Introduction
Living with STIs: Staying Healthy
Getting an STI (sexually transmitted infection) can be tough and can cause problems in life. These problems can be social (like dealing with people’s opinions) and economic (like paying for treatments). But having an STI doesn’t mean you can’t live a healthy life! With the right care and treatment, you can live just as long as anyone else.
If people with STIs don’t stay healthy, they can have more problems, like getting more infections or not being able to have children. Here are some tips to help you stay healthy and live a happy life with an STI by keeping your immune system strong:
Practicing safe sex at all times: STIs and/STDs are transmitted through sexual contacts between sex partners. A person living with Sexually Transmitted Infections should use condoms correctly to avoid spreading the infections to another person with no STI.
A person with an STI needs to practice safe sex to avoid getting more infections. Even when both people have STIs, they can still pass different infections to each other. Always practicing safe sex helps prevent this.
Regular testing for other STIs or STDs: Most STIs have zero symptoms, therefore, testing for possibility of having another STI is key to leaving healthily. For instance, having different infections such as syphilis can worsen the HIV status of an individual who is HIV-positive by making it progress rapidly.
Also, a syphilis-infected person who has HIV but is not aware can also get some complications as HIV makes it difficult to treat other STDs. To keep good health on track, getting frequent testing is the best way to know and maintain a healthy life.
Avoid any other form of STI or illness: STIs such as HIV are a great burden by themselves. Adding another burden of infections/STI would deteriorate your health further. For example, HIV makes the immune system so weak making the patient to be more susceptible to every bacteria, germ, and virus.
Additional infections such as gonorrhea can easily kill a HIV-positive person than a person who is HIV free. Avoid other forms of illness when already having infections because of the weak immune system. Wash your hands regularly to avoid water-borne diseases such as cholera. Always go for any necessary vaccinations to reduce chances of getting preventable illness.
Follow medication guidance and medical prescription: When living with STI, strictly follow the doctor’s instructions and the prescriptions given to you. Skipping taking of drugs can worsen your health wellbeing as the infections (virus or bacteria) can become resistant to the drug thereafter making your immunity weak to protect the body. Ensure you adhere to the doctor’s instructions and prescription given.
Using drugs can cause many problems, like making bad decisions. If someone with an STI drinks too much alcohol, they might not practice safe sex. Illegal drugs can also make your immune system weaker. Staying away from drugs and alcohol helps you stay sober and make good choices about your health.
Some medicines for STIs can have bad reactions with drugs and alcohol, causing serious side effects like dizziness. Drinking too much alcohol is harmful, and if you have an STI, you should talk to your doctor about drinking. Too much alcohol can make you forget to take your STI medicines, which can be very dangerous.
Leave smoking: quitting cigarettes and tobacco is a great benefit to your health as it reduces a number of health problems and risks such as lung cancer, heart attack and stroke.
Smoking has several impact on health and persons living with STIs who smoke are more likely exposed to the following health problems than people with STIs who do not smoke:
· Develop different kinds of cancers such as lung cancer, cervical and anal cancers, head and neck cancers among other cancers.
-Develop heart diseases, and bacterial pneumonia.
· Develop health problems affecting the mouth such as oral hairy leukoplakia and oral candidiasis.
· Reduced lifespan.
· Develop poor response to STI and or STD treatment
· Attract other infections more easily.
Manage physical, psychological, and emotional wellbeing: people living with STIs are usually facing distress and depression. Accepting STIs as any other health conditions can help you avoid stress related to STD infections. Usually, stress and depression can deteriorate physical health conditions like heart diseases that requires a quick Cardiopulmonary resuscitation .
Always ensure you maintain psychological and emotional wellbeing through psychosocial and mental health support. Consult a mental health professional for counseling.
Regular physical activity: Excise your body and mind to keep your entire body system strong. Regular exercise such as running, digging, walking, and games keep you fit, keeping off both depression and stress at bay.
Physical exercise is also a good immune system booster. Exercise your mind through video games enhances your memory, concentration, attention, and critical thinking. Other benefits of regular exercise include: increases your endurance, strength, fitness, and energy levels; improves mood, while reducing risks of depression.
Physical exercises are key. And people living with STIs can do the same exercises as people who do not have STIs. It is good to come up with a physical activity schedule and commit to it.
Eat Healthily: Healthy diet is key to managing your STI conditions and overall health wellbeing. For a well-balanced diet, you can consider consulting the health professional to guide you whenever possible. They can even refer you to a nutritionist or dietitian who can provide a comprehensive guideline on your nutrition uptake.
Adopting a healthy eating schedule and habits has several benefits such as:
· Provide sufficient energy and needed nutrients to the body in order to effectively fight the infections.
· Helps maintain a healthy weight
· Managing the signs and symptoms for those STIs that can show signs.
· Helps in the effective absorption of medicines and also any side effects that might surface thereafter.
Conclusion
The choice of living healthy and long with STIs is solely within your control. Enjoy a healthy lifestyle and you will keep the STIs under your full control and authority. It all lies with your daily activities, diet, and mindset.
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