Adolescents have been encouraged to abstain from sexual activities as abstinence is the best form of protection against unwanted pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Mr. Reginald Ankrah, a Social Welfare Development Officer, at the Tema Metropolitan Social Welfare and Community Development Office, who gave the encouragement, said all forms of protection methods have their own side effects. He said this at a mental health and sexual reproductive health education programme organized by his outfit in collaboration with the YAH-Salem Foundation under the theme: 'Mental Health is a Universal Human Right.' He said adolescence was not a period to be experimenting with sex, as it has dire consequences for both boys and girls, especially their education and future careers. According to him, most often people only think about the consequences for girls due to pregnancy, stating that both girls and boys engaging in sexual activities could be infected with STDs and drop out of school. Mr. Ankrah said it was worrying to see the high number of teenage pregnancies being recorded in the district, with most coming from Tema Manhean, hence his outfit's decision to carry out education and sensitize the young ones to make a conscious effort to choose abstinence over sex Mr. Innocent Funn, the National Clinical Psychologist for the SOS Children's Villages, reiterated in a presentation that no contraception use was better than abstinence, as they could fail in addition to its side effects. Mr. Funn said some of the side effects of contraceptives were heavy menstrual flow, mood swings, increased vaginal discharges, irregular bleeding, and insulin resistance, among others. He urged the youth to reframe their minds whenever thoughts of sex come into their minds by reading, engaging in sporting activities, and avoiding triggers such as pornographic movies and materials. He advised them to adopt the ABC method, which has abstinence at its apex, stating that the youth must set for themselves values, educate themselves well on the consequences of sex, be self-controlled, avoid risky situations, and seek professional help when needed. The clinical psychologist also said they must be faithful to themselves as young people by thinking and focusing about their future, adding that, the youth should not be covetous as that could push them into immoral activities. Mrs. Mary Adu Sarfo, the Executive Director of YAH-Salem Foundation, told the Ghana News Agency that the organization decided to partner with social welfare as a way of bringing change to society. Mrs. Sarfo said there had been a lot of reports in the media on spousal killings, which they believed had some links with mental health, adding that, such persons did not just grow up into spousal murderers but rather might have some form of mental distress right from their young age. She said tackling mental health at a younger age would help people grow up into adults who would take their mental health very seriously and seek help when needed instead of allowing themselves to be overwhelmed by problems.

Source: Ghana News Agency