With help from the NHS, we’ve recently been jogging around the country creating new drugs and sexual health advice videos for TheSite.org.
Our first stop was the Bethlem Royal Hospital to film an interview with one of the UK’s leading addiction specialists, Dr. Robert Hill, about drink and drug dependence.
- Dr Hill, Consultant Clinical Psychologist
He revealed the growing trend of young women under the age of 25 presenting at rehab with a serious alcohol addiction and that the prevalence of skunk cannabis has resulted in a greater impact on young people’s mental health than before.
He also quashed the argument of an ‘addictive personality’ and instead suggested someone is likely to display sensation-seeking behaviour which can therefore lead to a higher probability of dependence. The interview was coupled with a real-life account of a recovering young addict who used the services to recover from his drink and drug addiction.
Next up was a procedural look at how to get tested for an STI. With unprotected sex amongst young people under the age of 25 accounting for the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections in the UK (HPA report 2010), we booked an appointment with a nurse at the Chelsea & Westminster hospital to find out how to get tested.
Having delegated the possibility of dropping one’s trousers to our young presenter Rhys, we had an informed chat with the nurse and discovered that for guys presenting with no noticeable symptoms you wouldn’t necessarily need to have a genital swab. Also, if you do test positive for an STI, the sexual health team will also be able to contact your previous partners on your behalf without mentioning your name. Really useful. After stopping to pick up some free lube*, all we had to do next was head back to the office and start editing. Here are the results:
