Sex Ed 101

I personally think sex education is extraordinarily important and underrated. I think that, from a very young age, children must at least be taught what is a "good touch" or a "bad touch," because child molestation is a huge problem and it is much more common than most people think.

Courtesy of nowpublic.com:

The statistics say that one out of every three to four girls has been sexually assaulted by the age of 18. One boy out of every six will be abused by the age of 18.

Also, many children who are molested never admit to it because their life is threatened or they think it is their fault, or do not realize it is not normal. Victims of child molest often suffer from many mental illnesses throughout their lifetime, from depression to a personality disorder.

Perhaps there would be less teenage pregnancy if there were more proper sex education as well. For instance, there are MANY children/teenagers who start having sex before they are even given a sex ed intro course. Likewise, many of these youths who have sex early on do not understand that pulling out does not guarantee no baby! Most people (youths and adults) are unaware that you can still catch certain STIs even while using a condom. To top it off, many adult men do not even know how to put a condom on properly (sad, I know, but true).

A better understanding of the crossroads of homosexuality, transgender, transsexual, etc, would probably help as well, since there are so many ignorant and prejudice people in this world that turn to violence and hate. I happen to think that those men who act extremely homophobic are actually closeted homosexuals themselves. For example, those men that love UFC cause it's so masculine, when, to me, it really looks like two grown men dry humping.

It's ironic that the same people who argue against abortion and for abstinence are the same people arguing against sex education. I think proper sex education would lead to a decreased number of abortions, and hopefully those that didn't remain abstinent would at least practice safe sex.

I have no doubt in my mind that better sex education would NOT lead to more promiscuity, but would lead to wiser sexual choices by our youths, and perhaps adults as well.

The Clinically Depressed

I have so many varied thoughts on clinical depression. I have no idea whether I am pro-meds or anti-meds, because I understand that sometimes the side effects of antidepressants can cause just as many problems, such as suicidal ideations. Isn't it ironic to treat yourself with medications for depression that might lead to different kinds of depression?

But at the same time, I hate to see how many people give up on life and don't try anything productive. Would I rather my alcoholic loved ones pop antidepressants or do their typical drinking themselves stupid?

I have lost a loved one to suicide, and I wish everyday that she had seeked help. I think I sooner would have wanted her to seek help from therapy (or even me) than drugs though. I fully believe that depression is a huge problem... Those with depression or suicidal thoughts are not freaks; they are mentally ill, and many of them have been seriously traumatized.

However, I lean towards the thought that the US's tendency to constantly overmedicate just leads to the mentally ill not learning how to properly cope. Also, it seems too many people fail to recognize that physical health also reflects mental health. Quite literally, you are what you eat. If you eat healthy, your mind will be healthier as well.

This post is scattered, but I just must say, maintain a healthy life, and if you have problems, seek help!

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. (Or multiple problems)

Balloon Heaven

I decided to start a blog to vent about my opinions, passions, and pointless, random stories rather than forcing everyone to listen to them.

Why did I choose the name balloon heaven? Well, because if I were in a band, that would be the name of my band. Remember when you were a kid and held a balloon in your hand and it was the coolest thing in the world? And then, suddenly tragedy struck, and your balloon slipped out of your grip and it was lost forever in the sky above, and it was the saddest thing you could imagine. Well, as a partial optimist, I want to believe there is such a thing as a balloon heaven to put little kids' hearts at ease.

To begin, I am a feminist, I'm very liberal, I'm not very religiously affiliated, I'm of mixed racial decent, and I am a residential counselor for at-risk children. Therefore, most of my blogging will probably involve one of these topics, though maybe occasionally a pointless, random story will be included. Also, I am a Yelp.com junkie, though currently lacking internet at home, so blogging (and Yelp reviews) will be done at the same time I drink coffee at Intelligentsia.