Reduce Your Risk
Maybe you’ve been at risk for HIV or other STDs/STIs, or maybe you’re worried about Baby Mama Drama or turning over your paycheck every week to pay for diapers. Maybe you just want to get schooled on smart ways to stay safe. Here's some choices to think about--pick the one or even a bunch of different ones that work for you:
If you think you might have been at risk because of sexual behavior (unprotected anal/butt sex, vaginal sex, or oral sex), think about using one of these to reduce your risk:
If unprotected sex isn't the problem, it might be about drugs and/or alcohol, so think about this:
If you think you might have been at risk because of sexual behavior (unprotected anal/butt sex, vaginal sex, or oral sex), think about using one of these to reduce your risk:
Stop having sex or don’t even start That's called abstinence. I know some people think abstinence is a dirty word, but most teens are abstinent, no matter what the media and your friends are telling you. You can go back to being abstinent anytime you want--sorta born-again virgin kind of thing.
Outercourse. INTERcourse is inside--like in the mouth or vagina or anus (butt). OUTERcourse is getting off without getting in. Get it? Use a finger, use a hand, alone or with a partner, fun comes in all shapes and sizes in outercourse. OR
Cybersex. DO NOT send dirty pictures of yourself on your cell or computer ‘cause tomorrow you will be splashed all over the internet and everybody in school will know about that mole on your right butt cheek, but DO talk/text dirty to your partner. Get yourself off while you’re getting your partner off cybersex wise.
Get tested for HIV and other STDs before you have sex. Grab your partner, take him/her down to the local clinic, and ask for an HIV test. If you're already having sex, use a condom until you both get tested. If you're both negative AND you were both out of the window period for HIV and other STDs, go at it like bunnies! Just make sure you use some other kind of birth control, though, so there's not a lot of baby bunnies running around. Make sure it's just the two of you, too. If you don’t trust your partner or yourself, think about the next option
Use a condom. Male condom. Female condom. Glow in the dark condom. Flavored condom (for blow jobs). Red white and blue condom. Doesn't matter what kind--just use it. One at a time--no double bagging! And use it every time you hit that or that or that or . . . well, you get the picture. Make it fun. Try out a chocolate flavored condom. You can call your/your partner's penis Mr. Goodbar. Or turn out the lights and see what your new glow stick looks like when you use a glow in the dark. Or put the red white and blue condom on and stand at attention. Salute the flag. Do what you gotta do but use that baby blocker. If you don't know how to put on a male or female condom, you're not alone. Believe it or not, a lot of teens don't! Look around our site, though. There's directions in there. Oh, and make sure you talk about using a condom with your partner and that you both agree to use it before you have sex. If you don't agree, think about the next option
Use a condom anyway. It's your body. Not if it will put you in any danger, though, I mean if your partner would punch you for saying “No glove no love!” You need to be safe. But if that’s not a problem for you, then you get to decide what works for you and what doesn't. The female condom can even be put in 7 hours before you actually have sex, so you don’t even have to think about putting it in or worry that it will ruin the moment or anything OR
Pull out/have your partner pull out before he cums (this should be a very last resort! It's definitely not as effective as using a condom or abstinence) OR
Add lube. Lots of lube. It helps coat the vagina or anus (butt hole) and lowers your risk at least a little. It’s not great, but it’s something. Just keep thinking the wetter the better! OR
Dump the loser who says no to condoms. He/she doesn't care enough to protect him/herself or you? What's up with that???? That’s whack. Why would you want to be with somebody who doesn’t care about you?
If unprotected sex isn't the problem, it might be about drugs and/or alcohol, so think about this:
Drinking? Blacking out? A major pot head? Hello????? Anybody in there? Drugs and alcohol make you stupid. They're supposed to--that's why people use them. So they don't have to think or worry or be responsible. But while you're being the life of the party, you're probably picking up a few things along the way--you know, crabs, gonorrhea, HIV, babies, that kind of thing because even if you planned to use a condom you probably forgot or didn’t put it on right or blacked out.
Not sure if you have a drug/alcohol problem? Go here and take a quiz—maybe that will help you figure it out. It’s kind of made for adults but just replace words like “work” for work and/or school and it’ll at least help you sort some stuff out.
If you even think there is a possibility that maybe you might be drinking too much or smoking one too many blunts, you might want to think about doing one or more of the following:
Get help through a local treatment program (search Drug Abuse and Addiction Info and Treatment for your city and state here or google it the same way OR
Visit an AA or NA meeting to see if that works for you (go here to find a meeting near you). AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and NA (Narcotics Anonymous) are a support organization that have helped a bunch of people with their drugs/alcohol use. They even have special meeting and groups, called Alateen, for teenagers OR
Quit drinking/using drugs on your own but really, it’s hard if you’re doing it a lot or it’s already causing problems for you. Some people think they are supposed to be strong and just do it but it’s hard. So think about at least getting a friend or trusted adults to help OR
Cut back on your drinking/drug use. It’s not a great solution, trust me, but it’s a good start. Maybe have one or two drinks instead of drinking until you can’t even say your own name right. Maybe only drink/smoke/use on REALLY special occasions instead of two or three times a week.
Don’t share needles—and not just for drugs but for steroids, tattoos, piercing, any kind of needle for any reason. One of the main ways that HIV is passed from the person who has it to another person is through needle sharing. If you’re using IV drugs, don’t share the works either—the cotton, the cooker, the barrel, the band, the drug, the works.
Talk to your school guidance counselor OR
Talk to another trusted adult OR
The choices are endless so think about what you’re doing now and see if you can come up with a way to help yourself, and your family and your friends too ‘cause they’re probably hurting just watchin’ you hurtin’ yourself—ya feel me?