A survey of Melbourne women presented at an international mental health conference has concluded that females who suffer from mild to moderate depression have a third more sexual activity than those who are not.
They also had more sexually liberated attitudes, a bigger variety of sexual experiences and, if single, were more likely to partake in casual sex, Dr Sabura Allen, a clinical psychologist at Monash University, said.
“It was more sex and more of everything from kissing to petting, foreplay and intercourse,” said Dr Allen, who studied the recent sexual experiences of 107 depressed and non-depressed women who were in relationships. “We knew this anecdotally from clinical samples but this is the first time it’s been shown in research.”
She said depressed women were likely seeking out sexual intimacy more often to help feel more secure.
“When people are depressed they feel more insecure about their relationships and concerned that their partner may not care about them or find them valuable,” Dr Allen said. “Having sex helps them feel that closeness and security.”
There’s a technical term I’m looking for concerning this study. Oh yeah. I remember it: “DUH!”
It’s the sad truth that girls who don’t find unconditional love from home will find temporary lust as a replacement and then feel rejected as men use them for their own purposes. Sadly, I think security in young people’s lives is at a minimum.
March 20, 2008 at 1:59 pm
This is so true. When I was a teenager, many years ago, I was one of those people. I was lonely, I didn’t feel loved and I searched out for love by having sex almost every weekend, with whomever I thought was attractive at the discoteque (bar with disco music and dancing). I never analyzed myself or knew why I was doing it, but I had several sexual partners and everytime that they didn’t return any affection for me after sex,I was crushed and would call them at home and got the brush off. I needed love and took it wherever and whenever and however I could get it. My parents worked all the time, even at home. They never had time for me and my siblings never liked me. I’m the “baby” of the family and they thought that I was spoiled; that I got everything. Maybe I got more material things than they did, but I never got my emotional needs taken care of. I searched out and got used many times. Until I read this article, I never understood why; it all makes sense. This is so true! Parents, even though your kids may not say that they need you, they do! I work with kids with behavioral problems and THEY ALL have broken homes with parents who only care about their jobs, paying the bills and their own needs. The kids tell me that their parents don’t care. If you look at the kids that succeed in school, they have parents that care about them and show them love. Please don’t ignore your kids; even if you just show little gestures of love like kissing their heads while they play video games, telling them that you love them when you say goodnight to them, etc. Kids really do look for love and they will go wherever necessary to find it.
March 20, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Wow.
At first glance, you think that this study is equivalent to a study that concluded “inhaling water causes drowning. But, if you look deeper, you see a lot more to it.
I’m not proud of it, but I was involved with a woman who would have been the archetype of this study. A combination of depression, and wild promiscuity (which lead to three abortions and Genetal Herpes).
It was wonderful in the beginning (or at least “wonderful” as defined by my fleshy, selfish, hedonistic measuring stick at the time), but as time progressed, her depression was so invasive and pervasive, that it made the relationship (like every other one she had with a man) untenable.
It bothers me to this day because I could see this dear sweet girl way down deep in there, the one I fell in love with, but one I could never reach for all the other stuff she had obstructing her reaching out, or anyone else reaching in.
March 20, 2008 at 8:33 pm
It’s kind of a chicken-and-egg question, isn’t it? Does the depression cause the promiscuity or vice-versa?
March 21, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Yup, anon, my experiences exactly. Depression is likely though to be caused by abuse, of one sort or another. Promiscuity clearly is an attempt to find love, but without the requisite responsibility to love back.
My ex was a sweet girl deep down yes, but as well deeply troubled and unable to really commit, thus she left.
Men easily get roped in with women like this, who tend to be manipulative as well, because frankly most men cant resist sex. So the depressed and promiscuous girl pulls in even the most balanced man.