Why There Is No Such Thing As Casual Sex

The dictionary defines casual sex as "sexual activity that takes place outside of a romantic relationship and without commitment or expectations of further involvement." In our society today, casual sex has assumed quite a popular position. We see it all the time in movies, TV shows, and music.

Hooking-up is often portrayed as something that is fun and carefree with no strings attached. It's become so mainstream that it's even considered normal and healthy by many people. Some of us may even feel a lot of pressure to have casual sexual encounters ourselves.

Sometimes we can use casual sex to meet certain needs or help us distract from negative emotions. We may use it to bounce back from a relationship failing, to help ease any body insecurities, or even to distract us from feeling down and burned out from dating in general. So, it helps to be aware of the intention underneath.

Casual sex is often portrayed as safe and easy, often without consequences. However, the reality is that what we are told is often not the entire truth. The neurobiology of hooking up and how it affects our mental health is often not publicized. There are actually a lot of downsides to engaging in it that we may not realize.

My intent with this article is to educate you about its effects on your brain, your mental health, and your body. The freedom of choice is yours, but hopefully, this post will help you become more informed when making your decisions.

The Neurobiology of Casual Sex

Although we don't understand everything about the neurobiology of sex, many studies still have elucidated what happens in your brain during the act. In fact, it's not only your brain that is engaged, but your spinal cord and many other parts of your body also get activated during sex (Calabrò et al.) The different areas are triggered differently based on their functional role during sex, from sexual attraction to mate choice, to motivation, and to eventual arousal. So, your entire body and brain are really focused and working during sexual activity.

But to simplify the science for the sake of this blog article, I want to focus specifically on the neurochemicals that are secreted during sexual activity. Because these will give us a better idea of how your brain perceives sex and the psychology of sex itself. There are a host of neurotransmitters that are secreted, but the main ones are the activation of your dopamine and serotonin systems.

Dopamine is basically the neurotransmitter responsible for your pleasure and reward system. It tells you what is good and pleasurable and what your brain should seek out. It governs our decision-making by telling our brain to go towards and pursue experiences that increase and produce more dopamine.

Similarly, the serotonin system is the happiness hormone that regulates our emotions and makes us feel in a good mood. It's also the hormone that is used in the treatment of depression. It's been postulated (although not proven) that it is decreased in patients with mood disorders.

So basically, you can see that both of the neurotransmitters associated with sex are substances that drive your brain to feel extremely good. They are also chemicals that can be highly sought out by your body and thus can become highly addictive.

In fact, most studies estimate the prevalence of sexual addiction between 3% and 6% in the adult general population (Karila et al.). However, Zlot et al. showed that online dating is associated with more sexual addiction compared to those who did not use internet dating apps. So, it's likely that casual sex can promote addiction to some level because of the neurochemistry involved.

Not only is casual sex addictive, but it also has the effect of promoting bonding and attachment. In fact, when you orgasm, a hormone called oxytocin is secreted by your brain. This hormone has been coined as the "love hormone" because it heightens feelings of trust and intimacy, even toward complete strangers (Magon et al.) It's the hormone that helps you feel calm, safe, and attached to someone.

So, it's only natural that when you have casual sex, not only are you becoming addicted to sex with a particular person, but you are also forming bonds of trust and intimacy with them. And as much as we would like to believe that casual sex is no strings attached and just fun. Biologically, it's far from it. Our brains and bodies respond intensely to any sexual encounter. So when you choose to have casual sex with someone, you are also essentially choosing to form a neurobiological attachment to them.

But aside from the biological ramifications, there are also psychological consequences of the modern hookup culture.

The Impact of Casual Sex on Mental Health

A lot of research has been conducted on the effects of casual sex on mental health. One of the largest studies was performed by Bersamin et al. on over 3900 college students. The research showed that casual sex was associated with more psychological distress in terms of increased general anxiety, social anxiety, and depression. It also showed that casual sex was associated with less general well-being in terms of less self-esteem, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and meaningful purpose. These results were seen in both men and women. So, it seems that having sex with someone may not be so casual after all, as it can deeply impact our psychology and mental health.

