How does chlamydia affect your mental health?

Answer 1

The mental and emotional effects of chlamydia are typically worry about future consequences and partner faithfulness, and shame from having an STD.

The physical effects of chlamydia include pain, discharge, and burning with urination, for those few patients who do get symptoms. Long-term physical effects can include infertility and chronic pain.

Answer 2

I have lived with genital herpes for 14 years, I contracted scabies a few years back and I've had HPV as well. Having an STD, in short, can be: traumatizing, lonely, obnoxious, humbling, and inspiring.

Initially, an STD (whether it's one that is curable like scabies or is life-long like herpes) is traumatizing. At 16, when I was diagnosed with herpes, I was told my case was the worst the practitioner had ever seen and was not given any resources. I felt like a leper, trashy, and was certain I would never be desirable again - I was devastated. (It's important to note: my fears were unrealized as I have never had a partner choose to not be with me as a result of an STD, but the fear itself is quite common among those who have contracted or are living with an STD.) A few years ago, after learning my ex-husband had cheated and the bumps we were itching profusely were scabies, I was also devastated, but mainly because I couldn't believe I had contracted another STD - one was more than enough! With a curable STD, I think, the 'blow' can be a little lighter and I had already had years to learn about STDs and to better understand their prevalence.

Because there is such an incredible stigma associated with contracting an STD, the experience can be lonely. I was often scared to tell friends, as the first friend I told (my closest at the time) was not trustworthy and shared my status with numerous people. The embarrassment that accompanies an STD diagnosis - due to the stigma - makes it hard to talk about and made me feel like I was the only one my age or within a 100 mile radius who was experiencing something similar. I've since learned, of course, there are so many others who have contracted an STD or are living with an STD (1 in 2 by the age of 25); but at the time, I felt ostracized and more akin to a modern-day pariah.

The hardest part about having an STD is the stigma itself and the assumptions people make about those who have an STD - they are trashy, dirty, sexually immoral, you name it. The actual STD, herpes, in my case, is quite manageable and when there are symptoms, is little more than an annoyance. During an outbreak, I am careful with my attire - washing things I've worn for a short period of time, which, I might normally hang back up - and I abstain from sex.... So, it's more obnoxious than anything else, and during an outbreak, it is just an additional care in my day. The same holds true for almost any other STD - some are curable - and the ones that are not curable are, in most cases, are manageable with the right medications.

Having an STD and contracting another STD years later has also been a rather humbling experience. Gone are the days I can willfully judge someone by their looks, their social status, their race, or any malignant reason one chooses to unfairly judge someone else. At 16, I really didn't think an STD would happen to me, I had no idea how STDs spread - by whom and at what frequency, and I was certain they only happened to 'bad' people. I was completely ignorant. I still have so much more to learn as I am certain I've just braised the tip of the ice-berg - however, I've come a long way since my 16 year old self - thank goodness for that!

Lastly, having an STD has been inspiring. I'm inspired to learn, to improve as an individual, and mainly, I'm inspired to help others. It's important to me that those contracting an STD and living with an STD do not have to feel as alone as I once did and that the general public, with and without STDs, is fully aware of their prevalence, how they are transmitted, how frequently they are transmitted and that demographically, ANYONE can contract an STD. The stigma surrounding STDs is nothing short of ridiculous and I've made it my life's mission to talk about STDs to my friends, my family, and anyone I meet as frequently as I talk about the weather until people who have contracted an STD or are living with an STD are treated as beautiful people sans the biased judgments......this is all much to the chagrin of my friends and family, as you can imagine - but surprisingly, they're becoming more educated and open-minded every day. So, there's definitely hope.

Answer 3

Chlamydia can cause worry about partner infection, partner monogamy, and future consequences.