Sexually transmitted diseases are a growing problem among young adults in particular. STDs are a topic people don’t like talking about because the thought of having one is unnerving.

Today, many young adults have the mindset that casual sex is acceptable because everyone else is doing it. Peer pressure is a noteworthy factor in sexual encounters between them. Friends might think another friend is weird for not hooking-up with a person of the opposite gender, especially if the potential hook-up is irresistibly good looking.

It’s best to jump off the bandwagon, because that wagon is filled with STDs.

“Young people, between the ages of 15 to 24, account for 50 percent of all new STDs, although they represent just 25 percent of the sexually-experienced population,” according to DoSomething, a non-profit organization which undertakes volunteer campaigns to discuss various social causes.

Some people may be in denial, ignoring their chances of actually contracting an STD. For the sake of good health, staying well informed and going to see a doctor is your best bet, especially for pregnant women. You can never be too sure.

Without any symptoms, Chlamydia can potentially lead to fallopian tube infection and “1 in 4 sexually active adolescent females have an STD such as chlamydia or human papillomavirus,” according to the Center for Disease Control. Damage to fallopian tubes can ultimately lead to infertility.

An easy solution to avoid STD complications is to practice abstinence. However, with raging hormones comes a spur of the moment attitude and the heat of the moment takes over.

Nowadays, popular applications such as Grindr and Tinder are heavily used. Dating apps like these are giving young adults wider access to continue casual sex rendezvous.

“You are able to turn over partners more quickly with a dating app and the quicker you change partners the more likely you are to get infections,” said Dr. Peter Greenhouse, chair of the media committee of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, in an interview with Newsbeat.

Many consider the contraction of STDs alone as social suicide for you and your partner. But it can get even worse if you are stuck with an STD and impregnated, adding a third to the equation.

“In California, the rate of primary and secondary syphilis was 5.1 per 100,000 in 2009 and 9.3 per 100,000 in 2013. California now ranks 2nd in rates of P&S syphilis among 50 states,” according to the CDC’s 2015 state health profile.

A more recent worry today is the Zika virus, which is a disease derived from “an infected Aedes species mosquito” originating in Africa, according to the CDC.  The disease can also be spread through sexual intercourse.

Anyone who have visited Zika infected regions such as those in Central America, South America and the Caribbean, are at risk.  Those experiencing a rash, fever, joint pain and red eyes that lasts longer than two to seven days should go see a doctor, according to The Huffington Post. Pregnant women should especially go see a doctor because if infected the disease could spread to the baby.

On the bright side, it is rare for someone to have died from the Virus.

STDs can ruin lives. Once a person has an STD, it can take away not only joy and happiness, but damages can be permanent. If not abstaining from sex, especially unprotected, it’s best to at least be knowledgeable about preventative measures. Condoms were made for a reason. One can have their night of fun as long as they keep their health in mind.