By Miriam Grossman, MD (Sentinel/Penguin, 2007)

Reviewed by Joel Solliday

 “So many young women at a critical stage of their development come to us in crisis and tell us their secrets… What we say, or don’t say, will have far-reaching effects: the responsibility is awesome.” (Miriam Grossman)

Campus counseling centers are busier than ever. Unfortunately, according to Miriam Grossman, author of Unprotected, many campus psychologists and psychiatrists see their job more as an avenue for activism than for helping and healing. Many “health professionals” echo our popular culture by promoting promiscuity, abortion rights, androgyny, and alternate sexualities. One consequence is that campus counseling centers are inundated with hurting young people, especially women, struggling with the personal fall-out of sexual chaos, guilt, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), addiction, confusion and depression. Grossman explains, “Radical politics pervades my profession, and common sense has vanished.”

“Heather,” a freshman performing arts major, struggled with depression and withdrawal and didn’t know why. It finally came out that she was in an unsatisfying “friendship with benefits.” She sighed, “I don’t get the ‘friend’ part but he still gets the ‘benefits.’”

This was one of many stories Grossman told of young people dealing with depression, incurable STDs, emotional turmoil, bulimia, self-injury, thoughts of suicide and more. Regrettably, the notion that casual sex is a legitimate lifestyle option is too often reinforced by paid university officials in the name of “health.” Grossman reported on academic studies that demonstrated how sexually active teen girls are three times more likely to be severely depressed and to attempt suicide.

Much of the “health education” materials directed at young people from trusted institutions include the mantras of “sexual rights” and “safe sex.” Some counselors encourage young people to give anything “a try” as long as you follow “safe sex” procedures. Our kids are learning to divorce sex from love. This is chewing up their hearts, souls, and bodies. Many campus counseling centers are ignoring this trend or even promoting it.

Seeking help from professionals, students are routinely urged to eat right, exercise, get enough sleep, wear their seatbelts, abstain from smoking, and make time for themselves, but healthy advice regarding sex is too often out of bounds. Health professionals raise these healthy ideals high and preach hard to promote them. But when it comes to risky sexual behavior, in too many cases, they tiptoe around politically correct eggshells. Suddenly, “judging” is unacceptable and high ideals are stigmatized as “repressive.” Why do many “health professionals” advocate for resisting impulses on so many levels for the sake of “health” but not sexual impulses?

Dangerous double standards need to be challenged. Homosexuals engaging in risky behavior, for instance, have a moral obligation to be tested and to stop endangering others. Current laws (imposed by misdirected activism) forbidding counselors from holding their clients to such responsibilities should be repealed. Such laws leave too many people unprotected.

Grossman also observed great sympathy from fellow health professionals over post-partum depression but not so with post-abortion depression. She hears women pour out their anguish, years after their fateful decision to abort a child. Many are struggling with private memories of disposing of the remains of the fetus they once carried. Meanwhile, many “health professionals” compare abortion to procedures like a tonsillectomy.

What about the influence of faith on health? A past president of the American Psychological Association (APA) declared that organized religion is a source of social injustice. Yet, researchers find that church and synagogue attendance has an undeniably positive effect on the health, relationships, attitudes, and lifestyles of young people. Standing on clinical and academic grounds, Grossman averred; “Religious beliefs predict behavior more than race, education and economic status.” Yet, most helping professionals turn a blind eye to the positive impact of faith. 

“We are not defined by our urges—straight, gay, lesbian or bi… We are defined by something more essential, uplifting and transcendent.” (Miriam Grossman)

The campus culture of permissiveness, experimentation, androgyny, and spiritual bankruptcy is taking its toll. Inexcusably, many in the helping professions are fueling the fires. It is time to stop treating young people like animals. We can advise and expect them to mobilize their brains (over their bodies) to resist urges and impulses and aspire to a more healthy lifestyle. We must elevate and inspire our young people with fearless straight talk. For example, when students feel distressed by their gender and yearn for a change, that situation does not constitute a mandate for all of society to change its “rigid” definitions of male and female. The implication that society must change and they must not is potentially hurtful to both society and them.

The pressures of political correctness are growing as wisdom hides. Too much of this is happening on our watch, dear Reader.