Healthier Scotland. Scottish Government

Choices

Alcohol and drugs

Alcohol and drugs affect the way we think and feel, making us worry about consequences less. This can lead to us making choices we regret later, from having sex when we're not really ready for sex to not using protection.

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Pressure

Pressure for sex can come from the other person, from others around you or even from yourself.

Perhaps you think that they'll lose interest in you if you don't start having sex soon? The only sensible way to find out is to talk to them.

If the other person is pushing you to have sex with them and you're unsure, ask yourself why. If you feel unsure beforehand, you're unlikely to feel good afterwards.

You should only have sex when you both feel ready for sex.

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Relationships

Choosing to have sex with someone is often part of a natural process of deepening and strengthening a special relationship. However, relationships with other people can be affected too.

If you're single, friends, children and family members could find it hard to accept that you've decided to take a relationship to another, more intimate level.

If you're already in a relationship, having sex with someone else could represent a major breach of trust. Guilt is a powerful emotion and even if your regular partner doesn't find out, you're likely to feel very different about them afterwards.

The fact that you're thinking about sex with another person may be a sign that your relationship is not working, but that doesn't mean it'll never work again.

Before you risk ending what could be a valuable partnership, you could investigate relationship counselling.

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No regrets

Good sex means no regrets. This means respecting yourself and the other person and being sure you're both ready for sex.

Sex should always be enjoyable and fun, but if we rush things and don't consider our choices carefully, it's easy to end up regretting it.

You could end up pregnant when you don't want to be, in trouble with the law, with a sexually transmitted infection or messing up other, more valuable relationships.

Make the right choices and you could end up extremely happy, with stronger relationships or even having the family you always wanted!

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