Short messages on Relationships issues from Respect Yourself, the guidance site for young people to help make good decisions in life.
Get a better understanding of your weaknesses and build a team around you that are good in those areas you are not.
Finding it hard to talk about how you are really feeling? Samaritans is a safe place to turn; it’s anonymous and confidential: 08457 90 90 90 or jo@samaritans.org .
The NHS offers free postal test kits for Chlamydia in many areas, for you to do yourself at home. Get yours from http://freetest.me
You don’t always notice symptoms if you have an STI. Many people don’t notice symptoms and most people with chlamydia have no symptoms. You won’t always know if you’ve got an STI and you can’t tell by looking if someone has one. Protect yourself by always using a condom. If you’re worried, visit your GP or sexual health clinic.
Decide who the ‘people of value’ are in your life. These are the real people you know who mean something to you. Look after them and your relationship with them.
You cannot catch an STI from sitting on a toilet seat. Sexually transmitted infections are passed on through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex, and sharing sex toys. The only way to protect against STIs is to use a condom every time you have sex.
It is not harmful for a man – or woman – not to have sex. A man’s testicles will not explode if he does not have an orgasm. Men produce sperm all the time, and if they don’t ejaculate it is simply absorbed into their body.
Chlamydia can make you infertile if left untreated, if you’re a woman. In men, chlamydia may lead to a painful infection in the testicles and can sometimes reduce fertility.
Having sex is a very personal decision, and you might not feel ready to have a sexual relationship for months or years after puberty. It is a personal choice.