Among all of the issues high school students face, STDs are an issue that many don’t consider.  STDs are more common in high school students than we might think; according to dosomething.org, one in four students contract an STD every year.

STDs, or sexually transmitted diseases, can refer to several different diseases, including chlamydia, genital warts, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, herpes, HIV,  and AIDS.  As the name says, they are primarily transmitted by unprotected sex.

Unfortunately, many people don’t even know when they have an STD because often, they have no symptoms.  Being tested isn’t a big deal, though, and most STDs are simple to treat.  It’s important that people with STDs DO get treated, though, because STDs can cause major health concerns if left untreated.

Most of us have heard of AIDS or HIV, the virus that causes it.  HIV damages your immune system, which means you’re more likely to become really sick and even die from illnesses that your body would normally be able to resist.  Although AIDS and HIV are the most well known STDs, other STDs can be just as damaging if not treated.

To prevent transmitting or catching an STD, you just need to know how.  You can find information on how to prevent and treat STDs at plannedparenthood.org.  After you know, it’s as simple as being honest with your partner and being tested on a regular basis, if you’re sexually active.