Scarleteen

Can you catch an STI from wearing pants in a packet that may have already been tried on by someone? Stupid question but I have my reasons. IVE been going through a really tough time revently at home because someone close to me has been diagnosed with alopecia, and their reaction to it and refusal to accept it has been tearing my family apart. I feel so bad for them, and IVE been struggling to sleep at night and have constant cycles of worries about things like plane crashes, and health worries and above all worry about the health of the person with alopecia, because I'm worried they might be depressed. I'm really struggling to cope with the stress. Sorry for jus talking at you but it's good to jus get my ideas out somewhere. Maybe the journal idea is really good haha

Hi esTa,

Trying on pants poses virtually no STI risk. Almost all STIs are transmitted through direct genital contact or exchange of body fluids. One exception can be pubic lice, which cause very severe, constant itching and sometimes blue spots. So basically, you would know pretty quickly if you had them! In the very, very rare case that you would have contracted pubic lice, the condition is easily treatable and completely curable.

I'm so sorry to hear about your family stress. It sounds like stress and anxiety are at the heart of many of your worries, including the STI concern, and they come from a very real place of being concerned about someone in your family. I know how hard that is. Do you have access to a primary care physician who could discuss your concerns and potentially refer you to someone who can help you work through things? It's really good to have someone like a counselor to check in with on a regular basis when you're going through tough times. I have made use of counseling services at many different points in my life. Unfortunately Scarleteen is no substitute for that, although I encourage you to use the Help Near You feature at the top of the page to look for support services in your area. Let us know if you would like any help getting connected with a service. In the mean time, journaling is an excellent idea, as is finding other things that help you release your emotions and process them, like a favorite activity/sport, meditation, or getting outdoors in a park or other natural space.