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Getting tested for sexually transmitted infections can be expensive but there are definitely
resources that can provide free or, sort of pay what you can type of services. One of
the major national ones is Planned Parenthood and you can go on to their website and search
for a clinic in your neighborhood or area. Another way to do would be go to ashatd.org,
and they will also help you connect to STD or STI testing in your area. They have the
phone number for a national STD hotline that may be helpful. Another way to do it is to
see insurance-wise, sometimes insurance will cover your testing especially if you symptoms
that might be covered. Certain types of STD's are reportable which means that if you are
diagnosed with an STD that gets reported to the CDC, and that might be important to know.
And you can find that information actually on the Centers for Disease Control website.
Another option is if you're a student, if you're in a high school sometimes high schools
have school based clinics that provide free or low cost services. And most universities
or colleges also have student health centers that provide free or low cost STI testing.
It can be scary or awkward to go for testing sexually transmitted infections. You know,
one thing is it kind of makes it apparent to people that you're having some sort of
*** behavior, and it might not feel safe or comfortable to go to certain places or
certain people for that kind of testing. Places that are family planning clinics or national
centers, this is what they do and they do this all the time. And I know for each individual
person it may be very daunting, but for them they have a lot of comfort and experience
with doing STI testing and that may help relieve some of your anxiety or fear about going for
testing.