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Sudden HIV fear

Good night.

After a year and a half of abstinence, I had a HIV/STD test last february. I tested negative. However, last week I met a girl at college and we had protected sex. I made sure I put on the condom properly and done everything else right. Besides, the encounter was brief. After the girl went back home, I got an unsettling amount of anxiety about my chances of acquiring HIV, especially just a few weeks after testing negative. A couple of days later I found the girl in the campus and inquired about her status. She said she also had a "STD test" last february that "obviously" came back negative, but I'm unsure about the overall truth of her answer considering I just met her. She did mention that she's a person that's "pretty much sick all the time", and had what looked like a cold when we had intercourse.

It's been a week and this thing is pretty much stuck in my head. It's not overly limiting, but my mind is constantly reminding me of the "what if" scenario. Was I at risk? Is a re-test after three months necessary if I remain in abstinence after this SINGLE protected encounter?
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Avatar universal
Will anxiety makes our body chill whole day?
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Avatar universal
You seem like a smart person. I also worry about health concerns, it can truly get the best of you. You need to believe you are fine because you are! Tell yourself that.
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Avatar universal
I've been somewhat of an anxious person since I was a child, but this is the first time I've had this kind of anxiety regarding sex and STDs. Ever since I turned 20, health concerns and other anxious thoughts have been more common and kind of troublesome, but not limiting. However, the scenario I described above turned up a few notches in the anxiety scale this last week. Maye it's remorse? I truly don't know for sure, but the mind plays nasty tricks and makes you believe you may truly end up in the worst case scenario. Either way, I'm glad you answer, and for that I thank you.
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Avatar universal
No need to get a test. You had no risk. Zero percent. Protected sex is protected sex. Plus HIV is very rare. Men getting HIV from women is rare. You're fine bud.  Maybe you have this anxiety because you have a history of anxiety? Feel guilty for having sex? Regardless you had no risk
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