By: Jordan Barker
Life
with an STD is like living a life of secrecy. Due to the worldly views about
STD’s, people who have gotten them tend to be ashamed and hide their disease.
An STD is a disease just like many other types, no matter how it was obtained.
According
to Merriam Webster dictionary a sexually transmitted disease or infection is “any
of various diseases that can be transmitted by direct sexual contact including
some (as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and genital herpes) chiefly spread by
sexual means and others (as hepatitis B and AIDS) often contracted by nonsexual
means.”[1]
In either circumstance, the way the disease was obtained is not the issue. The issue
is how people react to others with the diseases.
People
who have an STD, from my experience, are treated as outcast that nobody wants
to be around. I feel as if that is wrong because no matter what the disease,
people are people and we all experience the same feelings. Nobody wants to be
cast out and be alone in the world so why do people make people with STD’s feel
that way? I think it is because they are afraid of getting the disease so they
try and make sure that person stays far away, which is wrong. I understand the
thought behind not wanting to get the disease but the actions taken are what
cause many problems.
Herpes is a type of sexually
transmitted disease. People who are
diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases such as this one often have
psychological issues as well. For unknown reasons, herpes is the “go to”
disease for jokes to ridicule and shame someone. These jokes make people
diagnosed with the disease feel embarrassed and start to feel guilty and cast
out. Over time, these feelings of self-blame start to build up and cause
depression leading to psychological problems.[2] Some of these psychological problems include,
but are not limited to “anxiety, depression, hostility, shame, social
isolation, and a negative view of themselves.”[3]
As you can see, there is an
unnecessary, negative stigma surrounding people with STD’s. That stigma is
leading to many other complications with people than what they already have. I
believe if people were conscientious of these problems, they would watch what
they say and how they act, making people a sexually transmitted disease feel
better about themselves and the world they live in.
[1] "Merriam
Webster." Accessed January 29, 2014.
http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?start=&reqstyleid=10&rsid=5&reqsrcid=ChicagoWebsite&mode=form&more=&source_title=Web
Pages&source_mod=&stylename=Chicago&more=yes.
[2] G. M.S.W, Sally.
Herpes.org, "The Psychological Effects of Herpes." Last modified
2012. Accessed January 29, 2014.
http://www.herpes.org/whitepaper-the-psychological-effects-of-herpes/.
[3] Merin, Abigail, and John
E. Pachankis. Journal of Health Psychology, "Psychological Issues Related
to Herpes." Last modified 2010. Accessed January 29, 2014.
http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/article/psychological-issues-related-herpes.
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