BREAST TALK: PAIN

I was studying for my exams when I leaned back to stretch out my arms and noticed a sudden pain. I stretched again to pinpoint the location of the pain and realised it was coming from my boobs. I tentatively prodded one of them and winced; it was sore and tender all over! Of course the first thoughts running through my head were something along the lines of 'OMG I have cancer', 'I'm going to die', 'What if they get chopped off' etc. etc. I have a tendency to overreact when I don't know what's wrong. 

However, as I later found out through research and consulting a doctor, breast pain is very common and there are a range of reasons why it could happen. 

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., breast pain is any discomfort, tenderness or pain in the breast or underarm region. It is important to note that breast pain is generally NOT a sign of breast cancer. 

Breast pain is also called 'mastalgia' and it's really common. According to California Pacific Medical Center, breast pain affects 50% - 70% of women. The pain is categorised as either cyclical or non cyclical. 

• Cyclical pain is associated with your menstrual cycle. Pain linked with the menstrual cycle tends to lessen during or after your period. 
• Non cyclical pain can have many causes, including injury to the breast. Sometimes non cyclical pain can come from surrounding muscles or tissues rather than the breast. Non cyclical  pain is much less common than cyclical pain. 

To find out whether your pain is cyclical or non cyclical, you just have to keep a log of your periods and record when you feel pain. After a few cycles, the pattern will become clear and you'll know whether it's to do with your period, or if it's due to other factors. 

Reasons for breast pain include: 

Puberty in girls (and boys, they have breasts too remember), menstruation and PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome), pregnancy, menopause, certain medications, stress and lumpy breasts due to fibrocystic tissue. 

Sometimes breast pain can be caused by something as simple as wearing the wrong bra, and this can also contribute to back pain. Make sure to pop into your nearest undergarment store and get sized correctly; it's usually a service that's offered for free (but if not, pretend you're going to buy a few bras so you can find out your correct size anyway!) 

Ultimately, if you have persistent breast pain, you should see your doctor. It's always wise to inform your doctor about any sudden changes in your body and if you're worried then make an appointment; it's better to be safe than sorry. 

If you do go to get checked out, the doctor will generally do a physical examination on you and may order a mammogram which is an x-ray of the breasts to find out what's going on. 

As it turned out, my breast pain was due to the stress of my exams. I made sure to wear a good bra for their duration and avoided banging into things, with the result being that the pain was completely gone about a week after the last exam finished. 

Sources: 

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-pain

http://www.healthline.com/symptom/breast-pain

CONTRACEPTION TALK: CONDOMS

This method is about 98% effective. 

A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases (STDs - such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV). It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner. 

This is generally the most common form of contraception, and you should aim to have a few handy just in case some impromptu rolling in the sack occurs. The best place to store them is probably a bedside locker, that way they're easily accessible, yet out of the way as well. One of the worst places to keep them, and so many men in particular are guilty of this, is your wallet. A wallet takes a beating in its life, that is it bends constantly with movement or when a man sits down; not to mention the friction from opening and closing the wallet between transactions. It can cause a condom to deteriorate and you may not be able to tell if you look at the condom, though small tears and holes could be present, rendering it useless.

Also, make sure to check the expiry date on the condom as this can elude some people, resulting in STDs or unwanted pregnancy. 

Here is a great video on how to put on a condom correctly

SEMEN TALK: TO SWALLOW OR NOT TO SWALLOW?

I refuse to eat cauliflower. They're tasteless and they look like an alien/mushroom hybrid of some kind. They're just icky! Many people find themselves repulsed by certain foods, and no amount of nagging from parents is going to get it down your throat. The same can be said for semen, though I'm assuming your parents won't be encouraging you to eat that! It's a bit of a gray area, but the majority of women that I've talked to find semen 'icky', the same view as my feelings for cauliflower, although admittedly not the same ball park. 

At some point in your life, you may find yourself staring down a penis that's about to ejaculate. Several thoughts could be running through your head. For instance, what if it gets in my eye? What if it tastes bad? Do I spit it out? Do I swallow it? Can I get pregnant if I swallow it? (The answer to the last one is NO by the way, just to clear it up). 

