How do you stand the anxiety? I'm scared about VD, and I don't hobby that often. Do you just have to become a fatalist, inured to the fear? I mean it's just statistics before you become exposed to VD - not necessarily infected, but nevertheless, a discomfiting thought, in my opinion. How do you push that aside?
Never do the *main event* uncovered, do the "genital check" and get tested at least every 90 days....me, I go in every four weeks.
Hugs,
Vanessa Sue
Life is a risk. Every day there are "still born" babys. Others last only hours. The lucky live to be 100+yo. If the hobby gives you nothing but anxiety over disease risks then quit! Never again leave your home. Take up stamp collecting. You then need only pray you don't slip in the shower some day and bust your head open.
Have a nice, safe, boring life
HAEOTS.
-- Modified on 11/18/2004 10:59:44 PM
is it part of some guilt trip about hobbying? Frankly, I would be more concerned about getting Hep A,B or influenza.
...even though of course HIV/AIDS is very serious, I think the rest are not as common as we think if we play it safe at all times. To me, yes, you are more likely to catch a cold, or the flu or something of a more easily transferable nature, more along the lines of head and lung infections-- something that you cant put a condom on! I think peoples largest fear of STDs does infact stem from the thought of being caught cheating or in this case hobbying, because its no different than strep throat-- you go to the doctor and get some pills and get over it, just the same. Its just an infection in different areas.
Thank the heavens for latex and find something else to worry for besides your sexual health!
Dani
on your part. As I stated in another thread, I used to do some things that I wasn't aware was risky and I never caught anything. I now know better and I take many precautions. CBJ, of course CFS, and I read in a book written by a streetwalker of techniques she used to test if a john had a disease and I do those. Whenever a man ejaculates, I grab him and hold it until he withdrawals so there is no sperm leakage, etc. I get tested every month. I have more a fear of getting the flu.
It was the whining, sniveling, mealy-mouth, chickenshit, guilt-ridden nubee fear of STDs that prompted the birth of this particular alias of mine several months back. As quick as the moderators are about censuring "controversial" posts I would think they would delete this repetitious nubee paranoia from the board just as quickly.
HAEOTS.
And how about food-born illnesses? Or West Nile? Or TB, or meningitis? Or strep? Or staph?
Take reasonable measures to protect yourself. If that's not enough, don't hobby. In the meantime, you might aim some of your excess anxiety at improving our medical research and public health system: in other words, becoming politically active rather than delivering more guilt to providers and other hobbyists.
I happen to know that sexual practices in the hobby are very much modified from sexual practices of the '70s. Things have changed greatly due to fear of disease.
/Zin
-- Modified on 11/19/2004 3:02:22 AM
You are right Sedona. Nevertheless, LE and physical harm were always a known, and well understood threat. Meeting the threat has changed with technology.
But the actual act of sex between clients and providers, and the way it is expected to go, has changed a lot for a different reason: the knowledge that some STD's are incurrable and/or eventually fatal. That wasn't the case, nor was it widely known in the '70s.
/Zin
Sounds like paranoia to me, I am sure and especially in cases where your living in a largely populated area you come in contact and may be exposed to communicable/std diseases on a daily basis, the key is to protect yourself via hand washing, safe protected sex, and just good OLE common sense. If you allow this fear to control your life you would not leave the house i.e: the SAR'S scare, have you ever eaten in a restaurant or take out establishment? Well if you have you have opened exposed yourself to the potential of contracting Hepatitis( also a sexually transmitted disease), the list goes on and on,and way beyond sexual contact, the CDC rules for hospital worker and I am sure that carries over into civi life to use constant handwashing and just good ole common sense and to treat all patients as potential communicable/std carriers, leaving me to believe if the providers is practicing safely and using common sense she will be fine.
Known fact: The average provider uses far more safety practices in both her civi and working life than your average civi woman, besides when was the last time your civi date gave you the option of a wrapped or unwrapped BJ.
I've been an escort on and off for 25 years, am tested regularly, and have never gotten an STD. Perhaps a combination of good luck, careful choice of gentlemen, and knowing when to insist on a cover. Please be careful but don't be obcessed.