Suicide!

The rate of teenage suicide doubled between 1960 and 2001. Teen sexual activity also dramatically increased during that period. But those two statistics just COULDN'T be related...could they? Let's examine the facts:

*Over 25% of sexually active teenage girls report that they are depressed all or most of the time. Less than 8% of girls who are not sexually active are depressed all or most of the time.

*Boys who are sexually active are more than twice as likely to be depressed as boys who are not sexually active.

*Girls who are sexually active are almost THREE TIMES more likely to attempt suicide than girls who abstain. (For the record, that's 14.3% of girls who do versus 5.1% of girls who don't.)

*6.0% of sexually active boys have attempted suicide. Contrast that with 0.7% (less than 1%!) of boys who abstain. Sexually active boys are therefore EIGHT TIMES more likely to attempt suicide!

You can't "sleep" your problems away. (You know what we mean by "sleep." Actual sleep has nothing to do with it.) Not only does it not solve anything in your life, it just gives you more issues to deal with.

Sources:

"Adolescent Depression and Suicide Risk Association with Sex and Drug Behaviors." American Journal of Preventative Medicine, vol. 27 no. 3.

National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health

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