Hooked: The New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting Our Children
McIlhaney, Joe., and McKissic Bush. Hooked: The New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting Our Children. Northfield Publishing, 2008
From researcher at the Medical Institute for Sexual Health, this book is a must-read for parents and youth workers. Society tells us that sex is an act of self-expression, a personal choice for physical pleasure that can be summed up in the ubiquitous phrase “hooking up”. Millions of American teenagers and young adults are finding that the psychological baggage of such behavior is having a real and lasting impact on their lives. They are discovering that “hooking up” is the easy part, but “unhooking” from the bonds of a sexual relationship can have serious consequences. A practical look into new scientific research and advances neuroscience show how sexual activity causes the release of brain chemicals, which then result in emotional bonding and a powerful desire to repeat the activity. This book will help parents and singles understand that “safe sex” isn’t safe at all; that even if they are protected against STDs and pregnancy, they are still hurting themselves and their partner.