Friday, March 2, 2007
Blog #7:
If I had a friend or loved one who was afraid to get tested for a sexually transmitted disease, I would try to encourage her to get tested. I would offer her my support by going with her to get tested or help find her a clinic that offers testing. Also I would remind her of the risks associated with not knowing. Some sexually transmitted diseases are curable, but if left untreated they can cause serious harm to your body. Being supportive and non-judgemental is the best way to help someone who is afraid of testing. For some people, getting testing is a hard thing to do but in the end it must be done.
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5 comments:
hAnjelica,
The sooner one gets tested the better. I think it is good to offer support during a situation like this. I do think it is a good idea to be tested soonest because one could be treated and even cured of the disease. If I had such a friend, I would have mentioned preventative measures to prevent such a fear of an STD. When a person becomes sexual active, it then becomes the person’s responsibility to get routine check ups to maintain basic good health.
I agree, it's important to get treated. Some STDs cause cancer, infertility, and even death. It can also be passed to a baby if you get pregnant. So I would tell her all the risks of not getting tested. If she was a good friend, she might listen. Some people you're not as close to will be like, yeah right you're just a health nut. Good to try though.
I like the idea of accompanying your friend to the doctor to get tested. Moral support is extremely vital in helping one gain confidence in making wise decisions. The fact that you pointed out refraining from treatment could pose a significant health risk by the spread of the disease to vital organs is immeasurable. Like you said, being non-judgmental can be very encouraging to people suspecting they have an STD and lead them to open up about their health concerns.
It is true that if some STDs are left untreated that can demage the body. Another way to offer support is to offer to go with the friend or family member to make them more confortable. You could also offfer to take the test with them to let them know that it is not that bad and knowing is very important. A lot of people dont want to go get tested because they dont want to hear the results but with a friend by your side it is not as bad.
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