You are a gay man
Sexual health for gay and bisexual men
Having unprotected penetrative sex is the most likely way to pass on a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Using a condom helps protect against HIV and lowers the risk of getting many other STIs.
If you’re a man having sex with men (MSM), without condoms and with someone new, you should possess an STI and HIV try every 3 months, otherwise, it should be at least once a year. This can be done at a sexual health clinic (SHC) or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic. This is significant, as some STIs do not cause any symptoms.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a liver infection that's spread by a virus in poo.
Hepatitis A is uncommon in the UK but you can become it through sex, including oral-anal sex ("rimming") and giving oral sex after anal sex. MSM with multiple partners are particularly at risk. You can also get it through contaminated diet and drink.
Symptoms of hepatitis A can appear up to 8 weeks after sex and include tiredness and feeling sick (nausea).
Hepatitis A is not usually life-threatening and most people make a entire recovery within a
by Fred Penzel, PhD
This article was initially published in the Winter edition of the OCD Newsletter.
OCD, as we understand, is largely about experiencing severe and unrelenting doubt. It can cause you to doubt even the most basic things about yourself – even your sexual orientation. A study published in the Journal of Sex Research set up that among a group of college students, 84% reported the occurrence of sexual intrusive thoughts (Byers, et al. ). In request to have doubts about one’s sexual identity, a sufferer need not ever have had a homo- or heterosexual experience, or any type of sexual experience at all. I have observed this symptom in young children, adolescents, and adults as skillfully. Interestingly Swedo, et al., , establish that approximately 4% of children with OCD experience obsessions concerned with forbidden aggressive or perverse sexual thoughts.
Although doubts about one’s control sexual identity might seem pretty straightforward as a symptom, there are actually a number of variations. The most obvious form is where a sufferer experiences the mind that they mig
10 Things Gay Men Should Discuss
Top 10 Things Lgbtq+ Men Should Discuss with Their Healthcare Provider
Following are the health issues GLMA&#x;s healthcare providers have identified as most commonly of concern for gay men. While not all of these items apply to everyone, it&#x;s wise to be aware of these issues.
1. Come Out to Your Primary Healthcare Provider
In order to provide you with the best tend possible, your primary protect provider should know you are gay. Knowing your sexual orientation and sexual behaviors will help your healthcare provider offer the correct preventative screenings, and order the appropriate tests. If your provider does not seem comfortable with you as a queer man, find another source. You can consult the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory for assist finding a provider.
2. Reducing the Risk of Getting or Transmitting HIV
Many men who have sex with men are at an increased risk of getting HIV, but the ability to prevent the acquisition and transmission of HIV has improved drastically in recent years. If you are living with HIV, anti-HIV medications can support
Mental health support if you're lesbian, gay, attracted to both genders or trans (LGBTQ+)
Mental health problems such as depression or self-harm can affect any of us, but they're more frequent among people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBTQ+).
This may be linked to LGBTQ+ people's experience of discrimination, homophobia or transphobia, bullying, social isolation, or rejection because of their sexuality.
Other things, such as their age, religion, where they reside, and their ethnicity can insert extra complications to an already difficult situation.
How talking therapy can help
It might not be easy, but getting help with issues you're struggling to deal with on your own is one of the most important things you can do.
Talking with a therapist who's trained to serve with LGBTQ+ people may help with issues such as:
- difficulty accepting your sexual orientation
- coping with other people's reactions to your sexuality
- feeling your body does not reflect your true gender (gender dysphoria)
- transitioning
- low self-esteem
- self-harm
- suicidal thoughts
- depression
- coping with bullying