A few days ago, while talking to a “love little sister” of mine about her transitioning out of running her own company to becoming a top executive for a major corporation, after congratulating her, one of the things that I asked was, “So, your company: is it going to be dead or dormant?” There definitely is a difference because, while death marks the end of something, permanently, when something is dormant, it’s simply asleep or inactive for a season. She said that her business was going to be the latter.
You can tell by the title of today’s piece that we’re going to apply the definition of dormant to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which some people still call sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). If you’re curious about what inspired me to pen this, I’ll be real with you — the only time that I’ve had an STI, it was chlamydia, and I discovered I had it after going through a simultaneous bout of mono and strep throat.
When my doctor told me that I had chlamydia, I was kind of baffled (due to what I was on sexually at the time); that is, until he said that it seemed that I had probably had it in my system for about two years or so — and when I thought back to that time of my life, some dots started to connect. Anyway, what triggered my body to “activate” the infection was my immunity being so low due to the other illnesses that I had. And boy, I must admit that I learned a serious lesson in all of that — the kind that I want to prevent as many as possible from personally experiencing if I can.
Let me start all of this off by saying, sis, unless you are in a mutually committed long-term relationship where you both get tested regularly, using a condom should never not be an option (check out “Thinking About Going Condom-Free? Read This Before You Do.”). And listen, if you’re kind of on the fence about living in that kind of headspace, here’s hoping that after you read this, you absolutely will not be.
When It Comes to STIs/STDs, What Does “Dormant” Mean?
GiphySo, let’s get right into it. When it comes to STIs/STDs, when they are lying dormant in your system, what that basically means is they’re in your body without posing any symptoms. How does this happen? Well, STIs/STDs have incubation periods; sometimes they can last for a few days, sometimes a few months, and yep, some can take a few years (I actually recently read that herpes can be dormant in one’s body for several decades; no joke).
This means that while you’re out here thinking that you are fine, just because you don’t have any symptoms, you could be carrying the infection around and actually expose your partner(s), who could end up with the illness and the symptoms.
If you just read all of what I just said and thought, “I mean, a few days or months makes sense, but years?” — first, remember my own story that I just shared with you, then check out which infections apply:
- Again, herpes can lie dormant for 30+ years
- Syphilis can lie dormant for 30+ years
- HIV can lie dormant for 10+ years
- HPV can lie dormant for…who knows how long?
And just what determines how long an infection can remain “asleep” or “inactive?” Well, like I said earlier, immunity is one factor. Another is your age because, as you get older, your system is not as resilient as it tends to be when you are younger (which could explain articles like “Single boomers are having 'S-E-X.' They're also seeing a surge in STIs”). Some other things to take into account are if you have a particular kind of strain of the infection (which you can’t Google to find out; only your physician can tell you).
And here’s the thing: if you do happen to have one of these infections and you are asymptomatic, that doesn’t mean that you can’t end up with infertility issues, that you won’t make your body more susceptible to certain types of cancer (including your throat and genitalia) and/or that you aren’t now more vulnerable to HIV. See how serious all of this is?
Have mercy. See why wearing condoms, each and every time, and getting tested (annually if you have one partner and they only have you as one too and every 3-6 months if you have multiples) is paramount? Especially since it continues to be reported that only one-third of men and one-fourth of women actually use rubbers and (goodness children) one-third of 15-YEAR-OLDS don’t use protection of any form (condoms or the pill).
Yep, everyone should know about this kind of information…as soon as possible too.
Can You Test Negative and Still Have an STI/STD?
GiphyOkay, but what if you read all of this (thus far) and thought to yourself, “I get tested, I’m good.” I mean, if you don’t use condoms — maybe, maybe not. The reason why I say that is because there is such a thing as getting a false negative on an STI/STD test result. This happens because, although most reputable tests are pretty accurate, they aren’t 100 percent and so yes, there is a chance that you could take a test and the result not be what it (initially) says that it is.
