Uh oh, you just found out you have an STD! You may not have been expecting it at all. Maybe you’ve noticed a few strange symptoms. Or maybe someone even told you that you should probably get tested. Once you find out that news, it can be frustrating and even scary the first time it happens.

But the truth is, it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Getting tested and finding out the news is just a part of life and a part of dating. Most people who are single are at high risk of getting an STI, which means they either have one, have one but don’t know it yet, or just narrowly avoided getting one because they used a condom.

Statistically speaking, however, a large number of the population already has an STD and admits it, while an even higher number have not been tested and just assume they don’t have anything.

So if you have just found out about a positive STI test result, relax. It’s not a big deal and it doesn’t have to affect your sex life at all. In this article, we’re going to take you through the whole process.

Are People Afraid of STDs?

The problem is not nearly as bad as you might think. Sure, it’s natural to feel embarrassed after a surprise diagnoses. But what you might not realize is that many people catch STDs every year. Some statistics report that one in five Americans have an STD – and many people don’t even know they have one!

On one hand, it would be dishonest to say that nobody cares and it’s not a big deal to anyone. Well, that’s not true. There are some people who won’t date anyone that has an STD. There are also people who won’t date anyone unless they get tested first, before any sex happens. This makes sense because often times, you really don’t know if you have an STD unless you get tested.

Why Did You Contract an STD, Anyway?

Some people are left confused on how exactly they got an STD. After all, once you get the test result back, there’s not much explanation besides the fact that you got it. First off, take infamous advice of a famous TV doctor and believe that “everybody lies.”

If you had unprotected sex with someone, even someone you trusted like a boyfriend/girlfriend, an ex, or a one-night stand, then that is the most logical explanation for what happened. Not only do some people lie about their STD status, but some people literally may be ignorant of new STDs they just got – because their partners never told them the truth.

Remember also that some STDs don’t show signs at all, and may even seem like they’r dormant. You don’t realize you have it until you get tested.

How Will This Change Your Sex Life?

It may change in some regard. For example, you may not want to have unprotected sex with strangers anymore, not only because of a high risk of STIs, but also because you don’t want to give the STD to someone else. Additionally, some people will want to know if you have an STD before dating.

However, not everyone is this close-minded. Some people will be OK dating you, as long as you use a condom during sex. Condoms have an almost perfect rate of protection against STDs. In order to significantly reduce the risk of transmission, always have the man (or you!) put the condom on when fully aroused, and not take it off until you’re finished.

For that matter, avoid oral sex without oral protection. A fairly common reason why people still get STDs – even during protected sex – is that the condom falls off, or it’s used incorrectly. A hole tearing through the condom can also spread an STD.

There’s No Need to Feel Guilty or Dirty

Finally, realize that everyone who has sex with a new partner on a semi-regular basis is at a much higher risk of contracting an STD. It’s unavoidable that you are always at risk, because the more partners you have (even spread over a lifetime) the higher chance of exposure.

That doesn’t mean anything about being “dirty”, nor should you feel shame. Just because someone has managed to avoid getting an STD, says nothing about their morals. Anyone can get an STD, sometimes when they least expect it – and oftentimes, from someone they trusted too soon.

Dating Apps to the Rescue

In closing, remember that most people really don’t care about your STD status, and if they do, you can easily filter your search using a modern interracial dating app or even joining a dating website where all users openly admit to having a certain STD.

There is no reason to be superstitious about STDs the way people used to be, considering that there are now treatment options for symptoms, cures for some diseases, and vaccinations that can prevent STDs from happening. Why not take a realistic and scientific view of the matter? You may find that STD dating is not a big deal and once everything is out in the open, it takes away a lot of that social pressure!

Can you get HIV from kissing is one of the most frequently asked questions by the people. So, is this true? Can you really get HIV from kissing? There are a lot of misconceptions about how HIV is actually transmitted. One of these misconceptions includes getting HIV from kissing. Let’s dive into detail about what actually is HIV and how it can be transmitted.

What Is HIV?

HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a kind of virus that enters the body and attacks the immune system of human beings. This virus can be transmitted from one person to another. But, your daily routine activities cannot result in the transmitting of this deadly virus in your body.
There are specific body fluids that result in the transmission of HIV from one person to another. These body fluids include semen, blood, anal fluid, vaginal fluid, and breast milk. What’s important to note here is that HIV cannot be transmitted through urine, feces, skin, sweat, or saliva.

How Is HIV Transmitted?

