Most people are uncomfortable discussing mental health and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) related topics. The stigmatization and inadequate sex education in the society is a show stopper.
However, one thing that comes out is that mental health intercepts sexual health in many ways. And STDs are socially stigmatized, and individuals have been condemned for having STDs. Consequently, the stigmatization has lowered the efforts to help curb the spread or control the transmission of these diseases because no one wants to disclose their STD status. Otherwise, they’ll end up being the punch lines for discussions.
Thankfully, we’ve taken a deep dive into how one’s mental health affects, relates, or connects with STDs treatment and disclosure. But first, let’s get some facts right about STDs and mental health.
Understanding STDs and mental health
STDs:
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), also known as Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), are significant results of unprotected sex with an infected person.
In other words, they are diseases transmitted during sexual acts, usually through vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
They include syphilis, chlamydia, genital herpes, HIV/AIDS, and gonorrhea, among others. Unfortunately, most people would not know they have STDs unless they go for STD screening. And without early detection and treatment, these infections would result in severe health conditions.
The good news is that most of these diseases are easily treated with antibiotics. Getting tested is no big deal because there are so many places where STD testing can be done.
Mental health:
Your mental health includes your emotional, physiological, and social well-being. In other words, what affects how you think, feel and react to things. Also, your mental health would determine how you handle different stressful situations, how you relate with people, and how you make your choices.
Simply put, when you can’t realize your abilities, cope with stress, productively work out your things, and you’re unable to relate well with your society. Then your mental health is at stake.
So, how does mental health connect with STDs?
What would happen if you learn you have an STD?
Indeed, you’ll have a lot of mixed emotions. You’ll feel ashamed of yourself, angry, and even dirty. And in some cases, you’ll want to blame yourself or put the blame on someone.
It’s normal to be frightened and harbor such feelings. However, handling the emotions could make a big difference in terms of treatment and disclosure of the infection. What worse is the anticipation of what others would say about you.
Of course, over the past years, society is made to believe that having an STD is a curse or a punishment for wrongdoing. Sometimes, it makes it hard for individuals to share their sexual conditions for fear of judgmental society.
Suppose you’re still wondering how mental health connects with STDs, then here is what you need to understand:
One, many things would determine your mental health. Among them are social, physiological, and biological. Let’s take an example of stigmatization and discrimination as social determinants, all of which are recognized risks of mental health.
How STD stigmatization and discrimination does affects your mental health
STD-related stigma or discrimination relates to damaging abuse and attitudes or prejudice directed to individuals with sexually transmitted infections.
Most people living with STDs say that social stigma and discrimination make the world an unhealthy place to live. And in most cases, the fear of being defined by their sexual conditions rather than who they’re has made them change the way they operate, react, and relate with others. This is harming their mental state, making it hard to recover.
In other words, stigma and discrimination trap individuals in a cycle of illness and impede their efforts to get treatment and the recovery process.
There is no doubt that whenever you experience stigma or feel discriminated against, your mood, thinking, and behavior would change. It’s a familiar feeling for most people.
Here are some of the effects of STD stigma on your mental health:
You’ll feel ashamed, hopeless and in most cases, you’d isolate yourself from others. Stigma-induced feelings of hopelessness and shame would dramatically affect your mental health.
And in most cases, you’ll definitely be emotional-something which isn’t good for your mental health. The chances are that when you’re emotionally disturbed, you’re most probably going to make wrong decisions as your brain is physically damaged.
Also, stigma would result in self-doubt. When individuals are judged with their illness, most of the time, they would think that they will never move past their illness. This damages one’s mental health and brings the feeling that they’re stuck with their health conditions.
Finally, nature your mental health even after STD infections so that you can prevent mental health-related illness, stigmatization, discrimination, and physical damages to your mental health.
Conclusion
There is no doubt sexually transmitted diseases cause tremendous impacts on economic and personal health. But worse is being diagnosed with STDs can sometimes damage one’s mental health. Stigmatization and discrimination that comes with the news of infections in most situations would slow the efforts to prevent or control the spread of the diseases.
