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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Human_Sexual_Promiscuity

WikiProject Anthropology

Human Sexual Promiscuity is the practice of having or involving many different sexual partners. In the case of men, this behavior of sexual nondiscrimination and hyper-sexuality is referred to is satyriasis, while in the case of women, this behavior is conventionally known as nymphomania. Both conditions are regarded as possibly compulsive and therefore pathological qualities, closely related to hypersexuality. The results of, or costs associated with, these behaviors are the effects of human sexual promiscuity.

A high number of sexual partners in a person’s life usually means they are at a higher risk of sexually transmitted diseases and life-threatening cancers. These costs largely pertain to the dramatic consequences to physical and mental health. The physical health risks mainly consist of the sexually transmitted disease risks, such as HIV and AIDS, that increase as individuals have develop sexual partners over their lifetime. The mental health risks typically associated with promiscuous individuals are anxiety, depression, and personality disorders all often resulting in substance abuse and/or permanent illness. These effects often translate into several other long-term issues in people’s lives and in their relationships, especially in the case of adolescents or those with previous pathological illnesses or disorders as well factors such as family dysfunction and social stress.

Promiscuity in Adolescents
The prevalence of promiscuity, among adolescents, is known to be a root cause for many physical, mental, and socio-economic risks. Research has found that adolescents, in particular, at a higher risk of negative consequence as a result of promiscuity. In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescents face many health and economic risks related to teenage pregnancy, maternal mortality, delivery complications, and loss of educational opportunities. It is suggested that the increasing association of STDs among adolescents could be a result of barriers to prevention and management services, such as infrastructural barriers, cost barriers, educational barriers, and social factors such as concerns of confidentiality and embarrassment.

Physical health effects
Incidence and prevalence estimates suggests that adolescents, in comparison to adults, are particularly at higher risk of developing venereal diseases and sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and herpes. It is accepted that adolescent females are especially at risk to develop sexually-transmitted infections. This is claimed to be due to the increased cervical ectopy, which are more susceptible to infection.

While rates of these sexually transmitted diseases increased for 15-24 year-olds in both sexes in 2016-2017, the rates of chlamydia are consistently highest among 15-24 year-old young women. Reported cases of primary and secondary syphilis have consistently been higher among adolescent men and women compared to adult men and women.

Mental health effects
Emotional and mental disruptions are also observed to be an effect of the promiscuity in adolescence. Studies have shown a correlation and direct relationship between adolescent sexual risk taking and mental health risks. Sexual risks include multiple sexual partners, lack of protection use, and sexual intercourse at a young age. The mental risks that are associated with these include cognitive disorders such as anxiety, depression, and substance dependence. It is also found that sexual promiscuity in teens can be a result of substance misuse and pre-existing mental health conditions such as clinical depression.

Socio-economic effects
Sexual risk taking and promiscuous activities in the youth can also lead to many socio-economic risks. In sub-Saharan Africa, research has found that teenage pregnancy poses significant socio-economic risks, as it forces young women, particularly those from extremely low-income families, to leave school to pursue child-bearing. These disruptions in basic education pose life-long and generational risks to those involved. Social condemnation also prevents these young mothers from seeking help, and as a result are at a higher risk for developing other physical and mental risks, which can later result in substance-use.

Promiscuity in Adults
Sexual promiscuity in adults, as with adolescents, presents substantial risks to physical, mental, and socio-economic health. Having multiple sexual partners has been found to be linked with these risks. A greater number of sexual partners poses a greater risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, mental health issues, and alcohol/substance abuse.

Physical health effects
Promiscuity in adults have detrimental effects to physical health. As the number of sexual partners a person has in his or her lifetime increases, the higher the risk he or she contracts sexually transmitted diseases. Promiscuous individuals may also be at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer, cervical cancer, and oral cancer as a result of having multiple sexual partners. Studies have also shown that individuals who engage in long-term relationships are less likely to fall victim to domestic violence.

Mental health effects
While some studies claim that the number of sexual partners is directly linked with mental health disorders, others find that promiscuity only results in substance use with no effect on depression or anxiety. According to research conducted by Sandhya Ramrakha of the Dunedin School of Medicine, the probability of developing substance dependency increased linearly with an increase in the number of sexual partners. This was particularly greater for women, however, there was no correlation with other mental health risks. This contrasts other studies that find there indeed is a link between mental health and multiple sexual partners.