STDs have become a significant problem in our society largely due to lack of education about their danger. Young people aren't aware that many prolific STDs actually have effective treatments or cures. They may not get access to these treatments because of the stigma surrounding STDs.
Millions more simply aren't aware of how to protect themselves from STDs. Education is key to protecting yourself from deadly diseases. With the right information, people are better able to treat illnesses they've contracted and avoided giving them to other people. This article is all about how to avoid contracting a potentially deadly disease from your sexual partner or partners.
Use a Condom The single greatest strategy for protecting yourself from contracting a sexually transmitted disease is to wear a condom. Not only does this form of protection protect you and your partner from unwanted pregnancies, it shields you from potentially deadly diseases like AIDS, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
Condoms are cheap, easy to use, and incredibly effective. Both men and women should carry condoms on a regular basis especially if they are active with multiple partners at once. People can even get condoms for free at local clinics if they cannot afford to purchase them.
Get Tested for STDs Sometimes people spread disease simply because they are unaware that they have one. The best thing you can do is arm yourself with knowledge. Go to your local clinic, hospital, or try one of the numerous at-home testing kits and figure out if you have contracted a disease.
Knowledge of an infection can help prevent its spread. If you find that you have contracted something, be sure and contact all of the sexual partners that you have had to let them know they may have been exposed. If people are aware that they may have been infected, that gives them the chance to get tested on their own and potentially contact others who may have been effected.
Abstinence is the Best Policy Although it can be challenging, the best thing you can do to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain from having sex. Most people contract diseases because of risky sexual behavior with people they hardly know. Avoiding this type of behavior drastically reduces your chances of catching something. Abstinence should be taught from an early age.
Your best bet is to only have sexual relations with people whom you know well and trust. Sometimes people contract diseases from people who were once clean but are being exposed to other partners behind the other person's back.
Sexually transmitted diseases are a public health concern because many of them are deadly. Fortunately medical technology has advanced to the point where many of these conditions are curable. The real problem is that people simply don't know they have been infected, they are unaware that conditions are treatable, or they cannot afford the care that they need.
Public health and education programs can go a long way to educating people on STDs, their dangers, and how they can be managed.