2005-09-21
teen vice research
Sex and drugs hit girls harder. to me these findings seem fairly obvious, but i also disagree with Halfors' statement that depression wouldn't lead to drug use. the way i see things, it's a cyclic factor. depression -> drug use -> depression. yes, some jump the first curve and the drug use leads to depression, but i'd wager to guess as many use drugs to "self medicate" as she said.
as for the findings that engaging in these activities increases the likelihood of depression, again i'd say it's pretty apparent to anyone that knows teenagers or remembers their own experiences. it's a tough time to go through, and adding in extra variables like sex and drug use can only complicate matters. not to mention the fact that their bodies are rapidly changing to begin with, the new complicated emotions brought on by sexual activity, as well as the experience of alcohol/drug use (not to mention their physical effects), would obviously impact development.
i'm not trying to belittle these findings any, as they may be able to influence people to provide more sex, drug and alcohol education (not likely in the current administration), but it seems to me to only prove what i'd say most people already know. and that, maybe, the findings shouldn't be written up in such a manor as to seemingly provoke conflict.
