The link between sexually transmitted diseases and illicit drug use is a multifaceted and well-documented one. STDs are a common co-occurring condition in intravenous drug users. Sharing needles and other paraphernalia where bodily fluids might be present puts other users and anyone who comes in contact at risk. However, people addicted to other substances, such as prescription pain medications or even alcohol, also face a higher-than-normal risk of exposure to STDs.
The best way to prevent disease is by eliminating the risky behavior that encourages it. However, if you have already contracted an STD, Florida alcohol and drug rehab offers options for effective treatment or management and a healthier life than the one you are living now.
Intravenous Drugs Pose an Extreme Risk of HIV and Other Serious Diseases
Beyond drug abuse, sharing needles is probably the worst thing than an active intravenous drug user can do to further jeopardize health and well-being.
Needle sharing puts you and others at risk of contracting and spreading these and other diseases:
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Tuberculosis
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
How risky is it? According to Drugrehab.com, nearly half of intravenous drug users contract Hepatitis C within two years of injecting drugs the first time. As many as 80 percent contract it within five years, and over half of all new cases of Hep C in 2010 were in intravenous drug users.
If you are in the habit of sharing needles, stop. Before you go into treatment, before you inject another dose, stop sharing needles. Further, do not share injection paraphernalia of any kind. Both needles and works are likely to have traces of blood.
Non-Injection Drugs are Also Linked to STDs
The blood and bodily fluid link between needle use and STDs is clear. What might be surprising is how any type of addictive substance puts you at risk of contracting a disease. The dangers revolve around risky behavior.
When you are under the influence of a mind-altering substance, including alcohol, you are much more likely to engage in risky behavior. That may include unprotected sex as well as experimenting with other drugs and sharing needles when you would not ordinarily do so.
This impairment is documented in research around the world, including a study from the Netherlands, which is available at the National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health. The study conclusions showed that where alcohol or any other recreational drug was present, users routinely engaged in high-risk behaviors including group sex, unprotected sex, partner swapping, and many others. Furthermore, the rate of infection was higher than for the normal population.
Decision-making skills are impaired when you are under the influence. All that it takes is one event to leave you with an incurable disease or one that is serious enough to require medical intervention.
For people addicted to alcohol or any drug, including prescription medications, there is a long and unfortunate history of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. Intravenous drug use is the most obvious of the risky behaviors, but it does not end there. Alcohol, non-injected illicit drugs, and prescription medications impair your ability to make good choices. That puts you and everyone around you at risk of disease.
If you or any of your loved ones have an addiction to intravenous drugs or any other substance, there is no time to lose.
Contact us so that life-saving treatment can begin today.
The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.