Abstinence Examined
Abstinence. It’s the only 100 percent effective way to prevent STIs and pregnancy, but it can mean a lot of different things to different people. To some, abstinence means refraining from all sexual activity, for other it just means not having vaginal intercourse. Some people feel that they should be abstinent until marriage, some until they feel ready, and others remain abstinent as a lifestyle choice.
Abstinence has had a long role in human history. It was a common belief in American society, especially up until the 19th century, that abstinence had huge health benefits, based on the biological theory that semen was reabsorbed into the body when sexually inactive, and thus caused increased levels of lecithin and phosphorus. It was believed until the 1960’s that wide array of diseases and disabilities were caused by the loss of nutrients by seminal discharge. While these theories are not all together accurate, there are certain benefits to being abstinent.
As mentioned before, abstinence is the only 100 percent effective way to prevent STIs and unwanted pregnancy. According to a study by the US Conservative Policy Research teenagers who were sexually abstinent were half as likely to drop out of school or be expelled from school, twice as likely to graduate from college, and had approximately 15 percent higher incomes. It’s quite questionable whether these figures were really due to the act of sexual intercourse, or if really there were some other socioeconomic factors that played more of a role.
There are some potentially negative side effects of abstinence. The first is simply it can be hard to be abstinent. A lot of people who end their deliberate abstinence wind up not being as prepared as those who considered sexually intercourse a potential part of their future. It’s really just a matter of being aware and prepared. Even if you plan on being abstinent it’s important to understand how to keep your body healthy.
A common misconception is that once you have had sex you can’t be abstinent. Being sexually active in the past doesn’t define your sexual future. Just got out of an emotionally taxing relation ship? Decided that you want to wait a while before you’re ready to try again? That’s being abstinent. People are abstinent for a variety of reasons. Religion, sexual history, legal status, socioeconomic stand point can all play a huge role in determining whether or not one is ready to engage in sexual intercourse, or be sexually active. There’s no reason to question why someone chooses to be abstinent, regardless of their sexual history, or any other determining factor. Everyone has their own set of beliefs and principles. Respect them.
Abstinence has had a long role in human history. It was a common belief in American society, especially up until the 19th century, that abstinence had huge health benefits, based on the biological theory that semen was reabsorbed into the body when sexually inactive, and thus caused increased levels of lecithin and phosphorus. It was believed until the 1960’s that wide array of diseases and disabilities were caused by the loss of nutrients by seminal discharge. While these theories are not all together accurate, there are certain benefits to being abstinent.
As mentioned before, abstinence is the only 100 percent effective way to prevent STIs and unwanted pregnancy. According to a study by the US Conservative Policy Research teenagers who were sexually abstinent were half as likely to drop out of school or be expelled from school, twice as likely to graduate from college, and had approximately 15 percent higher incomes. It’s quite questionable whether these figures were really due to the act of sexual intercourse, or if really there were some other socioeconomic factors that played more of a role.
There are some potentially negative side effects of abstinence. The first is simply it can be hard to be abstinent. A lot of people who end their deliberate abstinence wind up not being as prepared as those who considered sexually intercourse a potential part of their future. It’s really just a matter of being aware and prepared. Even if you plan on being abstinent it’s important to understand how to keep your body healthy.
A common misconception is that once you have had sex you can’t be abstinent. Being sexually active in the past doesn’t define your sexual future. Just got out of an emotionally taxing relation ship? Decided that you want to wait a while before you’re ready to try again? That’s being abstinent. People are abstinent for a variety of reasons. Religion, sexual history, legal status, socioeconomic stand point can all play a huge role in determining whether or not one is ready to engage in sexual intercourse, or be sexually active. There’s no reason to question why someone chooses to be abstinent, regardless of their sexual history, or any other determining factor. Everyone has their own set of beliefs and principles. Respect them.
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