What Your Partner Might Not Be Telling You
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise. This is not up for debate or an assumption, it is a cold, hard, and terrifying truth. Whether you want to face the facts or not doesn’t really matter because either way, a quarter of all Americans are currently living with an incurable STD.
To put this into perspective, if you are sitting in your class or attending a meeting and there are 20 people in the room, then statistically speaking, five of them are actively living with an STD. What is even more terrifying is that a few of them probably don’t even know it.
STDs Can Affect Anyone at Anytime
There is likely many of you reading this right now who are thinking that this only applies to people who are sexually active with multiple partners. Well, think again because it only takes one infected partner to make you a card-carrying member of the STD club, which is absolutely not a club that you want to be a part of.
Despite what some people think, people who are living with an STD do not become secluded from the rest of society or are somehow marked, so everyone knows they have an STD. In fact, in the vast majority of cases, there is no legal requirement to tell someone that you are infected with an STD. So that cute guy or girl might seem like the perfect person to spend Valentine’s Day with, but in actuality, they could also very well be in possession of HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, or other forms of STD or sexually transmitted infection (STI).
What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
Individuals who are in a committed relationship tend to believe they are safe from the risk of developing an STD, but sadly this is not the case. Almost 90 percent of all people with genital herpes do not realize they have it. It’s possible your partner is infected, and they do not even know it.
This can mainly be chalked up to a lack of visible symptoms, as well as, not enough people getting tested for STDs on a regular basis. Those people who do get tested for STDs on a fairly regular basis are often only getting tested for three or four of the many different STDs that exist. That’s like being a football player who only wears a helmet and cleats. Sure, it is offering you some protection, but if you are going to do something, then you should do it wholeheartedly.
As you get close with your significant other, especially if you are a younger couple between the ages of 18-25, be aware there could potentially be a dark looming secret between you that can ruin more than just your evening. Remember, just because he says he loves you and tells you to trust him does mean you’re safe from an STD.
Find out the truth as soon as possible by suggesting that both you and your partner get tested right away. Implying that you should get tested is not a bad thing, and the negative connotation that is attached to it is totally unjustified. In reality, you are just trying to ensure both you and the person you love are living a healthy, disease-free life.
If the test comes back positive for one or even both of you, it isn’t the end of the world. Many individuals with an STD go on to have very fulfilling romantic relationships. Just knowing that one of you has an STD can significantly benefit your life. Studies have shown the average time for transmission of an STD was 60 days for those that weren’t aware their partner had one, compared to 270 days for those who did know.
With all of this information, it is hard to come up with a reason NOT to get tested as soon as possible. Give yourself some peace of mind by getting tested for an STD today.