One of the most common ways through which HIV can spread to another human being is through intercourse. When you have unprotected intercourse with someone suffering from this deadly virus, the risk of transmission of HIV can increase. Any type of intercourse that is not protected increases the risks of the transmission of this deadly virus. Apart from having unprotected intercourse, HIV can also be transmitted from one human being to another is by sharing needles, and using the blood containing HIV. Pregnant women suffering from HIV can also transmit this virus to their unborn babies. When HIV infected mothers breastfeed their babies with milk, this can also lead to the transmission of the disease.

Can A Person Transmit HIV Through Kissing?

As established above, HIV cannot be transmitted through saliva. Therefore, it cannot be transmitted through kissing as there is no HIV present in saliva. Even though the mouth contains a mucous membrane through which HIV can be transmitted, but there are no cells present in the mouth that are vulnerable to HIV. Therefore, kissing a person who is suffering from HIV will not make the disease transmit to you.
According to the report published by the Centers for Disease Control, HIV cannot be transmitted to another person through closed-mouth kissing or the exchange of saliva as well. But, there has been one extreme case in which HIV was actually transmitted to another person through kissing. The findings of the report concluded that although deep or open-mouth kissing possesses a very low risk of the spread of HIV, there has been one documented case where a person actually became infected with HIV through kissing.
So, it clears the misconception that you can get HIV from kissing. Getting HIV from just a kiss is only a myth that needs not to be believed. HIV is only transmitted to one person from another through some specific body fluids such as blood or semen and saliva is not one of them.

Living with a potentially fatal, life-long condition is not easy, to say the least. Once such a diagnosis has been made it can take a long time to accept it. Getting used to daily medication and having to make big lifestyle changes that will hopefully give you the best chance at the longest life possible can be traumatizing and it can seem like an insurmountable problem. The fact is, the problem is there and you have to solve it. Having the right support system is crucial at this time. Loved ones and family members can make things easier to bear but unless they have the same condition it is often difficult for them to fully understand your thoughts, emotions and fears. A community of people and friends with the same condition will comprehend your situation in a completely different way and offer a different kind of support.
HIV is one such condition. Sadly, HIV often has a stigma that comes with it and having friends with HIV is often exactly what you need to help you cope but where to find these friends? Many people turn to the internet and you can indeed meet HIV friends online.

Chat rooms

There are multiple chat rooms open to people living with HIV and some of these also function as online support groups. If you are going to join an online chat room or support group make sure it is a reputable one and that they will protect your personal information and privacy. If you have found a trustworthy group it is definitely a good idea to join. The individuals and groups in these chat rooms can provide you with emotional support you truly need as they are either going through the same emotions or they have already learned how to cope with it and can guide you on your way.

Dating sites

HIV can cause some problems when it comes to dating but this condition does not change a person’s want to make meaningful and potentially long-term romantic connections. Luckily there are dating websites that specifically cater to people with HIV/AIDS. As with the chat rooms, make sure you use a trustworthy site before you join one and give them your personal information.

Blogs

If you are not comfortable with meeting people online then you can also find support in the form of blogs. There are various blogs that focus on HIV/AIDS. Some are very technical and academic in nature and focus on giving you the newest and best information on the nature of the virus, its effect and the research connected with it. Other blogs are personal stories as well as news updates. They are more personal in nature are there to inspire others by sharing their own personal struggles and victories while living with the condition. Some blogs focus on specific audiences, like women and girls, and provide a platform for them to blog about their experience within their social environment. These blogs are a great source of information, motivation, inspiration and support to those living with HIV.

There are many misconceptions about what HIV is, yet it is one of the deadliest diseases known to man these days. According to Global Statistics, there are 1.7 million individuals worldwide that are infected per year. HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is actually not a disease but a virus. The virus itself causes AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Mobile phones, skin, chairs, water and even the air we breathe consist of millions of bacteria which is filtered by our immune system consistently. What AIDs do is destroy our immune system, thus exposing us to diseases and infections that ultimately kills us.

