If you have oral, vaginal, or anal sex and have multiple partners and/or unprotected sex, you are at risk of contracting chlamydia. Chlamydia is transmitted when the bacteria ‘’Chlamydia trachomatis’’ comes in contact with your mucous membranes. Anyone who is sexually active should get annual STI tests, including testing for chlamydia. You should also get tested after every new sexual partner.  You are at higher risk for chlamydia if you have unprotected sex, as your partner might have chlamydia or another STI. These infections can be prevented by using latex condoms and dental dams. You are at higher risk if you have been diagnosed with other STIs. Younger people are at a higher risk of contracting chlamydia. Since men who have sex with men are at a higher risk of getting chlamydia, be sure to talk to your male partner and make sure your partner is not having sex with anyone other than you. Mouth-to-vagina and mouth-to-anus transmission is not known to occur. Mouth-to-penis and penis-to-mouth transmission is definitely possible, though transmission through oral sex is less likely than via vaginal or anal sex. Chlamydia does not cause symptoms in 75% of infected women. Chlamydia could be damaging your body even if you haven't experienced any symptoms. Untreated infections cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which can eventually lead to scarring and infertility.  When symptoms do occur, they usually arise 1-3 weeks after infection. Get tested immediately if your partner discloses that he has chlamydia. A swab from an infected genital area can be taken and analyzed. For women, this means a swab of your cervix, vagina, or rectum and, for your male partner, a swab is inserted into the tip of the urethra or rectum. A urine sample may also be taken. Ask your doctor or visit a local health clinic, Planned Parenthood, or other agency that offers STI testing. In many cases testing is free. If you do get diagnosed with chlamydia, treatment via oral antibiotics, particularly azithromycin and doxycycline, will be offered to you. If you take the full course of antibiotics as directed, the infection should be gone in a week or two. For more advanced chlamydia, you may need IV antibiotics.  If you have chlamydia, your partner should also be tested and on treatment so you can avoid re-infecting each other. All sex should be put on hold until treatment is finished. Many people with chlamydia also have gonorrhea, so your doctor may put you on treatment for this infection as well. The cost of treating gonorrhea is cheaper than running the lab tests for it, so you might be put on this treatment without being tested.
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One-sentence summary -- Know your risks for chlamydia. Get tested before symptoms occur. Have one of two types of tests. Get treated immediately.


When you don't sleep well, your defense mechanisms can be compromised. This can make it harder to handle the symptoms of mild depression. Try going to bed earlier than normal to ensure that you get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is a restorative activity that allows your body to heal itself. If you aren't getting enough sleep, talk to your doctor. She might prescribe sleep medication. You might also try changing your sleeping times. The inability to get to enough sleep can indicate depressive symptoms. If you have trouble getting to sleep, try listening to calm music before bed. Turn off your computer and phone at least 30 minutes before bedtime to give your eyes and brain a rest from the screen. Exercise may be an underutilized method for boosting mood. Studies suggest that exercise helps to elevate mood and prevent relapse. Aim to get 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.  Set attainable goals for yourself. No matter how easy you think a goal is to attain, attaining it gives you the experience of success early and the confidence needed to set your next goal. Start with a goal of walking 10 minutes per day for a couple of days during the week, then push yourself to do more, such as walking for 10 minutes every day for one week; then every day for one month; then the whole year. See how long you can keep your streak going. The best part of exercise as a treatment for depression is that activities such as walking and running do not cost a lot of money. Before starting a new exercise routine, talk with your doctor and/or a personal trainer to determine the best exercises for your fitness level. Consider every exercise session as a treatment for your mood and a positive reflection of your will to improve. Light therapy, or exposing yourself to sunlight or light that mimics sunlight, can positively effect on your mood. Some research suggests that increased amounts of sunlight will increase your body’s levels of vitamin D.  Try a dawn simulator. This is a timer mechanism that you attach to a lamp in your bedroom. The lamp will start to light up gradually 30-45 minutes before your scheduled wake-up time. Your brain will think that morning light is coming through the window and you may trick your body into feeling better.  Get a light therapy box or lamp. This device emits simulated sunlight. Sit in front of a light therapy box for 30 minutes per day to get more light exposure. When you’re stressed, your body responds by releasing cortisol, a stress hormone. If you experience chronic stress, your body may overreact and not shut off the stress hormone release. Try to manage and reduce your stress so that your body has a chance to rejuvenate.   Try meditation to reduce stress. Make a list of the things that stress you out. Try to minimize the number of stressors in your life. Gardening, walking and other outdoor activities can create beneficial effects. Getting out into green spaces and nature can lift your mood and help you if you’re feeling the effects of mild depression. Gardening and digging in the dirt can also create positive affects, thanks to anti-depressant microbes in soil that increase serotonin levels. Some people feel the effects of depression because of repressed creativity. The link between depression and creativity has been of great interest because some think it may be “the cost” of being a creative person rather than being a “necessary evil” of creativity. Depression may arise when a creative person finds it difficult to find an expressive outlet.
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One-sentence summary --
Improve your sleep patterns. Focus on exercise. Try light therapy. Manage your stress. Get outdoors. Give yourself a creative outlet.