Strange Dates: How Getting Tested Together Can Strengthen Your Relationship

Usually, getting tested for STDs is a very personal procedure. If you test positive, it is common to be apprehensive about telling past or current sexual partners about your results. However, heading to a testing clinic does not have to be a shameful act that you hide from your current or possible future partner. Getting tested for common STDs can be an excellent activity to do as a couple. Here are three ways a date at the health clinic can help strengthen your current relationship. 

Increase Your Communication 

Not all couples are comfortable talking about sex. Going to get tested together helps you and your partner acknowledge that you both have a sexual history. A clinical discussion about sexual responsibility can lead to more in-depth conversations about sexual preferences, satisfaction, and healthy boundaries. These conversations can help increase both your physical and emotional intimacy. 

Practicing revealing the results of your tests can be a good way to practice revealing various types of information with your partner and can lead to conversations about how you and your partner can best support each other. 

Show That You Accept Your Partner 

Getting tested for STDs shows that you understand there may be a possibility that you or your partner contracted an STD. By going together and agreeing to support each other both during and after the tests, you show your partner that you accept that they have had a past with other partners and/or are currently sleeping with multiple partners. It shows that you do not have a skewed view of their past or your current relationship and allows you the opportunity to set new boundaries and develop new sexual habits together. 

Deepen Your Trust

Getting tested for STDs can be an intimidating experience. Going with a partner for the first time can be especially nerve-wracking. However, if you both listen to each other's fears, hopes, and insecurities, you can end up deepening your trust in each other. Getting tested for STDs together provides an excellent opportunity to practice being empathetic and caring towards your partner. 

While some clinics will allow you to get tested and receive results as a couple, other clinics will insist that you are each tested individually for privacy reasons. Either way, waiting together in the waiting room can be a good time to show tenderness and support towards your partner. You may also want to schedule a meal or drink together before or after getting tested to talk about the experience and your expectations as a couple. Contact a clinic like Safer STD Testing to set up an appointment.

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