This typically happens if you think you’ve been exposed to an infection and you test too soon — because, again, each infection has its own incubation period. For instance, chlamydia typically needs an incubation time of 7-21 days, gonorrhea needs 1-14 days, trichomoniasis needs 5-28 days, genital herpes needs 2-12 days, and genital warts? Well, its incubation period could take months if not years. Hmph.
To me, the biggest takeaway from this point is if you take a test right after you think you’ve been exposed to an infection and the results are negative, you should take another within a couple of weeks, just to be sure. Then maybe again in a few months, to be extra sure.
Let’s continue.
What If You Test Positive and Your Partner Tests Negative (or Vice Versa)?
GiphyAight, because STIs/STDs are not as “simple” or “black and white” as you might’ve been led to believe before reading all of this, that’s why you can’t just assume that if you test positive and your partner tests negative, or if it’s the other way around, that the one who isn’t infected won’t end up becoming that way later on — because again, a dormant infection is real out in these streets.
It also should go on record that depending on how long you’ve been with someone, it’s not exactly fair to automatically assume that they’ve sexually been with someone other than you because again…dormancy can last for months or years. Take chlamydia, for example. Although it is indeed a highly contagious infection, back when I found out that I had it, my boyfriend at the time didn’t (including while having sex with me) — and we weren’t always using condoms. How could this be?
Well, one article that I read said that the ratio of it being transmitted from partner, by gender, is “male to female: 32.1% and 34.9%” and “female to male: 21.4% and 4.6%”; in other words, it’s not a given that “the carrier” will pass chlamydia along to their partner. Moving on, I also know a guy (who actually pisses me off when it comes to this) who has herpes and doesn’t always use a condom.
In his eyes, since he takes his meds daily and avoids sex during breakouts, there is no need — to use condoms or to tell his partners. HOW SELFISH IS THAT (and yes, I am yelling it!). Even at the slightest inkling of an outbreak, herpes is too contagious (including via oral sex) to be playing those types of games — especially since it continues to have no cure.
The lesson here? Whoever has an infection while their partner doesn’t, mutual testing still needs to transpire, and condoms definitely need to be used until the one with the infection has taken their meds, and then they have tested negative. And honestly, for the next few weeks, condoms still should be used until both individuals have tested again and have a negative result — both ways.
What Can You Do to Avoid the Fear of Having a Dormant STI/STD?
GiphyY’all, the fact that 75 percent of women and 50 percent of men can have chlamydia without any symptoms is enough of a reason to use rubbers and stay getting tested. Goodness. However, as I wind all of this up, as concerning as all of this intel is, it’s not like you just have to — pardon the pun — lie down and take it. There are always preventative measures that can be taken to significantly decrease your chances of ending up with an STI/STD — dormant or not.
Choose your partners carefully. Sex is an act that can get you sick and/or make a human. This means that it’s never as casual as our culture makes it out to be. Take your time. Have sex deal-breakers. If you sense red flags…heed them.
USE. CONDOMS. When used correctly, they are 98 percent effective at preventing pregnancy and 95 percent effective at preventing STIs/STDs. If you avoid them because you don’t like how they feel, I’ve got some hacks for that here: “10 Ways To Make Using A Condom So Much More Pleasurable.” If you do avoid condoms, remember that since they can help to keep you healthy, there really should be no excuse to go without them. Period.
Don’t just get tested; require that your partner be tested too. Real life ain’t no rom-com or soap opera, so let’s not do the “But he’s so fine” or “I’m not comfortable bringing it up” thing when it comes to making sure that your partner (especially if he’s new) has been recently tested — like within the past six months and has his results to prove it.
Listen, if he’s not comfortable talking about this with you, you shouldn’t be comfortable letting any body part of his inside of yours. Straight up.
Remember that some vaccinations are available. Although there aren’t currently vaccines for all STI/STDs, there ones that you can take for HPV, Hepatitis A, and Hepatitis B. Just something to keep in mind.
There is nothing wrong with abstinence. Whenever people ask me how I could go so long abstaining — the freedom of not thinking about pregnancies or illnesses is a perk enough, chile. That said, if you want a season to go without worrying about any of this, abstinence will certainly do it for you.