• 1. One of the signs of HIV is rapid weight loss without a known cause. As time progresses, the virus continues to spread throughout your bodily systems. This actively triggers the accumulation of white blood cells (or immune cells), constantly expending energy to resist bacterial infections from progressing further and worsen.
• 2. Fever or fatigue. The accumulation of immune cells leads to inflammatory responses causing radiating pain and increase in temperature. The infected cells are also equally responsible as they continue to proliferate or produce the virus that has hijacked it’s cellular replication system. Viruses proteins and DNA are being produced and assembled to continuously infect other cells until the host dies.
• 3. Sore throat, cough, sickness, aching muscles, and other common infections. Although your body is producing cells, the virus will not allow your immunity to maintain on a stable level. After a while, various sicknesses and infections become more common as a sign that the AIDs is worsening.
• 4. Purple spots, bruising or bleeding from orifices is another common symptom of HIV/AIDs patient. These are not related to trauma or anything prior that may occur upon infection of HIV. Bleeding could occur as easily from brushing one’s teeth while bruising are symptomatic of immune system overworking the defense mechanism.
• 5. Lastly, swollen nodes behind your neck (a lump forming behind the back of the ear lobe) or groin areas are one of the obvious symptoms. These are some of the spots that are very significant in early detection to late infection, Lymph nodes are a region when the immune cells are being regularly accumulated, where it actively fights off infections or diseases. You can feel the lumps with your bare fingers.

It is unfortunate for you, loved ones or anyone to suffer from such a chronic disease. Our understanding of HIV and research efforts in finding a cure it still in progress. Though, there are many safety precautions you can make as a HIV carrier, AIDs infected patient or an uninfected individual from further spreading the disease. As prevention is better than cure, start following safety precautions as your lives are your responsibility. Going for regular medical checkups are also a recommended practice to those who are sexually active. Studies shown that the highest rate of occurrences of HIV is between 20 to 24 years of age followed by 13 to 24 years old.

The human immunodeficiency viruses are two species of Lentivirus that causes HIV infection. HIV is a virus that damages the immune system. This causes many infecti0ons and viruses. HIV Dating is not a common term used in the day to day life. It is different from how you mainly date people. Therefore, here are some simple steps which would help you in dating someone who has HIV.

People with HIV think that it is difficult to consider dating since they feel less attractive or less engaging than normal people. It is imperative to recollect the thought that there is significantly more to you than your HIV. Your HIV status should be not an impression towards low self-esteem; do whatever it takes not to give it a chance to influence your norms. You don’t need to “settle” for being separated from everyone else or being with an individual who isn’t right for you since you are living with HIV.

To start off with, you should tell the other person about your illness. There is not certain way to tell someone about HIV. You should not beat around the bush. You should just tell the other person about it with love and be smooth about it. The time if disclosure does not depend, if a person can accept your status he will stay or else he will go, but it must be before sex.
This brings me to the fact that if you are looking for potential patterners who would accept the illness there are a number of online sites which help people in dating. It is similar to what the regular online dating is you sign up and wait for a match.

You should always have a safe sex. Rehearsing more secure sex includes comprehending what organic liquids can spread explicitly transmitted diseases, what sexual exercises are unsafe for every individual, and how you can make the intercourse less dangerous. Using condom is a way of having safer sex. There are two types of condoms. Male and female condoms, the former made from rubber or latex and the latter is made of polyurethane or polyisoprene. Female condoms only prevent pregnancy. It is the male condom which prevents from transmission of HIV. So, you should always use 3 layered latex condoms. Furthermore, using drugs to prevent transmission of HIV is also very necessary.

Getting advice from those who are already in HIV Dating is really important as they can help you with giving you real life advices and by sharing experiences. You can ask about how to discuss this with your partner and the measures to take.

Be set up for dismissal. Remember that dating is a procedure of finding the correct individual for you. Regardless of whether you are living with HIV, dating quite often incorporates some dismissal and nearly everybody keeps running for trying to find that extraordinary individual!

Do not get dishearten when you face rejection. They probably never deserved you. Keep your hopes high and you will find someone

HIV is a virus that is spread among bodily fluids, especially during sex. A lot of rumors and fear has been generated about HIV since it was discovered. People have become far more accepting of those who have HIV. At the same time, many are still unsure if they would date someone with HIV. So should you?

We don’t pick and choose who we fall in love with and if you happen to fall in love with someone who has HIV, that is just fine. HIV by itself is not a reason to break up with someone. Especially if you really like them. Yes, HIV is a virus. But that doesn’t mean it is a reason to tear both yourself and the partner apart.
At the same time, it may be a shock to learn that someone you like has HIV. It is important that you talk about your partner’s status and you do your best to learn all you can about it. If you don’t learn about HIV it can be dangerous, being informed will help you to protect yourself and your health.

The first thing that you need to do is learn to protect yourself. HIV is spread through sexual contact and wearing condoms is a must. Being careful around blood and other bodily fluids is also important.

Someone who is open and forward about their HIV is likely a partner that you can trust. They know what is important and despite the fact that they might be uncomfortable talking about their status, they do anyways. You don’t want to have someone tell you that they are HIV positive a year into the relationship or after the first time you have had sex. This can be dangerous and it also shows that they don’t trust you.

