Sexually promiscuous behavior is a difficult subject to consider, let alone discuss with your teen. While addressing your teenage daughter’s suspected promiscuity may not be comfortable, it is 
something that must not be ignored. Failure to address this problem could have a variety of negative repercussions that could impact your daughter and your family for life. Often, promiscuity in teen girls is an indication of a deeper and more serious problem. If you address the underlying problem, the outcome will be more positive for everyone, and allow her to enjoy a full, happy life.
What is Teen Promiscuity?
Promiscuity is characterized by indiscriminate casual sexual relations with a number of partners. Sex in this way often becomes an outlet for frustration, control and maybe other psychological issues such as depression. Some signs that your teenager is sexually active include becoming secretive about activities with boyfriends, suddenly becoming interested in washing their own clothes, having condoms or other forms of birth control in their possession and the presence of frequent or recurring bladder infections, pain in the lower abdomen or sexually transmitted diseases.
Causes of Overly Sexualized Behavior
For some teen girls, this behavior can be a cry for help. They may be using the behavior as a camouflage for dealing with important issues that are lurking beneath the surface. Professionals agree that promiscuous behavior is a serious issue that demands immediate attention. It can be a sign of sexual abuse, self-esteem issues or even a sign of depression.
Teens may also use their sexuality as a means of defiance when they are not getting along with parents or family. Overt sexuality may simply be a way to get noticed, or a method of symbolically declaring their independence. Your daughter may see it as a way to prove that she is old enough to do what she wants. Ultimately, however, this is a self-destructive and immature behavior. Teens who continue this behavior into adulthood compromise future intimate relationships as well as their overall health. Sexually promiscuous girls are significantly more likely to be abused or suffer mental illness as an adult, and have a greatly increased likelihood of teen pregnancy.
The Importance of Honesty and Open Dialog
The best thing to do, no matter how difficult, is to talk to your daughter about behaviors that you find concerning. You won’t find out why your daughter is engaging in sexually promiscuous behavior if you don’t ask her. Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions, either. It’s important not to make accusations about the behavior, to appear judgmental, or try to forbid her from acting in a certain way. Ultimately, you can’t prevent your teen from engaging in sex with many partners, no matter how hard you try. All you can do is help her to understand why she may be doing it in the first place and what the potential consequences may be. It has to be her choice to stop the behavior and to seek help for the underlying issues surrounding it.
Building strong self-esteem in your daughter is the best way for her to get positive attention. If you need additional support in helping your teen with her sexually promiscuous behavior, the compassionate mental health professionals at Havenwood Academy can help. They can assist you with tackling the root causes of your child’s behavior and provide appropriate interventional therapy in an engaging residential treatment setting. Contact Havenwood today for help with your daughter’s sexually promiscuous behavior.
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Eric Allred was born and raised in Rigby, Idaho. He grew up on a family farm where he learned the value of work. He graduated from Rigby High School and attended Rick’s College, now known as BYU-Idaho. He received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Utah State University, received a master’s degree in organizational behavior and human relations from the University of Phoenix and a second master’s degree in marital and family therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. Eric has been involved in Rotary and was president of a local Rotary Club. He enjoys being with his family and doing outdoor activities such as fly fishing.
Chase was very fortunate to start in this industry as a struggling 17 year old kid looking for a mentor and something to be passionate about. Wilderness therapy was Chase’s first stop in this industry and was truly a transcendental experience for him. Chase has an enormous love for this line of work and the power that it has in creating change in everyone involved. Chase’s biggest belief is the power a mentor, strong, healthy relationships, and accountability can have on anyone, especially youth. Taking a very relational approach to his work, Chase has always been very relatable to the students he works with. Being able to understand and relate to a vast variety of the same struggles as a lot of the students he works with has been able to help him continue to grow, learn, and teach. Chase believes that with great rapport and trust, he can use his experience to continue to coach and train new staff, and has the ability to find those staff with the passion for this industry, and help them grow. His love and passion can be felt the moment you talk with Chase about this industry and he passes that on to others he works with. In his spare time you will find Chase cheering for the Eagles, Yankees, and Mavericks, hanging out with his brother, learning more about Eastern Psychology, and continuing to grow and learn.