[Lysdexic]

I found a topic on my usual forum about stds and many of the responses included how many partners and whether they had anything. One poster mentioned he had 10+ partners before freshman year of HS. This is an extreme sexual deviancy. What psychological reasons would encourage someone to behave this way? I have a bunch of speculations as to why that would be. He replied he simply liked sex, which (obviously) is what I expected him to think. Any thoughts are welcome.

Thank You.

[CherryDropz88]

Maybe for some it's a matter of fitting in. They think everyone is having sex (when actually they're not) so they feel they must too. I know at that age I was like that (wanting to fit in) etc.

I think for guys and some women, it's a numbers game. Another knotch on the belt. I went through that phase. I even dociumented how many men I've slept with and other statistics about them etc.

Could home life have anything to do with this?
Is genetics any way involved? If their parents had sex and/or children at an early age, does that mean their kid will have sex or for women end up pregnant at an early age?

Just curious about some things... good topic.

[Lysdexic]

I don't remember even being interested in women sexually till around 10th grade. Then locker talk begins and you start to think "great, now I have to have some story or some competing number". I have a strong suspicion that sexual experience (not just experimenting, but many partners) in elementary/middle school is due to a relationship with one's parents or some traumatic event as a child. Many people start to experiment at a young age but when that turns into 10+ partners before HS it seems to be a real issue. Most men would be proud (and this guy's case very proud) to have a high number compared to their peers despite the dangers. I'm not saying sex is bad or to have a high number of partners is bad, but more so that extreme sexual experience during an important mental development stage may be signs of other issues. I am surprised (hrm, surprised has 2 r's... oO) that this guy seemed pretty sure that it was simply because he liked having sex. Then again, many people don't think much further than that.

[Gr3tta]

Hi Lysdexic,
For him to have so many partners prior to high school does seem unusual. Where I live this would mean he has had 10 partners before age 14. That is very young to be so sexually active. I just wanted to mention the possibility that he has been sexually mistreated or abused. Children (and someone under 14 is a child in these circumstance, in my view) sometimes reenact things that have been done to them as a means of coping and understanding what happened. Sometimes they become sexually promiscuous as a way of seeking love, because sex and love have been equated in their mind. Sometimes they become sexually promiscuous because sex has no connection with love or emotion.
I would certainly not immediately jump to the conclusion that he had been abused, but it is worth considering, in case he is in need of help. There are lots of reasons why someone may have many partners, and the other responses you have gotten make good suggestions as well.