Casual sex can cause depression and may also lead to suicidal thoughts, experts warned.
Researchers involved in the study found that teenagers with depressive symptoms were more likely to have casual sex. However, too much engagement in casual sex can cause depression and encourage suicidal thoughts. Dr. Sara Sandberg-Thoma, of Ohio State University and lead study author said: "Several studies have found a link between poor mental health and casual sex, but the nature of that association has been unclear.
"There's always been a question about which one is the cause and which one is the effect. The study provides evidence that poor mental health can lead to casual sex, but also that casual sex leads to additional declines in mental health," she added. The researchers interviewed young people from 80 different American schools and 52 middle schools when they were between the age of 18 and 26. They were asked questions about their relationships, depression and suicidal thoughts.
The study found that 29 percent of the subjects confirmed they had a casual sex encounter which the researchers defined as 'only having sex' with someone and does not include dating. Their respondents included 33 percent male and 24 percent female. The results of their study were published in the journal of Sex Research. Dr. Claire Kamp Dush, professor of human sciences at Ohio State University said: "That was unexpected because there is still this sexual double standard in society that says it is OK for men to have casual sexual relationships, but it is not OK for women. "But these results suggest that poor mental health and casual sex are linked, whether you're a man or a woman. The odds of suicidal thoughts are increased by 18 percent for every additional casual relationship a person engages in.
