Three Tips on Sharing Your Condition With a New Partner

Dating in this era is awful. Or at least it has been in my case.

Online dating is scary for everyone. You can easily get duped because it’s hard to know if you will be getting the guy (or girl) that they have portrayed.

It is possible that you can end up in a terribly dangerous situation. But honestly, it’s hard to meet people in real life anymore. 

Navigating health disclosure

Meeting someone at a bar is an option, but I’m just way too old for that. However, the thought of living alone for the rest of my life is awful too.

When you add in living with multiple chronic illnesses s like endometriosis it’s even harder. It’s hard to know when to share your health conditions.

If you share too early, they often head for the hills, because it’s a lot of information to absorb. I don’t blame them if they do because I would probably run too.

But on the other end, if you wait too long they feel like you have been hiding things from them. So let’s talk about tips for sharing our health with a new or potential partner.

Effective health disclosure strategies

Learn all you can about your specific condition(s)

If you’re sharing about your endometriosis it is imperative that you know as much as you can about your health. Because as you share, they will most likely have questions about how it affects you.

They might also have questions about how your condition may impact your relationship and your sex life. By knowing all you can it will be easier to answer any questions they may have.

Be honest

It’s good to be as open as you can about your endometriosis and any other conditions you have. Talk to them about what it’s like for you to have your condition.

Share things such as symptoms you experience, like pain, fatigue, and heavy bleeding. The bleeding part you might leave out the first time you talk about it, depending on your comfort level.

You should also explain that sex may be painful for you if it is. Don’t be afraid to say it’s painful, and not just try and deal with it, during sex.

Choose the right time and place to share about your conditions

As I mentioned above it’s hard to know when to share about your health. If you share too soon it may scare them off, or if you wait, they may be frustrated that you didn’t tell them sooner.

When you do decide to share, it’s best to share at a time that is good for you both. Sharing when it is just the two of you might be best.

Choose a good time and place where you can talk a not be worried about the people around you. This isn’t really a topic you want to share in the middle of a restaurant, or at least it isn't for me.

If you have other health conditions, be open and honest about them as well. Just like with your endometriosis, you should be open and honest about what it is and how it impacts you, but also how it may impact your relationship as a whole.

Managing concerns about your health

When you live with any kind of chronic condition you may prefer to keep it to yourself. If that’s the case you have to be prepared to deal with your potential partner's feelings.

In the long run, your health, no matter if it’s good or bad, does not only impact you. It will also have an impact on them. So just be honest and open as you feel comfortable.