Check Point: Critical Thinking and Sexual Decision Making

Critical Thinking and Sexual Decision Making Misty M. Jones PSY/265 September 26th, 2012 Nicole Pansey Critical Thinking and Sexual Decision Making Critical thinking is an integral part of college. To think critically; you must be skeptical, observant, resourceful (as far as gathering information goes), and you must weigh the truths of what you find against what you have been told. Based on the way I define critical thinking; I cannot think of an instance where I applied critical thinking to having sex, unless you count how I choose birth control.

Quite a few people do not consider the decision making process regarding birth control and contraceptives as part of the sexual process. I do regard it as such, for many reasons. The first is that you have to consider potential allergies when choosing a birth control method, whether it is condoms, Depo-Provera, an implant, an intrauterine device, or birth control pills. I can’t take pills because I forget to take them.

I tried being on a pill for birth control as a teenager, and even with them sitting right in front of my alarm clock I could not remember to take them. However, because I generally dislike needles, I could remember that in one or two or three months (depending on when I received my last shot) I had an appointment to get more Depo-Provera. After the birth of my son Lucian, I had to choose a new birth control method; especially because for the entire year prior the only that had been used was condoms.

After much discussion with my fiance, I got the new implant Implanon. At this point let me explain why I am so picky about birth control. Advertisements for birth control flood commercials, especially on networks with shows whose target audiences are teenagers. Yet for all the advertising there are things you are not informed of. For example, condom commercials do not warn you that if you allergic to latex you should ask your doctor before using them. While that concept may be common sense, most eople do not even read the box the condoms come in. I think the reason I think so critically about birth control is because I made stupid mistakes as a teenager. The bottom line is that critical thinking can prevent pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Thinking critically only takes about two minutes when it comes to whether or not one is prepared to have sex, you are either using protection or you aren’t…I would advise using protection whenever possible though.