Unprotected - UCLA Psychiatrist Warns of Dangers of Pre-marital Sex

Dr. Miriam Grossman is Campus Psychiatrist as UCLA, and has written a new book entitled Unprotected, in which she outlines the damage she sees among college youth who engage in premarital sex.   She calls for a war on risky behavior, in the form of improved sex education.  She says that shows like Friends and Sex in the City teach kids that those lifestyles are fun and safe, when they are not.  She also talks about "the biochemistry of bonding," and how the female hormone oxytocin released during sexual interaction is the same hormone released during nursing and childbirth, and is meant to form emotional bonds, and casual sex then causes women to feel depression when detaching from a partner.

Feel free to view an interview with Dr. Grossman on the 700 Club. 

Also, see this report on the more common practice of "hooking up" - casual sex among youths is even more in vogue now than in the past, and ignoring traditional morality comes at a high cost.  Dr. Grossman is mentioned, and quoted as saying that, while campus health counselors can warn students about the dangers of drugs or overeating, they don't warn about the risks of sex, even when "protection" is used.  She says that this failure to warn youth about casual sex is not based on medical, but ideological grounds, and we should be more willing to warn students about casual sex and high-risk sexual behaviors.

Comments

[seeker]

What?!? No interest in the claims of this pyschiatrist? I would have thought that defenders of freedom would complain about such backwards thinking about sexuality (wink).

[Silver Hallide]

What?!? No interest in the claims of this pyschiatrist? I would have thought that defenders of freedom would complain about such backwards thinking about sexuality (wink)

Seeker, you must not be paying that close attention. Everyone has been embroiled in the discussion that started with the Religous Voter guide. With threads that cover everything from "Moral Relativism" to "Lesbian Bathrooms" what would you expect?

We are far to busy in there. Who knows, maybe the comments about the shrink or the ultra-Radical tendencies of Pat Robertson and his "hate monger bully pulpit" that is the 700 Club will start over there?

If not, I am sure my use of "hate monger bully pulpet" in conjunction with the 700 Club will get a rise out of some folks here.

And, yes, I am prepared to back that label up with references ;)

[Sam Wilkinson]

Seeker,

Dealing with you is ignorance enough for me. I don't need to disdain this woman as well. She's a crackpot. What else needs to be said?

[seeker]

She's a crackpot. What else needs to be said?

The opinion of a closed mind. What a surprise.

If not, I am sure my use of "hate monger bully pulpet" in conjunction with the 700 Club will get a rise out of some folks here.

Despite your "admirable hatred" of Pat Robertson, the woman was well spoken, and I think her ideas have merit. Don't be guilty of using the illogic of "guilt by association" just because she was willing to pimp her book on the 700 club.

She's THE campus psychiatrist at one of the largest undergraduate schools in the US, maybe she has a perspective we ought to listen to. In fact, it was interesting how she refused to accept some of Pat's perspectives or conclusions when discussing her work.

Then again, maybe we should listen to people who have lots of opinions but no expertise, like [fill in the name of your favorite or least favorite pundit - and you can exclude my name, just in case you think that would be cute]

[Lawanda]

She's THE campus psychiatrist at one of the largest undergraduate schools in the US, maybe she has a perspective we ought to listen to. In fact, it was interesting how she refused to accept some of Pat's perspectives or conclusions when discussing her work.

I thought she was very well spoken, and appreciated her not letting Pat bully her into a position she did not hold, even though he was promoting her book.