Safe Sex

SAFE SEX

Is there anything like safe sex?

There is no safe sex because sex can't be 100% safe, most healthcare professionals believe that the only way to be safe is to abstain. Sex can not be safe; it can only be made safer. Safer sex refers to anything we do to lower our risk of getting sexually transmitted infections (STI's). Abstinence is the only sure way to prevent STDs. The safest sex is between two uninfected people who have never had another sex partner. Since abstaining is hard for most people, there are measures that can be taken to make sex safer. Some of these include; Condom use, masturbation, virtual sex, cuddling, kissing, and touching. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), practicing safer sex involves the following: Using barrier protection (condom) for both vaginal and rectal intercourse, withdrawing the penis prior to climax and ejaculating outside the partner, avoiding all low- and high-risk sexual activity, even with protection.

The use condom minimizes the exchange of body fluids, especially semen, vaginal secretions, and blood, while you still enjoy intercourse.

Masturbation is also known as self stimulation. This can be a solitary sexual behavior that can be performed in the presence of a partner. Most men report that they masturbate by manual manipulation of the penis. Techniques of female masturbation vary widely, after testing several women, it was reported that no two women masturbated precisely the same way. Reason for masturbation could be in order to relax, to relieve sexual tension, partners are unavailable, partners don't want to engage in the sexual act,

to obtain physical pleasure, and even due to boredom. During masturbation, a vibrator (penis-shaped) or hand held electronic vibrator or the so called (dildos) can be used.

Virtual sex is sometimes referred to as cyber sex. Headphones, 3-D glasses and a body suit with skin stimulation that creates an impression of being touched by virtual skin. There are no unwanted pregnancies, no STD's and no need of a relationship, but then you miss out on the emotional bonding. Foreplay is the physical interaction that is sexually stimulating and sometime set the stage for intercourse, but one can engage in foreplay and not engage in intercourse. Various stages of noncommittal sex such as cuddling, kissing, petting, and oral-genital contacts are used as foreplay. Kissing: Couples may kiss for enjoyment, and in simple kissing, the partners keep their mouths closed. In deep kissing also known as French kissing or soul kissing, partners part their lips and insert their tongues into each others. Kissing is not limited to the partner mouth; it could include the breast (nipple), hands and feet, the neck, earlobes, the insides of the thighs, and even the genitals. Touching, hands are said to be rich in nerve endings. It can be holding hands and in extremities, manual stimulation of the genitals. When touching the genital, one has to make sure that there are no cuts or wounds on his/her hands; this reduces the risk of infecting or acquiring an infection. To cuddle is to hold close for warmth or comfort or in affection. Even though cuddling is considered one of the safest sexual behaviors, it has its own risks. The STD risks include: Crabs (pediculosis pubis: crab louse) and Scabies (sarcoptes scabiei). Crabs are lice that predominantly infest the pubic region and can affect other hairy places on the body. They cause severe itching and must be treated with medicated shampoos. Scabies are arachnid mites that burrow under the skin and reproduce. They cause severe itching, pain, and slightly elongated red lines and spots on the skin. Both parasites are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact or clothes, but crabs can be contracted through contact with infected sheets or toilet seats. If a partner is infected, cuddling with clothes on is the safest behavior.

Sexual intimacy doesn't necessarily include intercourse. In deciding whether to engage in sexual intercourse, you shouldn't allow any sort of pressure, consider all the cultural, ethical, religious, moral, psychological, and physical factors. What is right for you is the level of sexual intimacy with which you feel comfortable, whether that means none, holding hands, intercourse or any other mind-boggling variety of other forms of sexual activities. Safer sex means enjoying sex to the fullest without transmitting or acquiring STI's, STD's or even AIDS. Some methods of contraception include: - abstinence, Norplant, oral contraception, condoms and dental dams, the female condoms, and spermicidal methods.

Unsafe sex is the participation in a sexual relationship without the use of contraceptive or preventive measure against STDs.

RISKS AND CONSEQUENCES IN A SEXAUL RELATIONSHIP

A risk can be defined as an act in spite of the possibility of danger, injury, or loss, a relationship is a connection between two things. There are four main types of relationships, these are:-

* Emotional

* Psychological

* Spiritual

* Physical

CONSEQUENCES IN SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP

Emotional Relationship

In today's adolescent relationships, sex is becoming more of a temporary substitute for genuine emotional needs, although the hope of sex itself could not deliver as promised. Using sex as a coping mechanism can create depression, low self-esteem, or interpersonal problems, and often leads to hyper sexuality. It also can inhibit intimacy, prevent personal and interpersonal growth, and diminish sexual satisfaction. This is caused by emotional exhaustion. This leads to stress and the characteristics include:

* One becomes irritable and angry and usually more frustrated

* Ones becomes more negative, pessimistic, critical and cynical towards self and other

* In an relationship, one usually develops feelings of guilt and shame, generally caused by feeling responsible of an offense, e.g. Premarital sex

* Low self-esteem, when you have your personal self image at an emotional level, you become depressed and disoriented.

* Strong feelings of isolation and loneliness, usually characterized by withdrawal. Sex is a very emotional involvement, something no man or woman could/can ever comprehend fully.

Psychological