Of all the negative things that often accompany an STD diagnosis, there’s one positive gain that seems to hold true for nearly all of those affected: empathy. While I can think of a number of more desirable ways to attain empathy or the ability to understand how someone else might be feeling, it’s an inevitable […]
HSV2 at 15 Years Old – A Better Outlook – STI Interviews
High school is tough enough as it is – a dysfunctional right of passage, if you will – then couple that with contracting a taboo infection, and it’s no wonder so many teens find themselves struggling to build confidence or an identity not already embroiled in socially delegated stigma. I was one of those teens, […]
Dealing with Multiple STDs and Depression – STI Interviews
On first read, it might seem improbable someone could contract more than one STD at a time, but the reality is it’s quite common. Remember, once someone has contracted one infection, they are at a higher risk of contracting additional infections. Couple that with the inability to test for all STDs and how often they […]
Safer Sex: Are Condoms the Man’s Responsibility?!
A-HEM! (Prepare yourself: safer sex rant to follow…) Having heard a lot (a-hem, too much) of this lately, there’s one sexual health myth needing my immediate attention. Some folks, and, by some, I mean those who are in heterosexual relationships, in particular, believe it is the man’s responsibility to buy condoms or bring them along […]
HSV2 & Chlamydia – I’m Feeling Pretty Alone – STI Interviews
From our initial email exchange as a result of her anonymous submission via the contact form to the interviewee’s follow-up message describing ‘The Talk’ she had with a new beau, this reader experienced the full range of emotions that often accompanies an STD diagnosis. What’s more, from being alone literally and figuratively after her late […]
HSV2 & HPV – Learning How to Deal with a New Type of Anxiety – STI Interviews
This interviewee reached out to me directly via the contact form. After exchanging a couple of emails, she asked how she could help and/or support The STI Project, so we asked her to share her story. What follows is a remarkable and insightful look into dating with an STD, the mental battle one undergoes when […]
Chlamydia, HPV, and HSV2 – STI Interviews
As an anonymous submission via the contact form, this interview touches on some pertinent issues which affect all of us who’ve contracted an STD – no matter the type of sexually transmitted infection. Across the board, stigma negatively affects all of us, and a lack of education surrounding the pathophysiology behind these infections sometimes elicits […]
HSV2 – Accepting the Virus, the Flaws, All of Me – STI Interviews
This interview came in as an anonymous submission via the contact form. The author tells a beautiful story of how an HSV2 diagnosis has helped her reflect upon her past, and how her infection has inspired some necessary, positive and self-empowering introspection. As I put these interviews together, I find most remarkable the similarities in […]
