9781422273883

In this health set, there are some volumes that are largely focused on physical health, such as the volume on diet and fitness, while others are largely focused on mental health, such as the one on anxiety and depression. But frequently things aren’t so clear-cut: mental and physical health are often interconnected. For example, consider the major impact that sleep can have on both physical and mental health. This volume, on sexuality, is another of those intertwined volumes. Sex and sexuality have huge implications for both our physical and emotional health. Sex is everywhere on mass media—in TV shows and movies, as well as on social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat. Meanwhile, discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity, once only whispered about if discussed at all, are now commonplace. The pervasiveness of sexual images and conversations may give you the idea that everybody your age is sexually active, or that everybody has to “decide” their orientation right away. None of that is not true. According to a survey published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fewer than half of teens between 15 and 19 reported that they had been sexually active. If you decide to wait until you are older, you are actually in the majority, not the minority. There is no rush. And the same goes for your orientation

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