Surprisingly, semen may have quite a few health benefits. According to News Medical, there are mixed reports regarding the benefits of consuming semen. Some studies suggest that absorption of semen past the vaginal mucus membrane lining its inner walls has positive effects like reducing depression and reducing the likelihood of breast cancer. 

Women who have chronic morning sickness may be suffering this because of the presence of antibodies that destroy the proteins or antigens present in her sexual partner's semen. Having oral sex and swallowing the semen of her partner may help make the pregnancy safer and more successful as the woman is swallowing her partner's antigens. It sounds crazy but when you think it over it starts to make sense. The body is attacking something it isn't familiar with. Maybe a few shots of semen throughout the pregnancy, or even a few weeks before if it's planned, could help with that. 

There are some possible dangers to ingesting semen, however, as semen can contain several viruses that may be sexually transmitted past bodily fluids from an infected man. The most common examples are HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), hepatitis B and C, herpes and chlamydia. If you've decided that you want to swallow the semen of your partner, you need to be sure that they are STD free, otherwise you're taking a risk. Things like a cut in your mouth, or bleeding gums from flossing could be ideal entry-ways for STDs to sneak in and wreak havoc. 

Whether you spit or you swallow, or you give oral sex with the aid of a condom, just make sure you're being safe and that nobody is making you do something you don't want to. Swallowing semen can be pleasant for some, and unpleasant for others, but it doesn't make you any less of a sexual partner if you decide it's not for you. 

BREAST TALK: ASYMMETRY IS COMMON

The problem with growing up is that you have an idea in your mind of how you're going to look as a woman. As there's not a lot of information given to you about the female form besides periods and the birds and the bees, I assumed that getting past puberty would get rid of the awkward buds attached to my chest that seemed to go through different stages of growth.

Some women grow up to have symmetrical breasts, although it is rare for them to be perfectly even. However it is accepted that slight asymmetry is the norm. This anatomical nuance is of little concern to most women but there are some of us who notice a large size difference and it impacts greatly on body image. It can seriously affect some women's self esteem.

The term ‘Asymmetric Breasts’ usually refers to breasts that differ in size by at least one cup size, which may become noticeable during puberty as the breast tissue starts to develop. Subsequently, as the years progress, the asymmetry may become more obvious to the point where it is unflattering and even embarrassing for a woman. 

Asymmetric breasts can be corrected with surgery but it is important to realise that although one may be bigger than the other, there is nothing wrong with you. Almost 99% of women have asymmetrical breasts and in 40% of those cases, there is a cup size or more in difference. Breasts and nipples come in all shapes and sizes and I have included several pictures of breasts that are perfectly normal:

Share your thoughts in the comments section and if you need to talk to someone about breast asymmetry, there is a great helpline called Get Connected and you can contact them by emailing: help@getconnected.org.uk

BREAKING VS. STRETCHING: THE VIOLENT LANGUAGE ABOUT VIRGINITY

In the previous post I talked about the falsehood of a hymen covering the whole vagina. As teens in this country, sex education is lacking AT BEST. And even then, there isn't a lot of emphasis on the hymen. It's kind of just said that it'll be broken when you have sex and that's when you know you're 'not a virgin'. 

It's so silly and not only is it WRONG, it's violent aswell. It gives the impression that the man is going to be like, "Here I am with my huge penis, I'm about to break into your vagina and take away your flower!" - No wonder women can be anxious about the first time! The myths about sex are straight up scary! 

My dad, for instance, used to take any opportunity he could to point the finger and say, "Don't have sex! You'll get pregnant and your life will be ruined!" The fear he instilled with me stayed for ages until I began my rebellious phase and decided a ruined life would be worth it if I could irritate him. 

And several years later, we've both gotten over our immaturity. 

Sex should not be about taking things from people, it shouldn't mean that a man gets a trophy or gold stars for 'taking' something valuable from the woman while she's left viewed by society as some promiscuous tramp. It's such a double standard and where does it stop? After the man gets a high five from his friends and the woman is left with rumours about her sex life to deal with?

Granted, this is coming off a tad sexist. But it is true, just talking to male friends of mine shows this attitude. 

