STD/STI Awareness with Erin and Alysia

It is estimated by the CDC that youth ages 15-24 make up half of the 20 million new STI infections that occur every year. Although they only make up a little over a quarter of the sexually active population (cdc.gov). It's important for everyone to have knowledge regarding STD's/STI's. This campaign webpage serves as a place for individuals to gain resources and knowledge on sexually transmitted diseases, prevention, and more.

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What Is a STD?

A STD, or sexually transmitted disease, are diseases/infections that are transmitted through sexual relations. This includes oral, vaginal, and anal sex. Leaving these untreated can cause bad impacts on one’s health and many go for long periods of time before they start seeing symptoms. This is why it is important to get tested as well as know and utilize prevention methods. STD’s are very common and can be transmitted to anyone (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex). So, never believe that there isn’t a chance of contraction if you have engaged in any type of intercourse.

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Left untreated STDs can...

"cause many harmful, often irreversible, and costly clinical complications, such as:

Reproductive health problems

Fetal and perinatal health problems

Cancer

Facilitation of the sexual transmission of HIV infection”

(https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/sexually-transmitted-diseases)

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What if I test positive for a STD?

If you test positive to an STD:

- Abstain from sex until it is safe to do so

- If the STD is treatable, get started on treatment and finish it out till the end (even if your starting to feel better). 

- If the STD is untreatable, talk with your doctor or healthcare provider about your next steps. Sexually transmitted diseases like herpes and HIV are not curable however you can take medications to treat symptoms. In addition, there are ways to live with an STD and still responsibly be involved with romantically, so, if this is an issue talk with your doctor on what you could do. Additionally, have this conversation with anyone you are or will be involved with going forward. 

(https://www.cdc.gov/std/life-stages-populations/stdfact-teens.htm)

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Getting Tested for STDs

Getting tested for STDs is nothing to be worried about. It’s important to do for your health and many health clinics can get it done in a way that is confidential and low cost or even free. Go this website  to find locations near you that you can find testing. 

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My partner doesn’t think we need to use a condom because neither of us has ever had sex. Is that true?

Someone asked us:

Hello I was wondering if you could help me. My partner and I are in high school and are talking about sex. We both never had it before. I am terrified about getting a STD. My partner claims you don’t need to use protection if you never had sex before and are a 100% you have no std. Is this true?

Here’s the deal: you still need to think about using a condom even if neither you nor your partner has ever “had sex” with anyone before. Why? Because some STDs (like HIV, herpes, and scabies) can also be passed in non-sexual ways. And different people have different definitions of “having sex,” which could mean the difference between having an STD or not.

Example: some people think oral sex counts as sex, and some other people don’t. So someone who has had oral sex before might say they’ve never had sex and were never at risk for STDs. But you actually can get an STD from oral sex.

So talk with your partner about what they mean when they say they’ve never had sex. And keep in mind that the only way to know for sure if either of you has an STD is to get tested.

Remember that condoms prevent pregnancy, too, so if that’s a concern for you, condoms come in real handy. In fact, most people use a condom the first time they have sex. (And FYI: Condoms + regular birth control? Ultra protection.)

-Emily at Planned Parenthood

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Preventing STD’s

 It’s important to know how to prevent obtaining an STD. Here are some guidelines that you can use to help yourself. 

- Abstain from oral, vaginal, and anal sex. Although this will not and does not have to be the case for everyone, this is the most sure fire way to avoid obtaining a sexually transmitted disease. 

- Utilize condoms. If used correctly every time, a condom can lessen the chances of you catching a STD. However, there are some diseases, such as herpes and HPV, that condoms do not protect you from. So, be aware of this. 

- Take part in sex with less people. If you are taking part in sexual intercourse with multiple people. Chances are, the people you are engaging with are also having sex with multiple others. Thus enhancing your chances of contracting an STD greatly. Agreeing to only have sex with one person and both getting tested before can be a reliable way to avoid harmful STDs. In addition, having conversations with your sex partner(s) about STDs and STD safety can be a way to find out  whether or not you are on the same page on the topic or not. 

- Get tested. It’s important to get tested to be sure you don’t have a STD if you are sexually active. If you test positive, take responsibility to let those who could have it know and abstain from sex until you can safely take part. 

(https://www.cdc.gov/std/prevention/lowdown/)

(https://tools.cdc.gov/medialibrary/index.aspx#/media/id/129448)

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What should I say if my partner tells me they have an STD?

Someone asked us: 

My new girlfriend told me she has genital herpes. I’m really scared of getting an STD and I’m not sure I want to date someone who has one, but I like her soooo much and I don’t want to hurt her. What do I say?

It’s okay to be worried about STDs, but your girlfriend’s herpes status doesn’t mean y’all can’t be together, or that you’ll definitely get it if you have sex. Medicines and safer sex can prevent the spread of herpes and keep both you and your girlfriend healthy. People with herpes can have sex, be in relationships, and live totally normal lives.

In reality, genital herpes, like oral herpes (AKA cold sores), is a skin condition that’s generally totally harmless. Unfortunately, there can be a lot of harmful shame and stigma around STDs, so try to keep in mind that this was probably a really hard thing for your girlfriend to tell you. And remember that she told you about it because she cares about you. She’s being responsible by talking about it so you can both protect your health.

So the best way to handle getting this kind of news is to put yourself in your partner’s shoes: how would you want someone to react if you told them you had an STD?

Here are a few things you can say:

Thank you for telling me. I’m sure it wasn’t easy, and I really appreciate your honesty.

This is kinda hard for me to hear right now, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you.

Don’t worry, I still really like you. 

Will you tell me more about what living with herpes is like?

I might need a little bit of time to process this. But that doesn’t mean I’m mad at you.

Can we go to a Planned Parenthood health center together and talk to a doctor or nurse? I want to know more about what it means to have herpes, and how I can avoid getting it.

It can be a little bit of a shock when someone tells you they have an STD, but you’re definitely not alone in this situation. About 1 in 6 people are living with genital herpes, so having this conversation is a fact of life for many. And most people with herpes don’t even know they have it. Since you know your girlfriend’s status, you can talk with each other and a nurse or doctor about ways to protect yourself.

Check out our video series to get more tips on talking about STDs and safer sex.

-Kendall at Planned Parenthood

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What’s the difference between a bacterial STD and a viral STD?

There are a bunch of different sexually transmitted infections, and most of them can be separated into two categories: STDs caused by bacteria, and STDs caused by viruses. The main difference between them is that bacterial STDs are curable, and viral STDs are not curable. But it gets a little more complicated than that.

Bacterial STDs include gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and trichomoniasis (trich). STDs caused by bacteria can be cured with medicine. This means that once the medicine has finished working, the infection is totally gone and you don’t have the STD anymore. But if you don’t get treated, they can lead to health problems (like infertility) in the future. And it’s possible to get a bacterial STD again — that’s why it’s important to get tested for STDs regularly.

Viral STDs include herpes, HPV, and HIV. STDs that are caused by viruses can live in your body forever. That may sound scary, but viral STDs don’t always cause serious health problems. And there are treatments that can help manage your symptoms and prevent the virus from spreading to other people. Some viral STDs can even go away on their own.

Herpes is a super common skin condition that can cause outbreaks of blisters, but it’s not dangerous. Most of the time there are no symptoms, or the symptoms aren’t noticeable, so lots of people don’t even know they have herpes. Herpes outbreaks are no fun, but the first one is the worst. Repeat outbreaks are usually shorter and less painful. Most people with herpes get fewer outbreaks as time goes on, and some stop having them altogether.  People who have herpes can take medicine to help prevent outbreaks and avoid spreading the virus to their partners.

HPV is a common virus that has lots of different types, or “strains.” Some strains cause genital warts, which can be annoying but aren’t dangerous. Other strains can lead to certain genital and oral cancers, especially cervical cancer. But regular Pap tests can spot any problems on your cervix before they become cancer, and HPV tests can find the types of HPV that can lead to cancer. The HPV vaccine is also a good way to prevent HPV. Most of the time, HPV goes away on its own and doesn’t cause any health problems.

HIV is a virus that hurts your immune system (your body’s defense against getting sick). When HIV damages your immune system, it’s easier to get really sick from things that normally wouldn’t affect you. Without treatment, HIV can lead to AIDS, which is when other illnesses can easily attack your body. There are medicines that people living with HIV can take to stay healthy, and lots of ways to avoid giving HIV to other people. There’s also a medicine you can take to help prevent HIV, called PrEP.

STDs don’t discriminate. Anybody who has sexual contact with another person can get an STD. That’s why getting tested for STDs regularly if you have sex is important — the sooner you know you have an infection, the sooner you can get treated. The good news is, most STDs are easy to cure or treat. And having safer sex can help prevent STDs.

-Kendall at Planned Parenthood

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The Importance of HIV Testing: “The threat is not in having the disease — it’s in not knowing you have the disease.”

“In 2016, I was a 22-year-old with no health insurance and the only place that would take me without extremely high fees for medical care was Planned Parenthood. I was not there for HIV testing, but they offered it to me anyway, for free. I never expected when they called me back a week later that anything was wrong, but my results came back positive for HIV. 

Naturally I was shocked. I was diagnosed in a different state than the state I was living in at the time, so it took a few weeks before I could get into treatment. I didn’t tell anyone about my diagnosis because I was worried about what they might think of me. At the same time, I was living in constant fear of what my life with HIV would look like. When I finally got back home to Florida and met with my doctor for the first time to go over my numbers he said “Your viral load isn’t great but it’s not bad. It’s good that you found out when you did because we can fix this.” And almost immediately, the weight of all my fears had lifted. 

I have a normal life. I am a graduate student. I have a beautiful man who loves me. I can still have children. I can travel. I can do any and everything I had planned for myself before I was diagnosed with HIV. People often think that HIV is life-threatening. But the threat is not in having the disease — it’s in not knowing you have the disease. Thanks to Planned Parenthood, I know, and that is how Planned Parenthood saved my life."  

— Jordyn, Las Vegas, NV

Getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have HIV, and it’s one of the best ways to keep yourself and your partners healthy. HIV tests are usually quick and painless — most of the time, all you have to do is rub your cheek with a cotton swab. 

The best part about HIV testing? Getting tested and knowing your status can really put your mind at ease, no matter the results. If you do find out you have HIV, you’ll be able to get the information you need to start treatment. There’s no cure for HIV, but there are medicines you can take to help you stay healthy and lower (or even stop) your chance of passing HIV to others. 

Having HIV does not make you “dirty” or a bad person, and it doesn’t mean your life is over. People living with HIV can be in relationships, have sex, and live full, healthy, happy lives with the right treatment and the support of friends and family. 

Lots of places offer free or low-cost HIV testing, like your local Planned Parenthood health center. 

Make an appointment to get tested today.

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