Dangers of Sexting

In a recent post article posted in the Teen Angst section on Psychology Today online, Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, MS, LPC, discussed the dangers of sexting.  As you may know, "sexting" is texting sexually explicit photos to someone else.  Once those photos are sent, there is little you can do to get them back.  As this article explains, often teenagers send these texts impulsively in the need of "instant communication and gratification."  However, most teens do not think about the ramifications of sending these type of texts.   The article points out that, according to "researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch, more than 'half of teens have been asked to send a nude photo of themselves to someone, and 31% had requested a naked picture to be sent to them.'"  It is imperative for parents to educate their teenagers about the dangers and ramifications of sexting. 

The article goes on to discuss ways to protect teens from sexting, including educating teens about the legal ramifications of sexting.  At Spring Ridge Academy, we teach our students the dangers regarding the internet including sexting.  We encourage all parents to discuss this important issue with their teens.  For more information, go to the article No Safe Sext in Psychology Today.