Hopefully in the future, people can be more willing to know that nothing should be stolen or taken during sex between two people, it's an act of physical passion and should be enjoyed by both parties. There shouldn't be any pain involved in first time sex (unless you're into that, which I can't imagine you would be during your first experience). 

The best thing you can do during first time sex is to just have fun with it and not take yourselves too seriously, it's unproductive to think that it's going to work out like the way porn is portrayed. People who have sex for the first time are inexperienced and are in no way porn stars, so it's unfair to expect your partner to perform to a certain degree. 

Sex is messy and funny and laughing makes the experience all the better. 

THE HYMEN: THE MYTH

'Losing virginity' is one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding women. This term is used to describe vaginal penetration with a penis. It is rife with the perception that it’s going to hurt. For some women that is going to be the case, even if they spend a long time on foreplay and use lube to ease the process. 

But in most cases pain can be avoided. There may be discomfort due to the vaginal walls stretching out further than ever before, but it should never be to the point where she is in tears or is experiencing a great deal of pain. If it is, more often than not, something is wrong. 

There are lots of people out there who believe that sex is supposed to be painful for the woman on her first time as this is when her hymen is being 'broken' as such. WRONG! It’s uncommon for this to be the case.

The hymen is a piece of tissue that surrounds the external vaginal opening. IT'S NOT INSIDE THE VAGINA! You can actually see it when looking at the vulva. The opening can be of any size or shape and the tissue may be thick or thin. So this silly notion that a man 'takes' a woman's virginity by 'breaking her seal' is nothing but misogynistic crap created to make a man feel dominant.

Having sex for the first time can be unnerving at any age, but it is important not to make a woman feel that something is being taken from her that she can't get back. Particularly if it is a situation where the woman was perhaps peer pressured into experiencing sex for the first time. Words like 'popping the cherry' and 'deflowering' should be avoided. 

Think of your hymen as an appendix, it's there and you have it for life but you never use it!

LOVE KNOWS NO GENDER... OR AT LEAST IT SHOULDN'T:

I know a lot of gay people and one of my best friends is gay; he's known his orientation since he was quite young but only came out of the metaphorical closet about a year ago. Many people say that homosexuality is a choice and that they CHOOSE to be that way, but my question to those people is: when did you CHOOSE to be heterosexual? The answer is that you didn't, you just DON'T choose, you don't look at someone and decide you like their gender, that's not the way it works! People are born as they are and the world would be a whole lot happier if there was equality and acceptance. 

I think some homophobic people are under the assumption that the gay people are going to chase them down the streets trying to dry hump them. It's so irrational to think that gay people don't have the same rights as heterosexuals. We're all people! This just brings us back to the days where black people were discriminated against, and to what end? It took a long time but they have rights now aswell, and once certain people get a grip on themselves then gay people will be treated with the same respect as everyone else. 

Unfortunately that's just not happening now! They're not allowed to marry or adopt, in some countries gay people aren't allowed to give blood despite the shortage at donor banks, the list goes on and there are many people who stand back and watch this, including some who actually cheer this on.

Just to clarify because sometimes these terms are confused: homosexuality is attraction to the same sex, bisexuality is attraction to both sexes and heterosexuality is attraction to strictly the opposite sex. 

Despite laws that say otherwise, gay people receive the greatest percentage of harassment in the workplace. In fact, Ireland is lucky when compared with America; some states in the country are still legally allowed to fire gay people simply because of their sexual orientation. Everyone needs to chill out! Being around a gay person does not make you gay in the same way as being around someone who is religious doesn't make you adopt their beliefs. You are what you are.


And on another note, you can be completely heterosexual but still have certain curiosities about the same sex. There's nothing wrong with that, and when some people leave the family home and attend college there is a certain independence that comes with it that can lead to experimentation. It doesn't make someone gay and hey, everyone's dabbled! There shouldn't be anywhere NEAR as much judgement!

STD TALK: CHLAMYDIA

This is one of the most common STDs around the place, so it's kind of like potatoes in an irish kitchen, meaning EVERYWHERE! Chlamydia is very dangerous because it often has no symptoms and if it's left untreated it can cause serious problems in later life (you know, when you grow out of the 'party til you vomit in your hair' lifestyle!) This is why it's called the 'silent' disease. 

