So what is the big deal with sex?
The short answer is - sex is powerful. As Uncle Ben says to Peter Parker in Spider-man, “With great power, comes great responsibility.”
Sex is only one part of a relationship.
Take a look around to get answers to your most frequently asked questions for teens about sex.
Consider the Risks
teens and sex, teen sex and regret, teen sex and depression, teen sex and self-esteem, teens and STD's and STI's
Do you ever wonder if everyone in high school is having sex? Sometimes it might seem like it, but statistics show that over
Teens who are not sexually active are avoiding the risks associated with teen sex. The risks to teens who are sexually active are listed below.
The risks of teen sex
The risk of regret
Think that teens who are having sex are having all the fun? It seems as if that is not true!
In a recent survey, it was found that more than 63% of boys and 69% of girls wished they would have waited longer to have sex.
The risk of losing a relationship
Whether people want it to or not, sex often changes a relationship.
For example, one person may feel that sex is very special and feels closer after sex; however, the other person doesn’t feel the same way. While this is a made up version of a story, it happens.
The risk of catching an STI
Teens are especially at high-risk for catching a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI)
Young women are even more prone to certain STI's like Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV. While many of these STI's are treatable, they are often undetected by the person who has it. Untreated, an STI can cause lasting health problems, like infertility.
The risk of catching an incurable STI
There are 65 million people living with an incurable STI and many of them have no idea that they even have it.
Even though many incurable STI's, like herpes, are usually not considered life threatening, they cannot be cured - - ever. The person living with this type of STI will live with it all their lives.
Living with a any disease can take be hard, and a person living with an incurable STI could have emotional and relational side effects, like depression or the inability to form close relationships.
The risk of depression
Teen girls who are sexually active are two times as likely to become depressed. Being sexually active in an uncommitted relationship also increases the risk of depression. Depression can be very serious.
Teens who are depressed often feel: sad, hopeless, and angry, lose interest in activities they once enjoyed, have difficulty with relationships, communication, and low self-esteem.
