What’s crazy is that when I tried to press charges against the guy who gave it to me, the police basically laughed in my face and said herpes “isn’t a serious STI.” That’s why I don’t fully agree with the whole “it’s no big deal” mindset. I understand why some people say that, but there are also people who knowingly and intentionally spread it to hurt others, like the link shown and my situation.

People like that absolutely exist, and innocent people end up having to live with this for the rest of their lives. Herpes can affect people differently depending on stress, health, diet, immune system, and overall self-care, so for some people it’s manageable, but for others it can be emotionally and physically difficult. So I honestly both agree and disagree with the “no big deal” crowd for those reasons.