According to studies, casual sex causes depression

Sporadic sex can be fun, exciting and free, according to its defenders. But have you ever thought about what its consequences really could be? Is it positive or negative? Here we bring you some science about it.

It is estimated that between 40% and 64% of young adults have sporadic sexual relations, which has led to research into its relationship with physical health. Thus, it is related to a greater risk of sexually transmitted diseases. However, little is known about what consequences casual sex can have for mental health.

One of the complications when investigating this topic lies in the difficulty of defining the concept of casual sex, since It can range from no-strings-attached sex between friends to a one-off meeting with a stranger.. Furthermore, it is complicated to try to establish whether certain psychological characteristics lead to certain sexual behavior, or vice versa.

The Journal of Sex Research study

In 2013 it was published in the Journal of Sex Research a very popular study that investigated the association between casual sex and some socio-emotional traits in a sample of university students.

In this study it was seen that a greater frequency of casual sex was related to higher depression and anxiety scores, as well as a lower level of life satisfaction and well-being. However, this relationship was statistically weak. On the other hand, when they compared those who had had casual sex in the last month with those who had not, they observed a large difference, especially in well-being and depression, in favor of those who did not have any encounter.

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On the other hand, they found that depression and stress levels increased after a casual sexual relationship, especially in men. However, an important detail is that they also observed that Those who have a history of depression tend to be more involved in these encounters sporadic.

Thus, the researchers concluded that When young adults were going through a more emotionally sensitive stage, they looked for relationships where they could obtain casual sex to release stress and discomfort.. However, these seem to end up making them feel worse, generating negative thoughts and increasing the level of anxiety.

Could it be due to lack of affection?

The previous study also reported that When they established more stable relationships, they obtained greater satisfaction. Thus, one would expect that engaging in a more intimate relationship would have something to do with feelings of well-being.

A more recent study, also carried out with students of the same ages as the previous one, investigated whether more affectionate and affectionate behaviors occurred in casual relationships, such as cuddling, spending the night together or looking into each other’s eyes. The results showed that, although it is more common in romantic relationships, those who prefer sporadic relationships involved more affectionate gestures. In fact, they showed a higher probability than those who prefer a romantic relationship.

Thus, the researchers observed that casual sex is not just sex. It also includes gestures of affection, generating the same physiological and emotional benefits associated with intimacy that exists in a committed relationship.

So what are its benefits?

Despite the effects that have been indicated above on depression, it is known that sex is very beneficial for general health. It improves cardiovascular health, improves the immune system and, orgasms, increase well-being and reduce stress.

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In this sense, statistics indicate that around 60% of women, and 20% of men, do not reach orgasm in sporadic sexual relations. This, according to Zhana Vrangalova, a researcher at Cornell University, generates dissatisfaction that could be related to the decrease in well-being after the meetings. Especially because in her data she has not found that association in encounters where sex has been rated as very good.

Furthermore, this teacher states that Casual sex can improve, in addition to physical fitness, the feeling of security, pleasure and the ability to feel desired.