm sure this article would NEVER stoop to mistaking correlation for causation, but I can't find where it asserts this... Could someone help me out?

[supercat]

Although the epidemiology in the study---a correlation between teen depression and previous sexual activity---and the sort of post hoc ergo propter hoc reasoning which makes it easy to confuse correlation with causation suggests that sexual activity leads to depression, I would suggest the contrarian view that depressed teens are likely to try to assuage their depression with sexual pleasure, and are only diagnosed as depressed when the attempt fails.

I would suggest that there are causitive arrows in both directions. People who are depressed may seek consolation in the form of sexual relations, but the failure of that to solve their problem will make their depression worse.

Even if the depression contributed to the sexual behavior, that doesn't mean that the sexual behavior doesn't itself cause more severe depression.

[Mad_as_heck]

You mean a life of depravity does not lead to long term happiness and fulfillment? Who knew!

[nmh]

Bump for later read.

Glancing over it, it makes sense.

Of course what is taught in school is precisely the problem. Have sex, ah "safe" sex and you'll be fine.

[Old Student]

"Anyone who doubts it's a vice should try dealing with a classroom full of ed majors--they take offense at being made to work hard.)"

Where do you teach? As an ed major, I haven't noticed any teachers trying to make us work hard... I will admit to having found a few who try to make us think hard, though, here at the University of Oklahoma. For anyone who is an ed major, that may be even more difficult, I will also admit.

[philman_36]

Teenagers simply don't have the financial [or] the emotional resources...
Well DUH! Not enough experience yet to light the path of life. They're called "young adults" for a reason.

[philman_36]

How did rock and roll escape this sex and drugs study?

[Guenevere]

He points to a new study that sexual experimentation and drug use often precede adolescent depression....

...No kidding :^

And we needed a new study because we didn't know this??????..sheesh!

[No Truce With Kings]

"He points to a new study that finds sexual experimentation and drug use often precede adolescent depression."

'Ja think?

What a blinding flash of the obvious.

[Old Student]

"And we needed a new study because we didn't know this??????..sheesh!"

I think I noticed something like three chapters citing many studies about this sort of thing in my current textbook. New, it ain't. Maybe the way this one draws it's conclusion is new. Depression causes kids to have sex? OK...

The textbook is Steinberg's "Adolescence" 7th Edition, btw.

[Guenevere]

Does it not boggle the mind that good money is spent to research something already well known!....

[chas1776]

If you bother to read "Catcher In The Rye" it portrays what teenagers go through. What we need is to control the hormone activity through chemistry.

[sweetliberty]

This "don't tell the parents their children are murdering their grandchildren" travesty is reason enough, apart from a gazillion others, not to allow our children near a public school. If there is one thing that children will never find in public school, it is real answers to real problems. Trying to train and educate a child in public school is like trying to operate a complicated piece of machinery or electronic equipment with no prior knowledge of mechanics or electronics and not being allowed access to the instruction manual.

[sweetliberty]

"And we needed a new study because we didn't know this??????"

Yep! And another new study shows men and women are different. Bet you didn't know that! < /sarcasm >

[Old Student]

In my research class they noted that many of the studies have very few people in them, and often from a very limited population. For example, studying college students at a rural cow college may not generalize to even college students at an Ivy League university, and almost certainly not to the entire population of the US. So it kind of depends on how may people the study included, and how much effort they made to make the study population representative of the whole group they're studying. This makes sense to me.

One thing I noted in my own look at research (and that was NOT very thorough or in-depth) is that many studies don't look at exactly the same things that other similar studies looked at, so it is often tough to compare them. Also, researchers often find that previous studies identified something that they hadn't thought of when they designed the study, so more studies need to be done to take those things into account.

A good example in my textbook was Harter's 1999 study of adolescents by asking them to describe their personalities by listing traits they thought described themselves when with different people. This study listed six situations, "in the classroom", "with a group of friends", "with a romantic interest", "with my best friend", "with my mother", "with my father." Her previous study did not separate the parents, or groups of, or individual, friends, giving only four situations, "with parents" and "with friends," being the ones they split out, so they modified it, and did it again, to develop better information that was cited in the textbook. (this isn't in the textbook, but our instructor had us read an article by Harter describing the two studies, and others related to her work.)

Ok, so to get to the point, ahhh, yes and no. I'd want to read the study myself, rather than someone else's short and non-technical description of it. I don't have the math background to properly assess their statistical analysis, myself, but I know some people who do, if I really need it. Maybe it was necessary, and maybe not, and I'd have to look at it to even begin to determine if it was either necessary or useful. Sometimes they are, sometimes not. Jeeze, I hope that helps...

