Dr. Gowri Bore

The Internet has glorified our lives in numerous ways, but at the same time, too much of information available online has also become very appalling in certain cases. One of the main scenarios that have borne the brunt of information overload is sexual health. Now-a-days, the adolescents or the teenagers have become very much vulnerable to increasing sexual risks owing to exposure to excessive online information.
Sexual Studies: The eternal curiosity about sexuality amongst the humans along with the unnecessary stigmas or taboos related to these have together led to a severe situation where people are resorting to a wrong form of information by misusing the internet.

How are the teenagers affected?
This has mounted up, especially amongst the teenagers because this is the transitional stage of a child to an adult where one goes through the maximum hormonal changes in the body. These hormones affect the metabolism and development of sexual maturity in those who are passing through this sensitive stage of puberty.

The superficial study of biological sciences and the changes felt by the adolescents have compelled them to dig more about sexuality by making use of the wonder weapon today, the internet. However, the social and other digital media contain sexual contents and information in a distorted manner and this has proved to be extremely pernicious in the following ways:

1. Pre-marital and unsafe sex.
2. Increase of sexually transmitted infections.
3. The most alarming effect of all is the accelerated amount of crimes related to maliciously-oriented sexual attitudes and behaviours such as eve-teasing, molestation, rapes, child abuse, sexual harassment, etc.
4. Unhealthy tendency of masturbation amongst the males.
5. A healthy post-marriage sexual life is getting badly affected.

Studies have shown the present social media is flooded with illicit sexual content to the extent of almost 80% in the movies and 60% in the videos that are creating a severe psychological impact on everyone, irrespective of the gender. This is reaching to such an extent that sometimes they are getting addicted to watching these that is undermining their overall mental health.

Probable remedies: Now-a-days, various sexual awareness programmes are coming up and sexual orientation programme is becoming a part of the course curriculum in schools as well. Yet, unless and until the hush-hush mentality of the society regarding this particular aspect decreases, there will not be a significant change. There is always hope at the end of a dark tunnel and anybody who feels disturbed due to these issues can always consult and take help of the psychiatrists and sexologists who can handle such issues with the utmost consideration and under strict confidentiality.

However, one needs to open up completely before them or else, the treatment or counselling, whichever is applicable, will not be fulfilled in a proper manner. One has to break the boundaries, get enlightened, confront the facts and in turn, lead a healthier sexual life. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Sexologist.