Each September is Sexual Health Awareness Month, a month dedicated to bringing more education regarding sexual health for all, to ensure everyone is healthy in their own right. This month was started by the World Association for Sexual Health, or WAS, in 2010. This year’s theme was “Positive Relationships.”
Here are some things to remember regarding healthy relationships as we wrap up September and turn into a new month!
There are three relationships that are important to explore at your own pace: with partners, providers, and yourself.
With your partner, be clear about what you feel and what you expect, sexually or romantically. Communicating allows for a healthy relationship with clear lines. Here, you and your partner should discuss any boundaries, STI statuses, and what you may want out of your sexual or romantic relationship. If you and your partner want to get tested for STIs, you can find a clinic near you!
In romantic relationships, it is important that you are only doing what you want to. You and your partner should care for each other kindly and communicate as much as possible. Being in an unhealthy relationship will cause your self love to deteriorate. To prevent this from happening, here are some warning signs of unhealthy emotional relationships: feeling disrespected and like you’re walking on eggshells around your partner, your self-esteem starts to decline, and it makes it hard for you to thrive.
In these cases, make sure to find support in friends and family if that is what you are comfortable with and seek professional help from teachers or counselors. They will point you to the best option under your consent. Prioritize your own safety and worth, making yourself the most important part of your life. If you think you or a friend is in an unhealthy relationship, you can learn more here.
With health care providers, it is also important to be as clear and honest as possible. Although sometimes it feels awkward to talk about your sexual health with a provider, you can mitigate the awkwardness by asking to speak alone with your provider or in a quieter setting. Healthcare providers will not judge you in any form, but it is very important they get the clearest information to guide you in advice about your body and relationships.
Lastly, make sure you embrace your body and treat yourself kindly. Practice being mindful and care for yourself, by not criticizing yourself harshly in any manner, but growing from those experiences you feel embarrassed by. By not judging yourself, you will find more happiness in your future as you will not dwell on your mistakes. Self love is one of the most important but overlooked kinds of love, but it is essential if you want to nurture your relationships in your life.