Study links depression, suicide rates to teen sex

[boblandis]

Study links depression, suicide rates to teen sex

By Karen S. Peterson, USA TODAY

A controversial new study links teen sexual intercourse with depression and suicide attempts.

The findings are particularly true for young girls, says the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that sponsored the research. About 25% of sexually active girls say they are depressed all, most, or a lot of the time; 8% of girls who are not sexually active feel the same.

The study comes in the midst of a flurry of new reports on the sexual activity of teenagers. Such research is fodder for the growing debate on sex education in schools. The Bush administration backs abstinence programs.

The Heritage study taps the government-funded National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health. The Heritage researchers selected federal data on 2,800 students ages 14-17. The youngsters rated their own "general state of continuing unhappiness" and were not diagnosed as clinically depressed.

The Heritage researchers do not find a causal link between "unhappy kids" and sexual activity, says Robert Rector, a senior researcher with Heritage. "This is really impossible to prove." But he says that study findings send a clear message about unhappy teens that differs from one portrayed in the popular culture, that "all forms of non-marital sexual activity are wonderful and glorious, particularly the younger (teen) the better," he says.

The Heritage study finds:

[nebula]

Yeah, the question is: were these girls depressed before or after the sexual activity?

[Guest daughterofaking]

That's true as it could have been depression that at least partly led them to become sexually active. However it's obvious that sex didn't help them. I suspect that teenage sex can lead to depression ie when the relationship breaks up and the boy dumps her when he's got what they want. Many kids are really looking for love which they often don't get at home and think they can get love through having sex.

[Guest boochie]

UnGodly sex can lead to UnGogly spiritual consequences and bondage. When married couples make love, they share a bonding of "one flesh" and a "mingling of spirits" occurs. Love making is designed by God to nurture the Godly connection shared by the married couple.

When the enemy tempts people to have sex outside of God's design (marriage) then the opposite occurs. The people do bond as one flesh and their spirits do touch on an intimate level. But no commitment of marriage is made, and an unnatural and ungodly connection has been formed.

Just as David and Jonathan were "knit together" at the soul level due to their strong relationship. Sexual activity can connect you to someone not only at the body and soul levels, but even at the spiritual level. So instead of recieving God's nurturing through the connection, the enemy can bring all kinds of afflictions and bondage due to the sinful activity that caused the connection. Depression and suicide are only two of many possibilities.

Also consider this, when someone has sex outside of marriage with someone who has done it countless times and is connected in an ungodly way to many different partners. Just how many people's bondage are you now vulnerable to? This is exactly how AIDS spreads. I believe it to be a "Soul-Tie Disease". The disease targets the physical body of its victims, just like depression targets the mind(soul) and spirit of its victims. (Depression even effects the physical body as well).

Its terrible how a beautiful thing like love making can be twisted into such an awful tool of the enemy. Love making only truly satisfies when it is used for what it was originally designed for -- marital nurture. When used as a lustful outlet, it only kills and destroys relationships, and in some cases, even people.

[Guest boochie]

forgive me if I repackage the previous reply as a post...