New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill banning gay-reparative therapy for minors and making the state the second in the nation, after California, to outlaw the practice. Saying government should “tread carefully” when it limits parents’ choices for the care and treatment of their own children, Governor Christie said he “reluctantly” signed the bill, because expert consensus says the practice – increases the health risks to gay teens, including depression, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts. Sadly, it is true that children who experience some form of (ssa) same-sex attraction are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. Yet, the overwhelming majority of these children have never had any form of reparative therapy. In addition, the majority of ssa children carry their mental disorders into adulthood. According to the CDC: research has found that, compared to other men, MSM (men who have sex with men) are at increased risk of:
Major depression during adolescence and adulthood;
Bipolar disorder; and
Generalized anxiety disorder during adolescence and adulthood.
MSM are also at greater risk for other health threats that often occur in conjunction with mental health problems (i.e., co-morbidities). These include greater use of illegal drugs and a greater risk for suicide. For example, MSM are more likely than other men to have attempted suicide and to have successfully completed a suicide attempt. Therefore, none of the increased mental problems among homosexuals has anything to do with reparative therapy; it has to do with the inherent unhappiness that comes along with the desire for homosexual relations. Because, the proclivity for ssa is a symptom of an underlying neurosis; usually having something to do with past abuse or a dysfunctional family relationship. A study by Dr. Gary Remafedi revealed that 61% of self-identified gay teens who had attempted suicide had a history of sexual abuse. But, because the gay lobby is so intent on gaining new members, and the liberal heterosexual world is obsessed with being politically dense, no one ever looks any deeper into the minds of these kids. It’s beyond tragic.