Those of us women who DO have symptoms often experience: 

An increase in vaginal discharge, the need to leg it to the bathroom to pee more frequently, burning stabby sensation when urinating, pain during sex, irregular bleeding during your period or bleeding after sex and pains in your lower abdomen. (Check that one twice though, you could just be having a bit of bother digesting a curry!) 

Chlamydia can also, if left untreated, leave women infertile if the fallopian tubes become scarred. This is very serious and irreversible so take the time for an STD test.

Men have more noticeable symptoms than women so it's much easier to diagnose, these include: 

A white/cloudy and watery discharge from the penis that may stain underwear (as if it's not stained enough already...), a burning sensation when peeing and pain or swelling in the balls (testicles, just to be scientific). 

It can be transmitted by having unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who is infected.This disease is an excellent example of why you should always go to a health clinic regularly, make a point of doing it twice a year on principle and if you have any itchy itchies going on down there ASSUME it is not a good thing and get your ass to the doctors! 

STD TALK: GENITAL WARTS

Genital warts; these little bundles of fun are highly contagious and, like herpes, are transmitted through skin to skin contact during oral, genital, or anal sex with an infected partner. 

Surprisingly, of those infected with genital warts it is estimated that only between 1% and 5%  actually develop genital warts, but those infected can still transmit the virus to other people. Really, there's no point taking chances, because in the world of STDs everything is pot luck!

GENITAL WARTS IN WOMEN:

In women they occur on the outside and inside of the vagina, on the opening (cervix) to the womb and around or inside the anus. Rarely, genital warts also can develop in the mouth or throat of a person who has had oral sex with an infected person. I don't know about the rest of you but this really wouldn't be my idea of a good time!

GENITAL WARTS IN MALES:

They are usually seen on the tip of the penis so keep an eye out lads! They also may be found on the shaft of the penis, on the scrotum, or around (or inside) the anus. 

If an individual has unprotected sex with their fix for the night, there is a 70% chance that he or she will also become infected. There is no cure for genital warts, but there are methods to treat them. Although treatment can remove them, they do not remove the disease so warts can recur after treatment (about 50–73% of the time) 

STD TALK: GONORRHEA

Gonorrhea not only sounds like Godzilla (big dinosaur-crocodile thing that tore about buildings somewhere...) it also causes mass destruction, only this time to your genitals rather than sky scrapers. Now I don't know anyone who has gonorrhea (probably because it's not the thing you go shouting through the streets to announce!) but I do know a bit about it. 
Before I start, the good news is that it's completely treatable! I like to get the happy parts out first! 
Just to start, it grows easily in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix, uterus and fallopian tubes (egg canals) in women, AND in the urethra in both sexes, so nobody's escaping! The bacteria in gonorrhea can also grow in the mouth, throat, eyes, and anus. Very pleasant.

The main problem with gonorrhea is that it's very sneaky, some people who have gonorrhea have absolutely no symptoms, and if they do they're very mild and can be passed off as a urinary tract infection. Basically, some symptoms in women are that it burns when you pee, increased vaginal discharge or excess bleeding during periods. In men, a burning sensation when peeing, or a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis. Sometimes they can get painful or swollen testicles. I wouldn't know but some of my guy friends spend so much time with their hands down their pants they could ALL have gonorrhea and wouldn't know it! Chances are that's just down to testosterone though.

Oh you can get gonorrhea in the bum as well, this is probably more a concern to homosexual males but can apply to heterosexual couples as well. Whatever floats your boat! (PS. The boat floats happier with a condom on!) 

 

STD TALK: HERPES

NEVER TRUST A COLDSORE! Or HSV1 if you will. This is the first strain and let's be honest, so many people have the virus it's just counted as normal and something you get when you have a cold. There are plenty of reasons why coldsores are scary though and a lot of people are reckless about them. 

HSV1 INFECTION ON LIPS:

                          

Number one, and I must stress this, never EVER give oral sex to someone when you have a coldsore because the chances of them getting the second strain, HSV2, is very high if not inevitable. In fact, these days the most reported way of getting HSV2, or genital herpes, is through mouth to genital contact. Scary thought isn't it? Even when you don't have an open sore you should stay clear of the nether regions as you can STILL pass it on even if there is no visible coldsore. 

