It’s easy to come up with reasons to avoid getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). You don’t have the time, the money, or you want to protect your privacy. Some people like to offer up every excuse in the book to put off STD testing or evade the process all together. On the one hand, it’s understandable for someone to be nervous about the notion of STD testing, and it’s also quite possible for people to talk themselves into believing that they somehow won’t ever be infected. However, this doesn’t actually mean that it’s okay not to get tested.
Tracey Powell is the founder and CEO of getSTDtested.com, an online company dedicated to facilitating STD testing in a manner that is both easy and extremely confidential. As someone who was already tapped-in to the world of healthcare and disease control, Powell was motivated to start his business when he realized that despite increased public awareness about the spreading and damaging effects of STDs, many people still weren’t taking the necessary steps to get tested. As a firm believer in the importance of STD testing, Powell came up with a process that would enable people to get tested for STDs in a comfortable, non-intrusive fashion.
Part of the idea behind getSTDtested.com was also to educate people about STDs and get them talking about their symptoms and side effects in an unabashed manner. To facilitate this goal, the getSTDtested.com website is loaded with information about the various diseases for which the company tests. Powell also believes that if fewer people were afraid to talk about STDs, then fewer people would avoid getting tested. As such, he is taking steps to introduce the topic on social websites in an attempt to remove the stigma that was once, and sometimes still is, associated with STDs.
As part of his philosophy, Powell believes that most people, on a basic level, understand why it’s important to get tested for STDs. Naturally, if a person doesn’t know that he has an STD, then he can’t be treated for it, nor can he take the necessary steps to avoid giving it to someone else. However, despite the knowledge that STD testing is important, there are plenty of people who don’t realize that it’s okay to not only get tested, but to talk about getting tested. According to Powell, there are far too many folks out there walking around with the notion that those who are infected, or even might be infected with STDs, are “bad people” who have actively done something wrong. Those focused on this way of thinking are more likely to avoid the STD testing process despite an underlying awareness about its importance, rather than run the risk of being forced to categorize themselves as “evil, infected people.”
There are also some people out there who operate under the assumption that a lack of STD symptoms means that there’s no need for testing. This actually couldn’t be farther from the truth. Some diseases, particularly common ones such as chlamydia and herpes, often come with little or no symptoms, and can only be detected via regular STD testing. However, these infections can have serious long-term repercussions if not promptly treated and cured. For example, chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women, and herpes can increase a person’s risk of HIV infection.
The problem is that since so many people are afraid to talk about STDs, they might not be made aware of such facts, and as a result, might end up not getting the treatment they’ll need to avoid health problems in the long run. Therefore, when Powell promotes the importance of STD testing, he also likes to emphasize the importance of talking about getting tested. The truth of the matter is that being sexually active is normal, and this fact essentially makes STD infection risk not only normal, but expected. Start the process of learning about your own STD risk and taking action with regular STD testing on at least an annul basis. After all, you owe it to yourself to know the truth about your health.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
