Wave of New STD Diagnosis ?

[hippyherpy]

I've mentioned it here before that I believe that we might be on the cusp of a massive rise of STD infections. This is due in part to YOLO attitudes about casual sex without condoms and the ease with which it is possible for people to hook-up.

 

Now that we have a celebrity like Charlie Sheen coming disclosing that has HIV, I think it's going to spark a larger conversation about what it means to have STDs and what the risks are.

 

I think this will be good to have real talk about everything because it will clean the cob webs out of the house of stigma.

 

Let's use this thread to discuss what I've mentioned above- evidence for an acceleration in infections of herpes or STDs in general, and how public perception of what having and STD is and what the risks are might be changing.

 

 

[hippyherpy]

Talk about timing, as I was writing that post, article of about CDC comes out..

 

 

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MED_CDC_STD_REPORT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-11-17-12-25-33

 

CHICAGO (AP) -- A U.S. sexually transmitted diseases epidemic is increasing and the most common infection, chlamydia, has risen to record levels, government officials say.

 

Reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis all increased in 2014. Chlamydia cases had dipped in 2013, but last year's total of more than 1.4 million - or 456 cases per 100,000 - was the highest number of annual cases of any condition ever reported to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The chlamydia rate was up almost 3 percent from 2013, the CDC reported Tuesday.

 

Sexually transmitted diseases are among more than 70 diseases that are reportable to the CDC, including measles, chickenpox and tuberculosis. Flu is reported differently, by hospitalizations.

 

"America's worsening STD epidemic is a clear call for better diagnosis, treatment, and prevention," said the CDC's Dr. Jonathan Mermin.

 

Gonorrhea cases totaled 350,062, up 5 percent from 2013, and the most contagious forms of syphilis jumped 15 percent to 20,000. As in previous years, the syphilis increase was mainly in gay and bisexual men.

 

Most gonorrhea and chlamydia infections were in 15- to 24-year-olds, an ongoing trend. Both can cause infertility in women but can be treated with antibiotics. They often have no symptoms, and while yearly screening is recommended for sexually active women younger than 25, many don't get tested and infections go untreated, the CDC said.

[2Legit2Quit]

Notice no mention of herpes though?

[hippyherpy]

Yeah, that's weird. It's probably because herpes isn't usually tested for or obvious.

 

I bet it is out there a lot more than we think

[mandymoon]

the things people say are so ignorant you know like they just perfection and have the nerve to say oh that's what happens when blah blah blah like wtf yes he was risky and I don't condone that but like I know he's not the only one obviously and he's nit less of a person either what your gonna say that to a child that was born that way because it wasn't his choice or that virgen that wanted it to be perfect you know it's like you give him his props and move on people think that juat because they don't come out with any trace of diseases they're just too smart it's like herpes and I'm sure a lot of those folk don't even get tested themselves. And I think it's because herpes goes everywhere not just an STD but an actual skin condition I'm not saying thault don't help and its right but for most that's what it is everything else is a whole nother ball field

[mandymoon]

there's so many ways you can catch it not just sexual

[mandymoon]

and people think because they air it out they're just advertising it to the world like its all fun and games and they're so proud. no idiots they're releasing the best way they know how so that people can live with these things because in life we just all deal with diseases in so many ways and there's nothing we can do. but he owes it to noone unless he sleeping with them or whatever to let it be known and to give awareness everyone has a past or is dealing with something and it can be ok

[2Legit2Quit]

@mandymoon did you comment in the right post? Lol

[mandymoon]

omg yes @legit lol I just had yo rant about the Charlie sheen thing and he mentioned it and I didn't want to start one so it was the right opportunity but it's not just hiv it's herpes there's always gonna be stigma there's always gonna be that one person because people think when they holler they have an STD their promotng it or proud of it but they have a right to just like any other disease I mean I was prolly going off but that basically what I was saying

[mandymoon]

and how humans have a lot to do with views on these diseases they said the same things about ella like oh this whore is shouting out she has herpes I know who to avoid now or whatever ignorant comment they say when someone keeps it real there's always those people that don't get it. Because the cdc won't always can keep up with shit. But us we have the voice and it takes a lot to shout it out, but at the end of the dayear there is no wrong for that.

[hippyherpy]

As a group of people who deal with stigma, we got to be compassionate for people who HIV because the stigma is a lot worse. Truth is that even HIV can be managed greatly these days.

 

I know someone who's brother has HIV. He takes all the meds for it. There are times when his viral load get so low, that they can't even tell if it's in his body anymore. Crazy stuff.

 

He's had it for 10 years and has had girlfriends as well.