[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.

[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.