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Dormant STIs/STDs. Should they terrify you? No. Should you always be concerned and super proactive in how you move, though? 1,000 percent. After all, a lot goes on during sex. Make sure that you are responsible 2.0, so that it doesn’t end up blindsiding you with something that is not not present — just…asymptomatic.
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Ding. Ding. DING.
A life coach by the name of Thomas Leonard once said that “Clarity affords focus” and, believe you me, when it comes to dealing with other human beings, if you don’t get clear on where you stand when it comes to your interactions with them, you can very easily find yourself “focusing too much” on those who don’t deserve it and too little on those who absolutely do. And y’all, this lil’ PSA couldn’t be more relevant than when it comes to what I call “casual friendships.”
Let’s dig — and for some of us, dig our way out of — what it means to have a casual friend, so that you can get clear on if you really need those in your life…and if so…why?
Article continues after the video.
It Can’t Be Said Enough: Always Remember What “Casual” Means
GiphyThere’s a reason why I decided to share two videos by mental health coach Isaiah Frizzle at the top and bottom of this article. It’s because a lot of what he shares in both of them complements a piece that I wrote for the platform last year entitled, “This Is Just What Purposeful Relationships Look Like.”
It’s the author M. Scott Peck who once said, “Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it” and please believe that the older (and hopefully more mature) you get, the more you tend to see just how valuable — and fleeting — time is; and that is what plays a huge role in motivating you want to only involve yourself with people, places, things and ideas that will honor your time — and when something is casual? In my opinion, it’s highly debatable that it’s worth much of your months, days, hours, or even too many of your minutes.
The main reason why is addressed in an article that I wrote back in the day entitled, “We Should Really Rethink The Term 'Casual Sex.'” The gist? When it comes to relationships, “casual” is certainly not a favorite word of mine because I know what it means. Have mercy — why would you want to invest your time, energy, and emotions into something that is, by definition, apathetic, indifferent, careless, lacking emotional intimacy, and/or is without purpose?
I don’t know about y’all but that sounds like a complete and total crap shoot to me — especially if you are going to go so far as to consider this type of dynamic a true friendship (check out “Ever Wonder If A Friend Is Just...Not That Into You?,” “6 Signs You're About To Make A Huge Mistake In Making Them A Close Friend,” “5 Signs Of A Toxic Friendship That Is Secretly Poisoning Your Life,” “12 Friend Facts That Might Cause You To Rethink (Some Of) Your Own,” and “Less & Less Of Us Have Close Friends These Days. Why Is That?” ).
To me, when you decide to call someone “friend,” it means that they are loyal, reliable, consistent, trustworthy and willing to be there to support you to the very best of their ability — even if it’s inconvenient to do so sometimes (check out “Life Taught Me That True Friendships Are 'Inconvenient'”). How in the world can you expect that from something that has the word “casual” in it?
And you know what? That actually segues into my next point about casual friendships pretty darn well.
Ponder the Purpose “Casual Friends” Serve in Your Life
GiphyA couple of years ago, Verywell Mind published an article entitled, “How the 4 Types of Friendship Fit Into Your Life.” The four that it listed were acquaintances (which I actually don’t consider to be friends; check out “6 Differences Between A Close Acquaintance And An Actual Friend”), casual friends, close friends, and lifelong friends. After reading the piece, I think they consider casual friends to be the “pleasure” friends that I mentioned in the article, “According To Aristotle, We Need ‘Utility’, ‘Pleasure’ & ‘Good’ Friends.”
And although I certainly get that, I think my “cause for pause” is calling those people “friends” when they probably should be called something like an associate or possibly even a buddy instead. Why do I feel this way? Well, I’ve shared in other articles that I think social media has jacked up vocabulary words and their true meaning on a billion different levels.
Take “friend,” for example. Facebook had us out here calling everyone we connected to on their platform “friends” when some of them, we’ve never even spoken to before — and I personally think that influenced, affected and perhaps even infected our psyche to the point where we will call folks, both online and off, “friend” even when they haven’t earned it and/or who possibly don’t deserve it.