[capt. norm]

He points to a new study that finds sexual experimentation and drug use often precede adolescent depression.

Maybe the drug thing could lead to depression, but sexual experimentation....I don't think so. At least not if they're doing it right.

[Old Student]

"If you bother to read "Catcher In The Rye" it portrays what teenagers go through. What we need is to control the hormone activity through chemistry."

In a word, NO! You trying to arrest development at the child level? We already delay maturity too much, imho. What we really need to do is understand that kids don't all develop at the same rate, and not try to force them into lock-step. Most kids don't go through the hormone-storm that a lot of people expect. Some do, of course, and they need to ride it out.

Maybe my reaction is a bit strong there, but I was what you could properly call a late bloomer. I believe I was in my mid-thirties before I really grew up. I'm 50 now, and doing things I probably should have done 30 years ago, but I've had a satisfactory career in the military, and accomplished some things I'm proud of, too. I think too many people expect kids to be little adults, and it doesn't work that way. They need to grow and develop at their own necessary rate. There will be casualties, unfortunately, but that is life.

[nicmarlo]

This "don't tell the parents their children are murdering their grandchildren" travesty is reason enough, apart from a gazillion others, not to allow our children near a public school. If there is one thing that children will never find in public school, it is real answers to real problems....

I agree, libby....it's really gotten very bad. I also read that a student has recently sued a school, successfully, for school authorities "telling" her parents that she is gay. The reason for the parent being told was because the girl violated school rules for displaying public affection while on campus (with another girl)....the Court ruled that the school violated the girl's privacy rights....even though the girl was publicly displaying physical affection and, of course, the parents needed to be told why their child was receiving disciplinary action....this "violation of privacy" would not have come up had the girl conducted herself in the same manner with a boy. So, even when a school acts properly, informing parents, the liberal courts continue the assault against families.

[Guenevere]

Where does common sense factor in?

Adolescent sexual experimentation and drugs .....

... doesn't take a rocket scientist....

...or multiple 'studies'....

.. to know it can cause depression!

[whispering out loud]

the last thing we need is more drugs in this already chemical dependent society

[whispering out loud]

please refer to post #4 I've personally counseled several teens who suffered from, "guilt, fear, and or disappointment"

Sex only has place inside marriage

[sweetliberty]

I'll tell you, Nic, one of the hardest parts of my job is seeing so clearly the fruit of being out of God's order and not being able to address the problems in a manner that might actually be effective. I'm always looking for creative ways to communicate the message that really needs to be communicated, partuicularly to the young people. It is a little easier if the family (rare) or the kids (somewhat more common) are involved in church, because then it is considered working within the support systems already in place.

There is so much we grew up taking for granted, not the least of which was knowledge of God and the scriptures. It never ceases to amaze me the profound ignorance that prevails in today's cultural climate, and it is just so wrong that those most in position to do so are not allowed to point the way to the One who can change lives and heal the soul's pain. Satan is delirious over his accomplishments. Even God's own people have become compliant with the PC status quo, and if you don't believe it, just read some of the threads on "conroversial" issues and see how many "Christian" FReepers actually sound more like DUhmmies than they do God's children.

[Baynative]

A long time ago I recognized the denial of morality as a leftist agenda. I see it as part of their take over plan. It leads to uneducated, disillusioned people who are destined for government dependency.

Like it or not, one of the mainstays of female pride and self identity is virginity. A goal of the left is to take that away early. Then they can sell that, "We're working for you, we'll protect you" lie.

Vote (D)."We'll get your abortion, we'll get your food stamps, we'll give you a ghetto apartment, we'll help you learn to enjoy a lesbian lifestyle once you learn that men are using you."

[nicmarlo]

Satan is delirious over his accomplishments. Even God's own people have become compliant with the PC status quo, and if you don't believe it, just read some of the threads on "conroversial" issues and see how many "Christian" FReepers actually sound more like DUhmmies than they do God's children.

Absolutely....he is gleeful! As far as many of those who claim to be Christians on FR, many of their views are certainly not Christian, much less Biblical....and their apathy, indifference, and/or ignorance to the significance of events is actually, quite shocking and disappointing, to say the least.

[The_Reader_David]

I teach at K-State, and intermittently draw the "Math for Elementary Teachers" course. You should have heard the bitter complaints when I gave a 10-15 page term paper with strict rubrics on citations and sources. (It used to be that the term paper comforted the math phobics, but no more.)