That is all assuming that you are already dating the person who has HIV. If you are looking at people to date, it comes down to how you personally feel about dating someone with HIV. Dating someone with HIV means that you constantly need to protect yourself when having sexual contact and does mean that your partner has a fair chance of potential health problems.

In many cases it is best to look at each person on a case by case basis. There are some people who receive treatment for their HIV and can live normal lives. As long as they are on the right medication the risk of spreading HIV via sex is very low, meaning that sex with a condom is far safer than most people think.

You would be surprised by how many people in today’s world are happy to date someone with HIV. HIV isn’t a death sentence and people are starting to know that. This is especially true since there is far more HIV and other STD education out there.

Before deciding for yourself, we highly recommend that you take the time to research HIV a little. That way you can make an informed decision, just like many other people around the world. You can find a large variety of reliable resources on all STDs on the internet.

Dating someone with HIV is not much different than dating someone without HIV. You just have to be more cautious and be informed. Other than that, you can have loving relationships with people who have HIV and even at times completely forget that your partner has HIV. So why shouldn’t you give them a try? You never know when you might find the love of your life and what they might have.

If you have HIV then you should know that it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find someone who loves you. The World Health Organization estimates that up to half of all people diagnosed with HIV manage to maintain healthy and loving relationships with HIV-negative partners. If you find out your girlfriend has HIV, here are some things you should know – and some ways to protect yourself.

How is HIV Transmitted?

One reason there is so much stigma around HIV is that people misunderstand how it is transmitted. It is passed through semen, vaginal fluids, and blood. HIV can also enter the body through cuts on skin and in the mouth. It can also be transmitted through;

• Having unprotected anal/vaginal sex (75% chance) or unprotected oral sex (3-7% chance)
• Receiving a blood transfusion from an HIV-positive person
• Sharing needles with someone with HIV
• Perinatal (vertical) route

Unprotected sex remains the most common way of contracting HIV, but wearing a condom during sex drastically decreases the risk. It’s possible for a nursing mother to infect their baby through their breast milk, but medication significantly reduces this risk.

How to Tell if you Have HIV

The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to be tested. While you might experience some of the symptoms of HIV, testing remains the only way to know for sure. There are even some people who have HIV for years without realizing it because they don’t experience any symptoms. If you’re worried that your partner may have infected you then you should get tested even if you don’t have any symptoms. There are a few different tests available for HIV, including;

• Antibody screening test
• Antibody/antigen combination test
• RNA test
• Home testing kits

How to Protect Yourself

The best ways to protect yourself from catching HIV are to practice safe sex or abstinence. Obviously, abstinence isn’t something you can do in a loving relationship. Being faithful to your partner is another way to reduce the chances of catching the disease, as it reduces your exposure to it. Condoms remain the most effective way to prevent yourself from getting HIV. They are effective when used properly, so make sure to get ones that are the right size. Also make sure that you use a different condom every time you have intercourse, and put a condom on before any kind of sexual contact with your partner.

How to Help your HIV Positive Partner

There are lots of things you can do to make things easier on your partner if they have HIV, including:

Listen to Them

If someone tells you that they have HIV, make sure that you listen to them and be supportive. Having HIV isn’t a death sentence. There are lots of effective drugs out there to treat HIV. They keep your partner healthy and reduce the risk of you being infected yourself.

Get Informed

Learn more about HIV. Learn what it is, how it is transmitted, the symptoms of having HIV, and how it can be treated. Find out how to keep your partner happy and healthy and how to protect yourself and prevent infection.

Offer Encouragement

You should encourage your partner when they tell you about their HIV. This includes encouraging them to seek treatment if they haven’t already. The earlier that HIV is treated, the less risk of the infected person developing an infection. This reduces their risk of developing AIDS and helps them stay healthy in the long-term.

Make Sure they Take their Medications

Given that HIV attacks the immune system, it makes it hard for the body to properly fight infections. Make sure that your partner keeps up with their medication regimen and that they eat a balanced, healthy diet.

Get Support

There’s a lot of support out there for people with HIV and their partners. Talk to your friends and family too. Share your thoughts and concerns about your partner and their disease. Talk to your physician if you have any questions about it. Get all the support that you need to stay physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy.

HIV Isn’t the End

It’s important to remember that HIV isn’t the end. It’s not the end of a relationship, and it’s not the end of a life. Many couples have stayed together for decades after an HIV diagnosis. It is possible to live and love life to the fullest when you – or your partner – has HIV.