If herpes isn't on your radar, it should be. After all, "the World Health Organization released a study that estimates that two thirds of people in the world (67%) have the HSV-1 strain of the herpes simplex virus — that’s approximately 3.7 billion people worldwide." That is a mind-blowing statistic. 67% percent of all the people. Wow.
A genital herpes diagnosis can be devastating. Here at our Albany health center, we once received a letter from a patient who admitted that she had considered suicide after a herpes diagnosis. However, after receiving compassionate education from UHPP staff about what it means to live with this disease, she realized that it doesn't need to alter her quality of life. Also, knowing that she was not alone helped erase part of that terrible taboo.
However, despite the fact that it is so prevalent, herpes does-- like most STIs-- remain taboo. Arming yourself and your loved ones with education should help dispel a lot of the myths and mistruths that surround this disease.
Another thing the article mentions is that it is possible to have herpes and not know it, so if you're not sure, please visit your physician or make an appointment at your local Planned Parenthood center. Remember-- knowledge is power!
Without further ado, here is the terrific list of facts that Buzzfeed put together for us. Tell your friends!
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