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