There are oh so many great things about sex. It brings joy to us all, much like this festive time of year.
Sex releases endorphins, the chemicals responsible for wellbeing and pleasure, which is a welcome break for many of us after a stressful few months of build-up to Christmas.
This time of year also means we all have a bit more of a carefree and nonchalant attitude to… well, a lot of things. Including sex. The unfortunate thing about this chaps is that during the season of excessive alcohol consumption and parties, we might be less than careful about protection when it comes to time between the sheets. Here are some of the STIs you don’t want to grace you this Christmas.
Chlamydia
According to NHS stats, our not so good friend chlamydia remains one of the most common STIs in the UK. They pose a particular conundrum, since most people won’t have any symptoms and therefore, don’t know they are even infected. You might be asking yourself, if there are no symptoms, then how is having chlamydia even something to be worried about? It’s chaps in particular who don’t equate having chlamydia with any long-term problems when in actual fact, this STI can affect sperm quality and cause infertility.
Gonorrhoea
Another treacherous STI that doesn’t often do us the decency of presenting any symptoms (how rude), is gonorrhoea. Only half of men will get related symptoms and these will include a painful sensation when urinating, tender testicles and yellow or green discharge coming from the penis. Whilst this might not be the article you were hoping to read to get you excited up for Crimbo, it’s worth retaining this info chaps. You don’t want gonorrhoea to be the unexpected present you receive this Christmas!
Syphilis
If there’s one disease on this list that’s going to encourage you to get tested regularly and wear a condom, it’s this one. An ancient disease, syphilis is back and gay and bisexual men accounted for 78% of all cases diagnosed in 2017 – this figure has not reduced. But even if you aren’t gay, you should be looking to get tested if you’ve ever had any unprotected sex. The long-term effects of syphilis are severe and real complications often only manifest a whopping 10 YEARS after you first get infected. It’s no laughing matter folks, this is a disease that can kill. Be sure to invest in your sexual wellbeing now to avoid the Ghost of Christmas Past paying you a visit to give you some bad news later down the line.
Chappie wishes you all a wonderful Christmas and a Happy and healthy New Year! I’m off to enjoy a sherry!