What Are The Characteristics Of Sexually Healthy Adults?

When we think about sexually healthy adults is can be difficult sometimes to ask ourselves whether it is a category that we fall into. For many people the worries about this sort of thing can be overwhelming as we can easily begin to consider that our behaviour is abnormal or that we are doing things the wrong way. But to live a happy and healthy life there are certain things that we look for with regards to sexual health. These are the characteristics that are associated with all sexually healthy health adults and they can be broken down into distinct categories. Indeed there are many different aspects of life we need to look at to establish normalcy.

 

So one of the first thing that it is important to look at is communication. If you can be considered sexually healthy it is usually true that you will be able to communicate with both genders in appropriate and respectful ways. You should also be able to communicate effectively with family and friends, as well as being able to talk to other adults about sexual issues. When it comes to the act of sex, it is true that you should be able to accept refusals of sex without hostility but also that you should be comfortable about not wanting to have sex and be able to express it properly.

 

Indeed this goes even further when we think about the concept of communicating about sex with your partner. You should be able to discuss limits, contraceptive and condom use and other issues regarding what happens between you sexually. When you do this you should be able to accept the limits that your partner asks for and also feel confident in setting limits that you are happy with.

 

It is important too that you are able to develop friendships that do not have a sexual agenda and that you can enjoy without the need for a sexual aspect. You will also need to be able to avoid exploitative relationships and choose partners who are responsible, trustworthy, safe, giving and loyal. You should also be able to be sexually intimate without being physical. It’s also true that sexually healthy people will be able to express yourself physically without going to the point of intercourse including things such as holding hands and kissing your partner. But one thing that is especially important is being able to take responsibility with your own boundaries.

 

Self-esteem is an important issue in everyone’s lives. When we think about sexually healthy adults it is a serious issue and there are a number of key issues. You should be able to respect your own body and be able to touch your own body without feeling ashamed. You should be able to feel happy about sexual experiences that you choose. It is also true that you should have a sense of who you are and to be able to accept yourself for the person that you are. Perhaps most important is that you should be comfortable with your sexual identity and orientation.

 

You should be able to accept and understand the consequences of sexual activity. You should also be able to respect the things that other people enjoy. And knowing your values is an important aspect of this. Beyond knowing your own values and living your life by them it is also true that you should be able to accept the values of other people. You should not feel threatened or worried by the values of others if you are to lead a happy life that you enjoy.

Categories: accept, adults, Healthy, healthy adults, sexual, sexual activity, sexually, sexually healthy

The American Epidemic: 20 Million STI Cases

It is considered the oldest form of modern protection in the book, but for the sexually active individual, a condom may be the best method of preventing a sexually transmitted disease.

Practice safe sex: This is the message broadcast by researchers that estimated that almost 20 million Americans are suffering from a sexually transmitted disease. Young people between the ages of 15 to 24 make up 20 percent of overall cases, both new and old.

Out of all of these strains, 72 percent of people were affected by the human papillomavirus (HPV) – also known as genital warts. Alongside this disease, the remaining that also sat commonly with other cases were infections such as hepatitis B, HIV, trichomoniasis (genital inflammation), chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and herpes.

The lead researcher of these new findings, Catherine Lindsey Satterwhite, told NBC News that the United States has an, “ongoing, severe, STI epidemic.”

What was problematic about the discovery was that the number of STIs were higher in the year 2008 than they were in 2000. In 2008, there were 19.7 million new cases as opposed to the 18.8 million new cases in 2000. Researchers are wary however, as the data from the year 2000 was not necessarily from the same source as the data in 2008.

For those in the UK, the strain is not necessarily something to be ignored, as people across the country – young and old – are annually affected by STDs across the country.

Whilst some contraceptives will prevent pregnancy, the best way to lower the risk of sexually transmitted disease is to slip on a condom during sex. You may not believe that you are at any risk, but bearing in mind that STDs do not necessarily have to be transferred by sexual contact; it never hurts to be cautious whilst maintaining a good, healthy and happy relationship.

The American Epidemic: 20 Million STI Cases

Categories: cases, Disease, Epidemic, HIV, million, sexually, sexually transmitted, sexually transmitted infections, sexually-transmitted disease, STDs, transmitted, transmitted disease, warts

What Do You (and Your Teenager) Need to Know about STDs?

It’s important for anyone to get their facts straight about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), but this is especially important if you’re a teenager or the parent of one. If you have ever never taken your clothes off and had skin to skin contact with another person, your wellness is at risk of an STD, so what do you need to know?

Scare tactics should never be used to make you avoid risky sexual health behaviour, but as people aged 15 through 24 account for half of all new, reported infections, it’s important to be in the know about STDs, and how you can guard your wellbeing against them. Let’s start with a common STD; gonorrhoea. This STD often doesn’t present with any symptoms, which makes it very easy to spread, unnoticed, unless you use a condom. Among the reported cases of gonorrhoea, the highest rate of infection is in 15 to 19-year-old girls and men in their early 20s, and 75% of all reported cases of gonorrhoea are in young people aged 15 to 29.

If you’re a parent of a teenager, you might not like to think about them having sex. However, not only is it likely that they are, but you need to acknowledge this fact to help protect them against STDs. Communication is key in helping teenagers stop taking risks with their health. 50% of teenagers are sexually active, but only 30% report using condoms – and even then that doesn’t mean they use them every time. You may not be able to stop your son or daughter having sex, but you can educate them about protection.

Another thing which is important for teenagers to know is that STD testing is crucial if you are sexually active. Many people think this only applies to HIV, which is why only half of adults under the age of 45 have been tested for any other STD. However, as many infections, such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and genital herpes, may be symptom less, you should be tested for STDs at least annually if you are sexually active. Any teen that has had sexual intercourse, whether once or 100 times, is potentially carrying an STI.

What Do You (and Your Teenager) Need to Know about STDs?

Categories: active, Gonorrhoea, people aged, Protection, reported cases, sexually, sexually active, STDs, teenager, Teenagers