Number two, don't kiss someone when you have a coldsore, especially if you've craftily covered it up with make up to fool them when you're out in a club to get the shift! It's not fair to give someone else HSV1 when it could've been avoided.

HSV2 is a much more inconvenient version of the above; if you think you've got it bad with blistery cold sores that are unsightly, embarrassing and really sore, think again! HSV2 infects the genitals and the area around the genitals, it is transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact and some people notice itching, tingling or other sensations before they see anything on their skin. All forms of sex, oral or otherwise, should be avoided in times of a breakout and you should be careful to wash your hands after touching the sore, but try and avoid it, herpes is easily killed with soap and water! Just keep your hands to yourself and let it run its course, it's not a spot so don't start squeezing the crap out of it because you'll just make it worse! 

OH! Bad news, herpes can also be transmitted to places like your nostrils and your eyes so in case the last sentence didn't hit home, hopefully this one will! 

                     GENITAL HERPES IN WOMEN:                     

            

GENITAL HERPES IN MEN:

Just to finish up, be very careful when having sex with someone who has herpes, if you choose to, and always wear protection. CONDOMS CONDOMS CONDOMS! They are the only barrier method that offers ANY protection from STDs. Once you have herpes, you have it for life! However, it's not the end of the world or the end of your sex life, there's medication you can take to lessen outbreaks and the length of them and you can still have sex but you should tell your partner beforehand and make sure you use a condom. 

THE MORNING AFTER PILL OTHERWISE KNOWN AS - OH MY GOD THE CONDOM BROKE:

Samantha woke up with a pounding headache. She groaned loudly and shifted around under the covers until something hard and warm met her touch. She quickly pulled back the blankets to see her very naked ex-boyfriend lying next to her. 
"Oh goooood what did I driiiiink??" she murmured into her hands as she tried not to laugh at the badly drawn penises and unibrow on the guy's face. She herself had 'BEST PARDY EVA' written on her abdomen. She shoved him awake and said, "Jack, listen, did we have sex last night?" He looked confused and then, "Oh yeah, that was great, we should do it again sometime," he said, lying back with a grin.
"I don't make mistakes twice! Anyway, you used a condom right?" she sighed, reaching for her clothes. "No," came the answer. She stopped dead and said, "WHAT?!" He put his hands up and looked worried. "You're on the pill so it doesn't matter!" She felt like punching him. "No I came off it when we broke up! Are you saying we used absolutely NOTHING to stop your boys swimming upstream??" 
"Yeah...," he said slowly. She hit him with a pillow and put on her clothes in stony silence. "So what are you gonna do?" he asked meekly. "Get the morning after pill obviously," she said, still pissed off at him and promising herself she'd never touch drink again.

                     
The emergency contraceptive pill is taken after unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure, to try and prevent pregnancy from occurring. It can work up to 72 hours after unprotected sex. Millions of women around the world have used emergency contraceptives effectively. However, this is an emergency form of contraception and does not replace effective methods of regular contraception.

It needs to be taken as soon as possible so don't be waiting round making french toast, get your ass to the chemist! The earlier you take it, the better. It works best if you take it within 12 hours of sex. You should swallow it with water as soon as you get it, in fact the chemist will probably give you a glass of water to take straight away! It's less effective the more you wait so don't treat them like assignments and get them outta the way!

YOU HAVE TO GET THE MORNING AFTER PILL IF:

• You've had unprotected sex, no contraception of ANY kind; and no, praying to Jesus is not a viable barrier method

• The contraception has failed, such as a condom breaking! You might  not notice during sex so make sure to check for holes in the boat afterwards!

• You experience pill failure: If you forgot it or didn't take it on time or you got violently sick from all the jagerbombs, you're better safe than sorry!

If you're already up the duff, the morning after pill has no effect, zero, zilch, nada! And if you have diarrhea or throw up after you've taken it, chances are it wasn't absorbed so you'll have to take another one!

It's now available over the counter and it's getting cheaper in certain chemists than it was when it first came out! Don't be tempted to use it as a contraception method though, I have a friend who does that and it can't be good for her to have her hormones constantly up and down all over the place! Plus she acts like she's on her period almost all the time!

