Research Shows Premarital Sex Damaging To The Brain
You've heard it said that the brain is the most important sex organ, and Drs. Freda Bush and Joe McIlhaney, authors of Hooked: New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting Our Children explain how science bears that out. They tell how the powerful chemicals dopamine and oxytocin are released during intimacy, causing a man to want to repeat the action and causing a woman to want to bond to her partner. They warn, however, that when you attach and unattach with multiple partners through premarital sex you weaken your brain's ability to stay attached.
Research using brain scans now shows powerful chemicals are released during sex that should create a powerful, everlasting bond.
"When women are skin-to-skin with a man, their brain secretes oxytocin that causes them to bond emotionally to that man. Men secrete a hormone called vasopressin when they're having that kind of intimate behavior. And that hormone has even been called 'monogamy hormone' for men. And it bonds them to the woman," McIlhaney explained.
This oxytocin is so overwhelming in a woman's brain that just a 20-second hug can cause a female to become bonded to a male.
Both sexes get addictive doses of the pleasure-chemical dopamine as well during intimate behavior. That works out well for couples out to create lifelong marriages and stable families.
"They're addicted to sex, and babies result from that. They're bonded to each other," McIlhaney said.
Sleeping Around Weakens Bond
But that bonding, which acts like adhesive tape or Velcro, is weakened when people tear away at its power by breaking off with a sexual partner and moving on from one to another to another. So when it does finally come time to bond permanently with a spouse, the ability to bond is damaged.
The brain actually gets molded to not accept that deep emotional level that's so important for marriage. When they do marry, they're more likely to have a divorce than people who were virgins when they got married."
So those of us who teach abstinence before marriage might not be as ridiculous as some would have you believe. Surely you want your own children's brains to be able to accept that deep emotional level that's vital to a successful marriage?
2010 April Lorier Perspective
16 comments:
April - I was going to write about this! You need to put it over on AC, Digg, everywhere! I am tweeting it. Great info. It connects with a previous article I did on "Hooking Up" and confirms that info. thanks.
Is good to see science agrees with God. Now just mix in a large helping of commitment. Add faithfulness to Christ as the primary bonding agent. The marriage will last. Smiles
Each year, scientists "discover" facts that are clearly written in God's Word. Just give them enough time, they'll catch up!
Fascinating! The unfortunate trend toward sex as a casual recreational activity has created huge problems in our society, but I never knew that it had such a strong biochemical effect on the body.
So glad I was able to enlighten you, Jill. Sex definitely is a biochemical activity!
This is interesting. Maybe that is why some guys and girls can jump from one partner to another without a second thought.. I've heard many men say that sex was nothing more than a good workout. My own husband said there was no connection between love and sex...he was cheating of course for years and I never knew because I trusted him as a good wife should.. stupid me!
He was the stupid one, Charlene. He missed out on the kind of love written about in the Song of Solomon! Sex, alone, is boring.
Excellent report, April! It's interesting to learn about the science behind it. Nice to read such a well-written article!
Amazing information, and I don't doubt it a bit.
Nor do I, Marie. Sex makes people (some people) go temporarily insane. That's why it should be with your life-time spouse. Of course, the main reason is because that's God's way.
Interesting perspective with the scientific information. I had heard of these chemicals before but not how they specifically would affect someone's ability to attach. Thanks for the article.
Isn't it sad, Rachael, to think of all the people who, because of promiscuity, will never be able to attach to anyone for life? What a waste!
Good info that surely needs to be passed on. Always love your articles!
Thank you, Lisa. Your articles are also top notch! Yes, I don't think people have been taught about the hormonal/chemical involvement in physical intimacy. Perhaps if more knew, fewer would participate, wanting to protect their ability to bond with that "special one"?
This is great information! Science proving God right. :)
That happens a lot, Atlanta! Thanks for reading and commenting on the research results.