Abstinence from sex may seem like a drastic
and impossibly difficult choice to follow for many teenagers.
Large numbers of young men and women feel that they do not
have the strength of will to resist the temptation of a physical
relationship fueled by raging hormones and young love. Teens
are under constant pressure from their peers and often from
their boyfriend or girlfriend to have sex because they are
told everyone is doing it or that this is the only way to
prove their love. They are also constantly bombarded by casual
displays of sexuality from books, magazines, television, and
movies. The few public voices supporting abstinence from sex
often go unnoticed or unheard. Young men and women need to
be made to understand that abstinence is a viable option and
the best path to choose in life. It is the only choice that
provides a 100 percent guarantee that a teenager will not
experience an unwanted pregnancy or a sexually transmitted
disease and it also helps prevent the emotional scarring that
can result from early premarital sexual relationships.
The abundance of birth control methods available today from
condoms and creams to pills and patches has given many individuals,
particularly less educated and less experienced teenagers,
a false sense of security about so called “safe sex”.
Teens often do not consider that condoms can break or that
birth control pills can be missed and that they provide no
protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Diseases
such as hepatitis and AIDS can cause lifelong health problems
or even death and are often transmitted by sexual contact.
If a young woman becomes pregnant at the same time she contracts
one of these terrible diseases, she could pass the illness
on to her unborn child as well. Teens can feel tremendous
pressure from their peers to become sexually active. The message
they frequently get from television and other media is that
it is both desirable and acceptable to have sex outside of
marriage. Young men who are already flooded with testosterone
can feel especially pushed to have sex in order to appear
masculine and tough. Many teenagers become involved in a sexual
relationship before they are emotionally ready to handle the
stress that comes with such a relationship. Having sex before
you are really ready can lower your self-esteem and the image
that you have of yourself. A lowered self image can lead to
more destructive decisions, such as drug abuse. Casual sex
among teenagers can result in emotional turmoil that affects
them the rest of their lives.
Teenage pregnancy is frequently a life altering event not
only for the young mother, but also for her child, her parents,
the father of the child, and his parents. Even if the young
mother gives up her child for adoption, her normal life is
sure to be disrupted at least for a short time and she could
experience feelings of guilt and an emotional upheaval that
could affect her the rest of her life. If the teenage mother
decides to keep her child, she could lose her chance to go
to college and even to graduate from high school. Raising
a child is a tremendous and long term responsibility. Often
the young mother’s parents are forced to take on much
of the physical and financial burden of caring for the child
because their daughter is still going to school or too immature
and irresponsible. Teenage fathers and their parents may escape
much of the responsibility of taking care of the child, but
they are legally bound to help support it financially. Abstinence
from sex is the only way that teens can be sure to avoid any
of the possibly devastating side effects of having sex at
such an early age. Schools, teachers and the government should
promote abstinence from sex in the school curriculum and in
the media so that it becomes viewed as the most acceptable
lifestyle choice for teens. Parents need to put forth a great
effort to make their children understand the possibly life
changing events that could occur from having a sexual relationship
in their teens. Young men and women need to be taught that
abstinence from sex is the best life choice to make for the
sake of their health and their futures. |