PREGNANCY - THE FACTS, THE MYTHS AND THE SCARY STUFF YOU DON'T EXPECT:

You may be told as a child how the stork lands with the baby on the parent's front porch, but let me delve into it with a bit more detail. Pregnancy occurs when a male and a female engage in sex, coitis, intercourse, the dirty, call it what you will. The man ejaculates and semen is released into the woman's vagina. The sperm in the semen (About 300 million sperm are released in an ejaculation.) all swim towards the egg in order to fertilise the ovum (egg) with a single sperm (it only takes one!) This eventually leads to the development of the embryo. The term embryo is used to describe the developing offspring during the first 8 weeks after conception, and the term fetus is used from about 2 months of development until the birth. 

TEENAGE PREGNANCY:

This is a pregnancy of a girl under the age of 20. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy (AVOID THE PULL OUT METHOD! BABIES HAPPEN!) A pregnancy can take place at any time after the first menstrual period, normally taking place around the ages 12 or 13, (though you probably shouldn't be having sex at this age anyway...) and is the stage at which a female becomes potentially fertile.

Teenage pregnancy depends on a number of societal and personal factors (meaning if you're still waiting on your baby teeth to fall out, you shouldn't be having sex!) Teenage pregnancy rates vary between countries because of differences in levels of sexual activity, general sex education provided and access to affordable contraceptive options. (Actually, you can find Durex condoms in some of the chains of Euro2 for only €2! They still work the same! But I'm assuming they fell out of the back of a truck for that price!)

In developed countries, teenage pregnancies are associated with many social issues, including lower educational levels, higher rates of poverty, and other poorer "life outcomes" in children of teen mums. Teen pregnancy in developed countries is usually outside of marriage, and carries a social stigma in many communities and cultures. The United Kingdom has the highest level of teenage pregnancy, while Japan and South Korea have the lowest.

WARNING!

Here is a video of a woman giving birth, but it has VERY GRAPHIC CONTENT so if you're squeamish don't watch it! 

The biggest risk for teen mothers is delaying prenatal care or worse, no care at all. Don't be stupid, tell your mum and dad (nobody will die, yes they'll be angry but at least you're not telling them you want to drop out of school to fulfill your lifelong ambition of prostitution!) The reason for lack of prenatal care is usually delayed pregnancy testing (All it takes is a bit of pee!), denial or even fear of telling others about the pregnancy. A survey by the ISSHR found that the age of 'first time sex' has fallen in Ireland: for 18-24 year olds the average age of first sex is 17; for 35-39 year olds the average age is 19 for women and 18 for men. 

PREGNANCY MYTHS:

Myth 1: During the full moon phase more women go into labor than other times. Looking at the facts shows that this isn't true. (Women are not werewolves, unless they haven't shaved in a while!)

Myth 2: Spicy food induces labor. Again, there is no scientific logic to this. It can however cause intense diarrhoea depending on how much you consume, so I wouldnt recommend spicy food if you're about to give birth seeing as women generally poop during labour anyway. 

Myth 3: Sex brings on labor - this also isn't based on fact and there is no evidence to show that it is true. It's no harm though! So if you're horny go for it!

Myth 4: It is commonly expressed that stretch marks are a natural resultant of pregnancy. The truth is there are women who don't get them at all. (Lucky girls... bet they're the ones with perfect pore-less skin too!)

Myth 5: Being pregnant makes you crazy. Your hormone levels change when you are pregnant, which may cause you to react more strongly to things. However, you will still be yourself. You will still have your likes and dislikes, fears and concerns. What changes is your ability to "hide" the real you. Your high hormone levels encourage you to show your reactions on the outside too. (Tip for men: hibernate)

Myth 6: If your mother had an easy pregnancy and delivery, so will you. The size and position of the baby, your diet, lifestyle and attitude all play greater roles than hereditary in determining the ease or difficulty of your pregnancy and delivery. 

UPCOMING WORLD AIDS DAY 2011:

The United Nations' World AIDS Day is held on December 1st of each year to honour the victims of the AIDS pandemic and to focus attention on the prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS related conditions.

On this day each year, many national and international leaders and pioneers encourage the support and treatment of people living with HIV and AIDS and stimulating research into the treatment of these conditions.