That said, do I think that we all could use lighthearted interactions that don’t go very deep and are filled with not much more than fun? Sure. However, if we were to move this over into a sexual thing — those types of people would probably be called a sneaky link, and there is nothing significant or substantial about ‘em. In fact, if anything pretty much automatically comes with an expiration date, sneaky links would have to be it.
And that’s kind of the point that I’m trying to make about a casual friend — so long as you know that the word “casual” is being used to describe them, while you may enjoy the people who fit that bill, they aren’t really anything that you can or even should fully rely on. Instead, take them for what they are and don’t really expect much more than that. Otherwise, you could be in for some profound levels of disappointment. And who wants that?
Final point.
How a Casual Friend Can Become a Huge Red Flag
GiphyI’m telling you, y’all gonna quit clowning Tubi. LOL. To me, the best way to describe it is it’s the Cricket of current streaming apps. What I mean by that is, back when Cricket (the cell phone service) first came out, people, like me, who used it service got incessantly clowned because it was seen as a bootleg provider. Now it’s owned by AT&T, and as someone who has rocked with them since I was in my 20s, I don’t have one regret for doing so. Cricket has always been good to me, chile.
And Tubi? Well, when you get a chance, check out CNBC’s article, “CEO at 33, Tubi’s Anjali Sud on success hacks she learned at Amazon, IAC on way to top of Fox streaming” — take note of the moves the streaming app is making and the quality of programming that is transpiring in real time.
Anyway, I find myself bringing up Tubi more and more in my content because it helps to amplify some of the points that I like to make. This time, it’s a movie that’s (currently) on there calledRight Man, Wrong Woman. If you haven’t seen it before, I don’t want to give too much of the film away. What I will say is that the main female character, she had a casual friend and then she had a close friend.
That casual friend—the one who liked to kick it all of the time—was a lot of fun; however, dealing with her came with a ton of semi-unforeseen consequences. Meanwhile, the close friend? She’s what the Aristotle article (that I mentioned earlier) would call the “good friend” because she tried her best to hold her friend accountable.
And really, it shouldn’t be a shock that the casual friend turned out to be a plum trip because if someone is loads of entertainment and pleasure and yet they are indifferent towards you, they make careless decisions around you and/or they don’t really make known the purpose for you being in their life other than to pass some time — where really do you and that person have to go past drinks after work or dinner on a rooftop restaurant from time to time? And if that is all that the two of you are doing, again, why are they deserving of the word “friend”?
Hmph and don’t get me started on the lack of reciprocity that typically transpires when it comes to dealing with people like this because, while they won’t mind you spending your coins on them, taking their calls in the middle of the night or listening to all of their issues — when it comes time for them to show up for you, they very well may gaslight you into thinking that you are being dramatic, clingy or “doing the most.” Why? Well, it’s mostly because the two of you never really established what the hell the both of you are to one another.
And so, while you’re somewhere taking them seriously, they are out here seeing you casually, and as much as it might hurt to hear, that doesn’t automatically or necessarily make them a bad person. You shouldn’t expect much where no clarity is involved. After all, casual is just that: CASUAL.
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I’m hoping that you can now see why I entitled this piece in the way that I did. It’s because a red flag is pretty much a warning, and to me, a casual friend is about as big of an oxymoron (again, to me) as casual sex is. Friends and sex are both too intimate to be seen or treated casually. Oh, but if you step out and take that risk, you could find yourself getting far more involved than the other individual ever wanted to go, because casual is how things have always been. “Friend” was simply to get you more mentally and emotionally invested. SMDH.
American columnist Walter Winchell once said, “A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” A wise person once said, “One good friendship will outlive forty average loves." Former President Ulysses S. Grant once said, “The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.” Does any of this sound casual to you? Yeah, me neither.
Again, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have people in your life who aren’t on deep levels. I’m just saying that you might want to consider putting them into another category than friend, because what friends do for people? There ain’t nothin’ even remotely casual about it, sis. Not even a lil’ bit.
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