Consequences of Sexual Choices
By Nicole Ohadi & Olivia Naccarato
Negativity of Abstinence
Abstaining from sexual contact generally has no unwanted side effects. Sometimes abstinence may be forced by philosophical or religious purposes upon an unwilling subject. This may result in frustration over the forced abstinence or traditional abstinence to the point where will power is at end and sex is resumed without thinking it through or proper protection. In this case, there is a high risk of pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections.
In another case, you may experience peer pressure from those that are already sexually active.
Consequences of Being Sexually Active
Being sexually active should not always be put under a negative light, but it is bad in the cases that you are too young (teenage years), not ready or mature enough for it, or being forced into sexual activities. Considering that we are teenagers, there are many consequences of being sexually active that can effect you in many different ways. Not only can being sexually active cause physical damage, but it can cause emotional, mental, and social detriment. Physically, females are able to get pregnant, and males will have a child that they should take responsibility for. Both men and women can get sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that can become very serious. Some examples of STIs are chlamydia, herpes, pubic lice, hepatitis B & C, HIV, and many others. The emotional part that comes along with being sexually active would be that you can experience guilt or regret. Mentally, you may undergo feelings of anger, jealousy, and can develop depression. The social effects would include having a bad reputation, or being isolated from friends that feel you have made a wrong decision.
Attempted Suicide and Sexual Activity Among Male and Female Teenagers
Teenage Girls
Teenage girls aged 14 to 17. Source: National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health, Wave II, 1996
Teenage Boys
Teenage boys aged 14 to 17. Source: National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health, Wave II, 1996
Depression and Regrets Associated With Sexual Activity
The data below was taken from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health, Wave II, 1996. This survey was designed to investigate the health-related behaviours of teenagers in middle and high school. This analysis focuses on the connections between sexual activity and emotional well-being among teens between the ages of 14 and 17.
The remarkably lower levels of happiness and higher levels of depression displayed by sexually active teens proposes that sexual pursuit leads to a decrease in happiness and well-being among many, if not most, adolescents.
Teens of both male and female genders that are sexually active are notably less likely to be happy and more likely to be depressed than teenagers who decide to be abstinent.
Teenagers of both genders who are sexually active are notably more likely to attempt suicide than teens who are not sexually active.
Regrets
The following information is from a recent poll by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. They asked the question, "If you have had sexual intercourse, do you wish you had waited longer?" Virtually two-thirds of teens that proposed that they had engaged in intercourse stated that they wished they had waiting longer before becoming sexually active. This left only one-third of sexually active teens that believed that their commencement of sexual activity was appropriate and that they did not have any regrets of taking part in these activities at such a young age. Therefore, within sexually active teens, those who regretted early sexual activity were far much more than those without such concerns.
Positivity of Abstinence
Being abstinent allows peace of mind when it comes to the concern of unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections. Being abstinent also increases self-respect in relationships, knowing that your partner is with you not for sexual pleasure but because they like you for who you truly are. As you can tell from the information and paragraphs above, the positivity of being abstinent outweighs the negative factors and consequences of being sexually active.