These findings were also further corroborated by a study by Mendle et al., which showed that even in twins with similar genetic and environmental factors, casual sex was linked with more depressive symptoms and clinically severe depression.

Although there is no definitive agreement on what causes psychological distress associated with casual sex, one possibility is that addiction to neurochemicals secreted during casual sex causes a high. Our brains rely on these chemicals to feel happy, attached, and calm (which is how you would usually feel in a new relationship). However, because of the casual nature of the encounter, after sex, the chemicals are gone. This leads to a rebound psychological effect.

Another possibility may be due to the fact that some people express regret after the fact. It may not happen to everyone, but many studies have shown that many factors contribute to regret after the fact. This is why people who engage in casual sex often report feeling empty or hollow after the act. They may also feel anxious or depressed because they made a spur-of-the-moment decision under the influence of alcohol or drugs or without proper protection.

Your Sexual Health

Most of us know this part well. These are probably the best-known consequences of casual sex. We all know that it can lead to physical consequences such as STDs or pregnancy. Protection, when used correctly, can be 98% effective in preventing pregnancy. However, depending on the type of contraception, it may or may not protect you from STDs. In addition, sometimes with a stranger, it's difficult to make sure that adequate protection is being used. This can put you at a higher risk physically.

Women who have unprotected casual sex are at an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. And the effects of a pregnancy can be devastating, both physically and mentally. If a woman becomes pregnant, there is also the aspect of deciding whether or not to keep the baby. This can be an incredibly stressful decision with a lot of emotional consequences either way.

Therefore, in addition to biological, emotional, and psychological consequences, there are also physical consequences of casual sex that need to be considered.

Final Thoughts

Casual sex might seem like fun and games at times, but it is important to be aware of the consequences and risks that come along with it. The modern hookup culture has a lot of negative consequences that aren't often talked about.

Remember, there is no such thing as truly "casual" sex - every time we have sex, we are releasing neurochemical bonds that can have lasting effects on our brains and bodies. It can also significantly impact your mental and physical health. So before you engage in any sexual activity, be sure to weigh the risks and consequences.

It's important to be informed about these things so that you can make the best decision for yourself. Remember, the choice is ultimately up to you, but I hope that this article has helped to give you a better understanding of the potential risks involved.

Growtheart Actionable Step:

If you are considering having casual sex, make sure to protect yourself mentally first. Take some time to think about how you may feel afterward. Be honest with yourself about your feelings and intentions and weigh the pros and cons.

References:

1. Calabrò, R. S., Cacciola, A., Bruschetta, D., Milardi, D., Quattrini, F., Sciarrone, F., Rosa, G., Bramanti, P., & Anastasi, G. (2019). Neuroanatomy and function of human sexual behavior: A neglected or unknown issue? Brain and Behavior, 9(12). https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1389

2. Karila, L., Wery, A., Weinstein, A., Cottencin, O., Petit, A., Reynaud, M., & Billieux, J. (2014). Sexual Addiction or Hypersexual Disorder: Different Terms for the Same Problem? A Review of the Literature. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 20(25), 4012–4020. https://doi.org/10.2174/13816128113199990619

3. Zlot, Y., Goldstein, M., Cohen, K., & Weinstein, A. (2018). Online dating is associated with sex addiction and social anxiety. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(3), 821–826. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.66

4. Magon, N., & Kalra, S. (2011). The orgasmic history of oxytocin: Love, lust, and labor. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 15(7), 156. https://doi.org/10.4103/2230-8210.84851

5. Bersamin, M. M., Zamboanga, B. L., Schwartz, S. J., Donnellan, M. B., Hudson, M., Weisskirch, R. S., Kim, S. Y., Agocha, V. B., Whitbourne, S. K., & Caraway, S. J. (2013). Risky Business: Is There an Association between Casual Sex and Mental Health among Emerging Adults? The Journal of Sex Research, 51(1), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2013.772088

6. Mendle, J., Ferrero, J., Moore, S. R., & Harden, K. P. (2013). Depression and adolescent sexual activity in romantic and nonromantic relational contexts: A genetically-informative sibling comparison. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 122(1), 51–63. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029816