It is completely natural and normal to feel surprise, inadequacy and even fear when a person finds out that he has caught a sexually transmitted disease. However, this is not a reason for shame and self-flagellation – according to a study by the American Association of Sexual Health, every second person has been infected or is about to be infected with a sexually transmitted disease. This does not automatically mean that the newly infected person’s partner also has or had a sexually transmitted infection, but it makes it highly likely. However, there is no doubt about one thing: regardless of whether there is a desire for a long-term relationship or a fleeting flirtation, the moral and legal responsibility obliges the sufferer to warn his partner before sex. Some diseases such as herpes, for example, are completely amenable to control and treatment, but remain with the infected person for life. Knowingly transmitting such an infection to another person without their knowledge and consent is immoral, unethical and in some cases – criminal. Some sexually transmitted infections are completely asymptomatic, others have barely noticeable or confusing symptoms, which is why sexually active people with more than one partner are recommended to have at least 2 tests for sexually transmitted infections per year. It is not necessary to tell the intimate partner about the STD as if confessing to murder. A calm approach in a comfortable, secluded environment and an unemotional presentation of the facts is the best approach—demonstrating mastery of the situation, an effort to control infection, and full disclosure. NEWS_MORE_BOX There is no need for the sufferer to feel guilty or oppressed, says the association’s sex education expert Dr. McGuire. The doctor advises to describe without much detail the history of the disease, what medications are taken (if taken) and to emphasize the importance of condoms in preventing infection. The most important thing in this case, McGuire points out, is that the patient is prepared in advance for both possible developments of the conversation – the partner will either accept or not accept the risk of infection, and this must be clear even before the conversation itself. Hiding the truth and having sex can have much worse consequences for both of you. In some jurisdictions, concealing the truth and infecting another person with a sexually transmitted disease is considered a crime and punishable by law.