Did you know: More than half of all people will have an STD at some point in their lives. While it may feel like a big deal, there are easy ways to ensure that you can deal. If you think that you might have an STD, it’s essential to know what steps to take next.
The very first thing you should do is get tested. Apparently, fewer than 40% of young women who are sexually active are tested for STDs. It may be stressful to imagine being tested, but it can’t be nearly as stressful as the possible symptoms you could develop. Over 90% of people with genital herpes don’t know that they have it, so even if you haven’t exhibited any symptoms, you still shouldn’t hesitate. While there are STD testing kits available, finding a walk in health clinic will provide you with the most accurate results. (As will your family health care facility.)
Depending on the resources that your city has available, it’s possible to find free STD testing centers with fast STD testing. Even if you don’t have one of these centers available to you, the cost of STD testing is often included in many insurance plans, or at the very least, can be adjusted to meet your budget and situation. Most of the time, your family health care facility will have additional options for you as well, in case an STD clinic isn’t available. Urgent Care is another option in this case, with more than 9,300 national locations and an average wait time of around 15 minutes.
The most important thing you can do is not panic. Recognize that the situation could be worse, and address your personal safety habits to ensure that you aren’t exposed again. But accidents happen! And the sooner you can mop up the spill, the faster you can return to your regularly scheduled life.