“Are there any STIs you can’t get tested for?”

When you get tested for STIs it doesn’t mean you’re getting tested for all STIs. Usually when you get tested, your provider will test you for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and maybe HIV.

You might wanna get HPV testing if you have a cervix, or you may just get Pap tests, which look for problems caused by HPV.  If you’ve got a penis, you can’t get tested for HPV, but you can get vaccinated.

If you think you’ve been exposed to another STD or have symptoms, talk with your doctor or nurse — they’ll let you know what tests you might need.

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Happy #CondomMonth! 🎉🎈

Need free condoms? Find a MS Clinic near you and get hooked up: www.factnotfiction.com/clinic-finder

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“Will drinking affect my birth control?”

Great question! Let’s break this down:

• Alcohol won’t affect the way the IUD, implant, ring or patch works.
• Alcohol doesn’t change the effectiveness of the shot.
• Alcohol will only affect the pill if you throw it up because of drinking, or you drink so much that you forget to take it. (Drinking that much alcohol can be dangerous, so please be careful and be smart.)

Even though alcohol doesn’t mess with your birth control, mixing alcohol and sexual activities can be dangerous. Alcohol can cloud your judgment and make you do things you normally wouldn’t do sober (consent = a must). It can also make you forget to use a condom (or use one incorrectly), which can leave you susceptible to STIs and unplanned pregnancy.

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Don’t forget to #PinchTheTip! If the condom does not have a reservoir tip, pinch the tip enough to leave a half-inch space for semen to collect.

#ThingsThatMakeYourCondomsWorkBetter

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Other things it’s good to double up on: pencils before a test, chewing gum or the amount of Netflix episodes you watch on the weekends…

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I’ve reached a point in life where everyone thinks they’re so in love and condom-less sex is the way to prove how much you love and trust the other person. I have peers and even a few friends who are “ready” to go to the next level in their relationships. Honestly, it saddens me, and I don’t quite understand the thought process behind them arriving at this conclusion.

A lot of people don’t protect themselves, and it’s not from ignorance of contraceptives. I wonder where this train of thought comes from. Is it because our friends talk about things we’ve never experienced so we try for ourselves? Did your boyfriend whisper sweet nothings in your ear telling you you’ll always be together and you believed him? Or do you think, like my friends and have decided that you’re old enough to go to the next level with your mate—sex without protection?

Regardless of what might have triggered the thought process, it is never OK to ignore our health. Each time we come in contact with someone sexually, we stand the chance of compromising our health. If you’re going to be sexually active, you have to love yourself enough to protect yourself.

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No, they don’t…!

The most common STI symptom is NO symptom which is why it’s
important to get tested if you’ve had unprotected vaginal, anal, or
oral sex. And just because you don’t notice any symptoms doesn’t mean
it’s not causing harm to your body, so getting treatment is still
important.

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It’s New Year’s Eve! Don’t be early to the party like this guy.

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We would not dare judge someone for going to the gym to work out to maintain a healthy body. We would
not dare judge someone for taking vitamins every day. We would not dare judge someone for ordering a salad. But the same does not go for those that seek condoms and birth control. Why do we commend those who exercise, eat right, and take care of their bodies but shame those who use birth control and condoms?
They are all the same thing because the use of condoms and birth control betters our health.

I get it. Condoms and birth control are not considered normal by many people, especially in the
conservative South where I come from. Despite this stigma, 96 percent of sexually experienced females have used condoms at least once and 56 percent have used the birth control pill. We see that the use of  various contraceptive methods are not uncommon among young women, and they only benefit from having access to such protection. However, I have friends who are denied birth control pills from their parents because they believe their children are supposedly too young to have sex. I know boys who cannot go into our local Walgreens to buy condoms because they are made to feel ashamed by store workers and adults in the store. By attaching stigma to young people seeking contraceptives, we are doing a disservice to the health of our youth.

We need to wake up and realize that sex is something that is natural and going to happen for the vast majority of people at some point in their life. Many teens are going to do it, if they aren’t already sexually active. It is inevitable. As people begin to cope with teenagers having sex, we also need to understand that if we do not want unplanned teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, then contraceptives need to be seen as normal and acceptable. If we want people to make healthy decisions, then going to buy condoms and using birth control should be viewed as a smart decision and something that is commendable. If
people do not start seeing the use of contraceptives as normal, then we will never get rid of unintended pregnancies and STDs running throughout our communities.

The use of birth control and condoms needs to be seen as normal as going to the gym, eating a salad, or taking daily vitamins. After all, once someone has chosen to be sexually active, the use of contraceptives is, indeed, a healthy choice.

The post Hey you: There’s no shame in carrying condoms or birth control. appeared first on Fact Not Fiction.

These birth control methods don’t protect against STIs, so you should double up with condoms, too. (Get free condoms at a MS Health Dept. Clinic near you by using our Health Center locator!)

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