What is HIV?

The immune system can’t get rid of viruses out of your body in the way that a healthy immune system could, like after you get a cold. Scientists are still trying to find out why. A deficient immune system can't protect you. HIV weakens it by destroying important cells that fight infection and disease.

How does HIV lead to AIDS? I thought they were the same thing?

There is a key part of your immune system that fights disease and infections, HIV uses cells to make copies of itself and then destroys them. After a long period of time, HIV can destroy so many of your cells that your body can no longer fight diseases or infections at all, and this is when HIV can lead to AIDS.

·       

What is AIDS ?

·     AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. People at this stage of HIV disease have badly damaged immune systems, which put them at risk for opportunistic infections such as pneumonia, other parasitic, viral and fungal infections, and some types of cancers. AIDS is a condition which results from the damage done by HIV to the immune system.

AIDS is a syndrome, rather than a single disease, because it is a complex illness with a wide range of complications and symptoms. You get AIDS when your immune system is "deficient," or isn't working the way it should. AIDS is not something you inherit from your parents. You acquire AIDS after birth but you can be born with HIV, which really sucks.

·     

How is it transmitted?

HIV can only be transmitted between people through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the blood stream with a bodily fluid. Basically, vaginal fluids, blood and semen.There's been a lot of stigma around the spread of HIV and people living with HIV and AIDS. Especially the incorrect notion that only homosexuals can get AIDS which, ridiculously, is still the thought of some uninformed and paranoid people.

Other Information:

You can buy a World AIDS Day bracelet supporting the cause of this website: http://utac.org/order It's the little steps that can make the huge difference. The more people that get involved with the cause and help spread the word to raise awareness is a step in the right direction. 

The 1993 American drama film, Philadelphia, was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to acknowledge HIV/AIDS, homosexuality and homophobia. It was ground breaking in bringing the audience's attention to the attitudes of people towards the condition and the serious abuse and injustice done on towards human beings with the syndrome. Anyone who is interested in getting a very realistic view of how someone is inflicted with AIDS, is persecuted from having the illness and how it progresses this is the perfect movie to watch. It also features Tom Hanks, whose excellent performance won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Scary Statistics:

• Since the start of the epidemic, almost 60 million people have been infected with HIV and 25 million people have died of HIV-related causes.
• 33.3 million people are living with HIV/AIDS and 7.5 percent of those millions are children under the age of 15.
• HIV/AIDS is a "young people disease" with approximately 40 percent of new infections each year occurring among people aged 15 to 24.
• In the United States, by race, new infections occurred among African Americans at 45%, 35% in whites and 17% in Hispanics.
• While African Americans represent about 12% of the U.S. population, they account for 46% of people living with HIV in the U.S., as well as 45% (nearly half) of new infections each year. 
• The results of a study show that at some point in their life, approximately 1 in 16 black men will be diagnosed with HIV, as well as 1 in 30 black women.

References:

www.until.org

http://www.worldaidsday.org/

UNPROTECTED SEX AMONG TEENS ON THE RISE:

With the absence of knowledge comes ignorance. Teenagers having unprotected sex in European countries have increased exponentially. For example, in France the percentage has risen an unbelievable 111%. With the widespread availability of contraception, either the recession has hit so hard we can't afford to fork out for something as important as a condom, or teenagers have just become less intelligent. 

It's not just pregnancy, there are also STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) that are a worry factor. These are extremely easy to pick up through unprotected intercourse and some can have life long effects. For example, Herpes.
There are a lot of reasons why these teenagers are not using protection. The main one seems to be that there are no condoms on hand. Some say that it 'ruins the mood' or that it doesn't feel as good. You know what doesn't feel good? Pushing a baby out of your vagina at the tender age of sixteen!

Another reason for unprotected sex is that either partner was drunk at the time. In Ireland especially however, due to the Christian ethos, a lot of Irish teenagers are uninformed and lack the knowledge of the different areas of contraception. Information is key here. Studies show that teenagers that take vows of abstinence are just as likely to have sex as a teenager who did not take a vow. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/12300 They are also much more likely to have unprotected sex due to ignorance of contraception or religious views on using contraception. The result is a rise in teenage pregnancies and a lot of angry parents.