Addiction Treatment: Sexually Transmitted Diseases vs. Sexually Transmitted Infections - Outpatient Program

As a participant in the Intensive Outpatient addiction treatment program at The Right Step you will learn that a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is an illness caused by an infectious pathogen that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of sexual contact.

Increasingly, the term sexually transmitted infection (STI) is used, as it has a broader range of meaning.  A person may be infected and may potentially infect others without showing signs of disease. Some STIs can also be transmitted via the needles used in IV drug use when addicts are actively using, as well as through childbirth or breastfeeding.

Specifically, the term STD refers only to infections that are causing symptoms. Because most of the time people do not know that they are infected with an STD until they start showing symptoms of disease, most people use the term STD, even though the term STI is also appropriate in many cases.

Types of STIs

The professional medical staff at The Right Step outpatient addiction treatment centers will help familiarize you with the types of sexually transmitted infections as follows: Bacterial, Chancroid, Chlamydia infection, Donovanosis, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Viral: Hepatitis B (Note: Hepatitis A  and E  are transmitted via the fecal-oral route,  not sexually; Hepatitis C is rarely sexually transmittable, and the route of transmission of Hepatitis D is uncertain, but may include sexual transmission.), Herpes simplex, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Human papillomavirus (HPV) (Note: Certain strains of HPV cause  genital warts while other strains of HPV cause cervical dysplasias which can lead to cervical cancer/anal cancer).

As you progress in your addiction treatment program, you will also learn that most of the diseases on this list are most commonly transmitted sexually. Some are commonly transmitted in other ways as well; for example, HIV/AIDS is also commonly transmitted through the sharing of infected needles by drug users, while SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which can be spread through casual contact such as coughing and sneezing, is very often not associated with sexual activity.

Additional types of sexually transmitted infections are Parasites: Pubic Lice a.k.a "crabs" and Scabies, Protozoal: Trichomoniasis.

While continuing in your addiction treatment program at The Right Step, you will learn more facts about sexually transmitted infections as you work to move toward positive change in your life through alcohol addiction and drug addiction treatment.