STIs: feelings aboutWomen often feel really bad about having an STI, making them feel dirty, devastated and in need of emotional support and medical treatment . One said she felt 'dirty, a bit like a prostitute really. I didn't really know what to do. I was completely devastated'.
Mothers can be a real source of support in finding out about the problem or taking their son or daughter to the clinic , although not everyone can tell their parents. Some said that they felt they had to cope on their own.
Close friends are a source of emotional support. They may be initially shocked or judgemental but most are understanding once they find out more. Sometimes people only really learn about how easy it is to catch STIs when one of their friends finds out they have one.
Some people are in touch with the person they caught the STI from, some are not. And sometimes people tend to split up or drift apart after an STI is discovered . One woman said that she had told a casual partner that she had caught an infection form him, but that he had not done anything about it.
Most people who get STIs find that it changes their attitude to unprotected sex and they're always careful to use a condom now . One woman had made it clear to her partner that if he ever sleeps with anyone else he must use a condom. Some people get their partners to have a check up before agreeing to sex without condoms.
Last reviewed April 2010.
Last updated April 2010.