13 Factors To Consider Before Having Sex

Both hormonal youths and older persons who long for companionship are often excited to experiment without regard for consequences.

Think Before You Act

Before a heterosexual couple becomes intimate, they must manage a host of outcomes. Hormonal youths are often excited to experiment without regard for consequences. Older persons may let their guard down to satisfy a longing for companionship. Married or not, each participant has much to consider.

1. Are we in love with each other?

Making love and having sex are two expressions people use interchangeably. However, love can exist apart from or flourish as a result of sex. Problems escalate when one person desires temporary physical gratification while the other wants a long-lasting union.

2. Is this a committed relationship?

Without a commitment, a casual relationship can sour. Mean-spirited acquaintances may be looking to post activities on the internet or obtain another notch on their belt through a meaningless hookup. In the event of pregnancy, the male may no longer be reachable.

3. Will actions harm others?

Is your partner in another relationship or perhaps married with children? Clandestine intimacy will not forever remain secret. Like stacking dominoes, it can have cascading effects on others. A partner who brings mind-altering addictive substances into the romance can enslave you to compromising behavior to receive more of what you begin to crave.

4. Do we have a desire for children?

People must consider sex versus procreation. This is a fundamental reason for sexual relations. In today’s society, it is often an inconvenient consequence that people attempt to bypass with contraception. Improper use of such or merely being within the margin of error can result in unexpected pregnancy.

5. Is birth control warranted?

Research the effectiveness of different birth control options. In the heat of passion, couples use whatever is readily available or nothing at all. A condom has a one-in-five failure rate. Someone who says she is on the pill but has skipped doses may not have adequate protection.

6. Is either one at risk for contracting infection?

Birth control pills or IUDs do not prevent sexually transmitted infections. Some infections, like herpes, occur through skin-to-skin contact without intercourse.

7. Can we raise a family together?

The maternal instinct has allowed the human family to exist for centuries. But wanting to raise a child is not synonymous with an ability to raise one or more. Insufficient income, excessive debt, inadequate living conditions, educational or career goals, and lack of partner assistance can impact the ability to raise children.

8. Is it for mutual pleasure?

Don’t lower your standards to please someone who may not be around later. In another scenario, some find themselves in relationships with someone who cannot or does not endeavor to bring pleasure. Hormone replacement, vasodilators, or special devices may be necessary to fulfill a satisfying role.

9. Does this strengthen or sabotage a relationship?

Some people enjoy a strong friendship or work well together secularly. With the commitments of romance, the dynamics of such relationships change. There is a need to see each other more frequently. Additional opportunities for jealousy surface. Most often, a breakup can destroy a friendship.

10. Will underlying emotional issues hinder or exacerbate activity?

Sex is more than physical. It triggers a host of hormones and emotions, most often among women. Prior abuse or psychological instability can trigger post-traumatic stress. Are you prepared to support an individual who is emotionally disturbed? Someone who was an abuser may be looking for another victim. It sounds deep, but a casual hookup can lead you down a dark hole.

11. Can I maintain limits on the acts I will perform?

Make certain it’s a legal relationship, not restricted by age or kinship. Past that hurdle, there are hundreds of ways to fulfill sexual intimacy. Is the person only willing to submit to the standard missionary position a compatible match for someone who expects sadomasochistic activities? Most people set boundaries somewhere in between. However, a lack of a prior mutual agreement can result in dissatisfaction or harm.

12. Do you have interests outside of the bedroom?

Even if you engage in sex with the unrealistic schedule of 365 hours per year, that still leaves 8,401 hours of other activities. Set aside a third, or 2,797 hours, for sleeping. Another third you occupy with work or personal daytime activities.

This leaves 2,797 hours to spend together not when having sex. An incompatibility of interests during much of your waking time together will overshadow the relatively brief opportunities for bedroom pleasure.

13. Is the relationship legal?

Sleeping with someone underage or someone other than your marriage partner is problematic. Illicit intimacy can wreck marriages, result in prison sentences or public humiliation, and ruin professional careers.

Marriage often resolves many of the issues related to love and commitment. However, recognize that sexual intimacy should not be a knee-jerk reaction to physical attraction. Get to know your potential partner. Before transitioning into a relationship with many consequences, have candid discussions and make certain they express true love for one another.

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Sex vs Procreation

Publish 13 September 2022