World News and Trends

An Overview of Conditions Around the World

by John Ross Schroeder and Jerold Aust

Teenage sex linked with serious depression
Church controversy over same-sex relationships
Keep your eyes on Berlin
Distrust of United States increases around globe
The disparity of two different worlds
Is France Dying?
Resounding Polish vote for EU membership
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Teenage sex linked with serious depression

A survey sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development along with 17 other U.S. federal agencies has revealed a startling link between teenage sexual activity and depression and suicide.

The study revealed that “a quarter of teen girls who said they were sexually active also said they had been depressed ‘a lot of the time’ or ‘most of the time.’” In contrast, most who refrained from sexual activity were “never” or “rarely” depressed. Researchers concluded that “sexually active teens are far more likely to be depressed . . . than those who hold off until marriage” (WorldNetDaily.com).

Three million of the 19 million Americans afflicted by mental depression are teenagers. Commenting on the study, Dr. Meg Meeker, a physician for adolescents, tells us that “this is no surprise because teens are targets of a loose culture promoting promiscuity and excess.” Dr. Meeker goes on to declare that “when you look at sexual activity and teens and you add up the losses they endure, they have lost their virginity, they have lost their self-respect, they have the loss of a sense of control over their body, they have a sense of shame” (Christian Broadcasting Network, emphasis added).

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy asked sexually active teens if they regretted early sexual activity. Results showed that three-quarters of girls wished they had delayed sex and a majority of boys and girls regarded their first sexual experience as something they would have preferred to avoid. Regret, dissatisfaction and guilt, together with the losses previously mentioned, leave teens vulnerable to serious mental depression.

Read the full article at www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn47/worldnewstrends47.htm

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