Living With an STD

You’ve just received your test results…and you have a sexually transmitted disease. While some STDs can be cured quickly, and many can be treated, the emotions that follow may be tougher to face. First and foremost, know that having an STD does not make you “bad” or “dirty.” STDs result from bacteria, viruses or parasites that are passed from one person to another. What this means is that SOMEONE ELSE passed an STD on to you. You “caught” it from a partner, much as you might catch the chicken pox! Once you are diagnosed with an STD, you’ll talk to your doctor about the next steps. Some STDs, like syphilis, Chlamydia, and gonorrhea can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics, which means they will no longer live in your body. Other STDs will remain in your body for a lifetime, but their symptoms can be treated. These diseases include, but are not limited to, HPV, or genital warts and HSV, or herpes. If you have a “forever” STD, you may need to take medication either daily, or when your infection is active, for the rest of your life. You must also be aware that having one STD makes you much more vulnerable to infections from others. For this reason, it’s vital that you engage in regular STD screening. There’s another person you’ll need to talk to, and that’s your partner. Having sex without disclosing your STD status to him or her is not acceptable.  You may be worried about the reaction you’ll receive, but you need to remember that your partner deserves the opportunity to know his or her risk in sleeping with you. If you DO decide to have sexual relations while infected with an STD, it is vital to use protection, EVERY TIME. Aside from abstinence, the only method that can help to protect against STD transmission is the male latex condom, or the female condom. While these methods will offer SOME protection against the transfer of STDs, realize that they are NOT 100 percent effective, and an infection can still be transferred while using them. STDs that have physical symptoms, such as genital warts and herpes, are much more likely to be spread when a person is having an outbreak. For this reason, you might want to stick to cuddling when you’re experiencing STD lesions. But as with all STDs, those that produce lesions can be infectious, even when an outbreak is not present. … yet another good case for using a condom! If you’re one of the millions of Americans living with an STD, you may find it helpful to reach out to a support group in your area. Individual and couples counseling may also help. Living with an STD can be frustrating, but it does not have to stop you from having a healthy, fulfilling sex life. Remember to talk to your doctor AND your partner about the best way to prevent transmitting STDs.