Christianity Today's online blog often reports some great resources. http://www.christianitytoday.com/
They recently reportedresearch that shows depression and drug use follow sexual activities.
This shows how important it is for churches to give kids and adults an opportunity to confess their Guilt and be set free from it forever. Teach about abstinence but expect failures and plan for forgiveness.
Research on Teens
A popular belief among doctors and social scientists has been that many teens begin drug use and sexual activity to deal with depression. However, a study published in the October 2005 edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reverses those beliefs.
Health policy researcher Denise Dion-Hallfors comments: "Findings from the study show depression came after substance and sexual activity, not the other way around."The data was gathered from a national survey of 13,491 adolescents.
A large group of these teens, about 25 percent, were called "abstainers." They had never had sex, smoked, drank alcohol, or taken drugs. Only 4 percent of these teens experienced depression.
The study also reported that girls among the 75 percent who had taken drugs and experimented with sexual activity to deal with depression. However, a study published in the October 2005 edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reverses those beliefs.Health policy researcher Denise Dion-Hallfors comments:
"Findings from the study show depression came after substance and sexual activity, not the other way around."The data was gathered from a national survey of 13,491 adolescents. A large group of these teens, about 25 percent, were called "abstainers."
They had never had sex, smoked, drank alcohol, or taken drugs. Only 4 percent of these teens experienced depression.The study also reported that girls among the 75 percent who had taken drugs and experimented with sex were 2-3 times more likely to experience depression than abstaining girls.
Boys who engaged in binge drinking were 4.5 times more likely to experience depression than boys in the abstaining group. Boys smoking marijuana were more than 3 times more likely to be depressed than those who abstained.
Dr. Hallfors warns: "Parents, educators, and health practitioners now have even more reason to be concerned about teen risk behaviors, and to take action about alcohol, drugs, and sex."
Citation: Taunya English, "Teen Sex and Drug Use May Be Cause of Depression, Not the Effect," Health Behavior News Service (September 2005); submitted by Jerry De Luca, Montreal West, Quebec
posted by Gary Sweeten @ Tuesday, July 04, 2006
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