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Talking
to Your Partner About Your Herpes
Telling
someone you care about that you have genital herpes can be difficult,
and you may be afraid of having the discussion. You may worry
that if you are honest with your partner or family about having
genital herpes that they will be angry, or they will judge you.
It’s
important to remember that genital herpes is a very common disease,
and having genital herpes is only a small part of who you are.
You shouldn't feel ashamed or embarrassed about it, and you
shouldn't let someone else make you feel that way. The more
comfortable you become with yourself as someone who has genital
herpes, the easier it will be for you to talk to others about
your condition.
Why
Should You Tell Someone?
Some people
choose not to tell their partner about their genital herpes.
Instead, they abstain from sex during outbreaks and practice
safe sex at other times. What's the harm in this? You're being
responsible by taking steps to protect your partner from getting
genital herpes. The problem is most people who don't tell spend
a lot of time worrying that their partner will get herpes or
find out some other way. Also, it might be more difficult to
talk about the subject the longer you put it off.
Not telling
your partner that you are infected with genital herpes can be
very damaging to your relationship. Making excuses about not
having sex during an outbreak can create distance between you
and your partner. Your partner may interpret your excuses as
something far more damaging to the relationship than genital
herpes.
If your
partner contracts genital herpes, they will probably be angry
and hurt that you weren't honest with them in the first place.
As difficult as it may seem, being open and honest about your
situation may be the best thing for your relationship.
Return to
Genital Herpes
Use a CONDOM every time you have sexual intercourse.
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