I am a 22 year old female, but I have never had a breast and pelvic exam. I know what happens (I've read your articles as well as other websites), and I'm terrified. I don't like people touching me in general (people sitting right next to me, my parents putting a hand on my shoulder), and the only person who can touch me is my long-term (over 1.5 year) boyfriend. I've discussed this fear with my doctor. I'm also a very private and am not comfortable being around others if I'm not fully clothed, even changing my shirt with my roommate in the room - another problem I have with prospect of the exam.

My boyfriend and I have recently decided we'd like to have sex, so I've gotten a prescription for the birth control pill. However, the doctor said she will not prescribe it year after year without doing a regular breast/pelvic exam; she hopes that after I've been having sex for a while I'll become more comfortable with the idea of the exam, but I'm not. I understand why I should have this exam, so I've even tried just scheduling one to force myself to do it. Unfortunately, after a few hours I began to panic and didn't calm until I cancelled the exam. There is no history of breast cancer or any sort of reproductive problem in my family, and I do a monthly breast exam on myself. How long can I safely put off the breast/pelvic exam from the doctor? My boyfriend will come with me, and the doctor said she can give me anti-anxiety medicine, but I'm still worried even if I go through with it I'll become depressed afterward (I have struggled with depression before). Even though these things would help, I'm still terrified, and I begin to panic whenever I think of it. I know I should have had an exam already, but I'd like to know how much longer I can safely delay it.

Growing up, me and my friends always dressed the same and acted the same, but as we started getting older, we all developed into beautiful, young independent women. Since then, I have always felt that my friends were prettier than me and got all the attention. Looks-wise, they totally are gorgeous. But it had really taken a toll on my social life, and I don't even leave the house anymore, cause I'm afraid if I go out with them then I'll just be sad again. I'm also afraid that if I ever had a boyfriend that he would develop a crush on my friends because they are so much prettier than me. What should I do?

I am in a bit of a pickle. I am ok with my boyfriend fingering me, but I never tell him to, or even elude to it. But I am uncomfortable with giving him hand jobs. I mean, we will be lying down on the couch, and he will just start sliding his hands down to unbutton my pants. I won't resist (unless I am on my period, or am not in a sexual mood) but feel awkward when he then wants me to give him a handjob. How do I tell him this, because even though I do enjoy him fingering me, and I think he likes it too, I don't want to give him hand jobs, and don't want our relationship to become one wayed...what do I do?

I have a question about anal sex. I hear from a lot of people that it's okay as long as your safe about it and consider health risks etc. But I've heard from many friends that it is shunned from society because it's just wrong to insert a penis there...that's where bowel movements are made! I've tried it once with my long time monogamous boyfriend of 2.5 years and it can be such a nice experience; just as nice as your first vaginal experience. I want to understand why it can be such a big deal...it would make me feel much better if I knew what was actually wrong with it.

I look at this way: if you've never tried sushi before, and you look at it and think that it's gross, you'll never try it. It's like that with anal sex. If you look at it and you've never tried it before, you might think it looks gross or isn't a nice experience...but you'll never know unless you've tried it. Is that in anyway close to how I think about it? I wanna know why it's such a bad thing! THANK YOU!