KEEPING STDS (SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEA...

Nature appears to be on the side of males. Although the issue is still largely unresolved, traditional thought has it that a man’s body is less likely to be invaded by marauding bacteria than a woman’s. That’s because a woman’s vagina is dark, warm and moist—conditions under which bacteria thrive. Can’t say that about a penis. Plus, urination helps flush out whatever gets inside a man’s member. On the flip side, men claim to have far more sexual partners over time than women, putting them at greater risk of exposure. While no one can...

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES/CONDOMS 10...

No glove, no love. Wrap that rascal. If you care, you’ll wear. Sound familiar? You’ve heard this stuff before, but sorry fella, catchy slogans won’t help prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Common sense will. Wearing a condom is common sense. And while condoms cut your chances of getting an STD better than a Ginsu knife slices through a tin can, they don’t guarantee a safe passage to promiscuity. “We refer to condoms as ‘safer sex’ because there is no 100 percent guaranteed ‘safe’ sex,” says condom...

FAST FACTS ABOUT SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DI...

How common: Very. Twelve million people contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD) each year; forty million currently are infected. Risk factors: Any sexual activity, including oral and digital sex, can put you at risk. Having multiple sex partners, having sex with an infected person and sharing hypodermic needles also increase your chance of contracting an STD. Age group affected: STDs are most common in younger and middle-age people. Experts estimate that almost half the U.S. population will acquire an STD by age 35. Other statistics show that 86 percent of all STD...

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES: SAY NO TO...

You wouldn’t bungee jump without an elastic cord. You wouldn’t skydive without a parachute. So why in blazes would you have sex with a stranger without a condom? Consider this: Skydiving accounts for about 30 deaths a year. Bungee jumping, less than one. Yet thousands of people are dying each year because of diseases passed on during sex. There are more than 20 sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs. With the frightening exception of AIDS, which has claimed more than 200,000 lives, few people die from STDs. Even so, they’re potentially serious and...

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN IT COMES TO SE...

Consider group treatment. One-on-one therapy is one of the preferred treatments, Dr. Carnes says, but support groups are extremely beneficial. Most groups offer therapy based on 12-step programs comparable to those for alcoholics. You also should consider family therapy. “Therapy that involves the family is especially productive in part because the family is often part of the problem,” Dr. Carnes says. Be prepared: It’s not easy. Fighting an addiction is never easy, and with therapy the cure sometimes seems worse than the cause. “After the grieving...