Hi muskratsunshine, I'm sorry to hear about your stress an anxiety around all of this. I'm sure this situation is especially hard given the close bond you have with your mom, and your completely understandable and respectable desire to avoid hurting her feelings. Have you had an open, honest, sit-do...

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I think it would be pretty hard to shock and/or gross out a therapist-- first of all, because they don't see/judge people in that way, second of all because they've heard just about everything. Kind of like doctors with genitals-- after a while they're just not even fazed. But if you feel uncomforta...

P.S. The journaling group is simply a space where you can post at your leisure, and other people can comment on/engage in conversation about what you write, and you can do the same for them. Still sound like something you would be interested in?

I'm really glad to hear you have people you can talk to who care about you and accept you-- a good support system is so important. I'm also glad to hear that you have good self-care strategies (music is so therapeutic!) and that you will be learning more through CBT. (Also, spending time with your d...

Hi t-dawg! The only way to know if someone has no STIs is if they are tested, and they share the results with you. Before any kind of sexual activity or relationship, it's important that each partner has been tested for STIs and discloses STI-related information in order to discuss any risks and how...

My most vivid memory from my public high school's sex ed curriculum was a slide show with pictures of STI-infected genitals. We didn't learn about contraceptives/barriers-- I never even held a condom in my hand until college. We didn't learn about consent, or communication strategies, and I can't he...

Hi Maddybob, One thing I notice about your message is an overwhelming tone of shame. Certainly your feelings are not considered "socially acceptable," but that is absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. EVERYONE has private thoughts that they would not necessarily want others to know about...

You're welcome!

Hi Fruitcake,

Doesn't sound like there's anything to worry about, but if you're concerned perhaps you can call or email your doctor to check in?

Hi Dolly, You had no risk of HIV transmission. HIV (like most microbes, and sperm) cannot live long outside the body once exposed to air. Also the virus would not have been present in sufficient quantity for infection, and the blood did not make direct contact with an open cut or sore and thus had n...

Some people choose to distinguish between their sexual orientation and their general level of sexual feelings/expression. For example, someone could identify as pansexual and demisexual, which means they can experience attraction to people of any sex/gender identity, but only to people with whom the...

Hi Fruitcake! EC can definitely cause changes in bleeding through the remainder of your cycle that are not necessarily predictable-- it's not implantation bleeding and nothing to worry about in your case, since bleeding got lighter and not heavier. The chances of pregnancy, with no ejaculation insid...

The only complication I can think of would be if the movement or activity cause the implanon to migrate into the muscle or fascia, but this can only occur if it was inserted too deep to begin with. This actually happened to a friend of mine who is a competitive track athlete with very low body fat, ...

Sounds like a great plan. I hope things go more smoothly with your mom this time around.

Best of luck!

Also, I'd like to add that many clinics like Planned Parenthood offer services on a sliding scale based on income and ability to pay (as a college student with little or no income, you may qualify for free or highly reduced-cost care). You can use our Help Near You feature to find a clinic if you wa...

Here is a citation for a relevant study. It's actually a meta-analysis of several studies done on a wide range of antibiotics: Archer, Johanna SM, and David F. Archer. "Oral contraceptive efficacy and antibiotic interaction: a myth debunked." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ...

Hi dani, As it turns out, clinical research has indicated that antibiotics do not actually interfere with the effectiveness of birth control pills at all; the one exception is rifampin, used only to treat tuberculosis. The only cause for concern would be if the condition you were treated for, or the...

Hi Janelledenis3, Sex can cause some chemical changes in the vagina, especially when you first start having sex or when you start having sex with a new partner. These changes may resolve on their own, but if they doesn't and you continue to notice the odor and excess discharge contact your doctor-- ...

Wow that must be a lot to process. Kudos on getting connected with a councilor though, hopefully they will be able to facilitate this process of self-discovery! Good luck with everything.

Estrogen, in large doses, is known to increase appetite. However most modern forms of hormonal birth control don't contain enough hormone to have this effect. What method are you currently using? If you have concerns, or if you have bothersome side effects that last longer than three months from the...

Hi ratperson! Soo... gender categories are the best thing people have been able to come up with (so far!) to describe the irreducible complexity of human gendered experience. They're imperfect, and sometimes feel difficult to understand and navigate. But in general, cisgendered people are understood...

You're welcome! And good for you, I hope the conversations go well.

Technically, the only way to know for sure is to take a pregnancy test. But bleeding if you are pregnant would be very unlikely (it can be an indication that something is wrong, and would not look or feel like your usual period or withdrawal bleed). So while using the pill (and hopefully a backup me...

Hi Berry, It's hard to say what your body will do-- everyone is different; different pills and forms of hormonal birth control may affect people differently; bodies may respond differently over time. Typically birth control pill users will experience lighter periods, but your bleeding is not outside...