In the Know Joe - WTW's Advice Column 4 Teens

Hi Joe,

So, I’m a little worried and I have nobody else to turn to. I’m 15 and I’ve had the same boyfriend for about two years. We started having sex almost a year ago. Everything has been fine and great, but then a few months ago I was starting to break out in a rash. Just so you know it’s not anything too horrible, it just kind of comes and goes. But then in school I kinda remember them telling us that if we have any kind of symptoms of an STD at all that we should get checked out. Do you think it is something minor and that I can keep waiting to see if it goes away, or do you think I need to go ahead and get it checked? I also kind of want to ask my boyfriend if he has noticed anything about himself, but I’m way too embarrassed. What do you think?

Thanks,
Hesitantly Waiting



Dear Hesitantly Waiting,

Well…YES, you need to get that checked! Even if it is just a minor rash, it could still very likely be an STD. And about asking your boyfriend, YES, you should ask him because as long as you’ve never had sex with anybody else, that means he probably HAS. AND, he gave it to you! So I would ask him.

STDs are not something to play around with. They have very harsh consequences, both physically and emotionally. Physically, if you don’t get checked and get treatment ASAP, it could cause you to be infertile or have other major problems as an adult. How would you like to find out right before you get married that you have AIDS, just because you chose to have sex with your boyfriend as a teenager? As for the emotional aspects, what are you going to do when you get married and have to tell your husband that you can’t have his babies, just because you started having sex with your boyfriend when you were 14?! Seriously, STDs are serious! Right now, 1 in 4 teens have an STD, and 1 in 2 sexually active teens have an STD. That’s HALF of all sexually active teens who will have contracted a disease by the end of this year.

So even though you get checked out doesn’t mean that you can jump right in and start having sex again. Think about all these consequences, which obviously outweigh the momentary pleasure. The only 100 percent, guaranteed way for you to avoid the consequences is to remain abstinent. So respect yourself and make the right choice!

Join the Majority – WAIT!

Joe