It is your right to make choices about your sexual health. Having an STI does not exclude you from developing a healthy loving relationship with yourself and others.
Abstinence means many things to different people.
From the health perspective, it means not engaging in sexual behavior that may put you at risk for infections or pregnancy. It's OK not to have sex. It's OK to postpone sex. Not using birth control is a decision. There are a variety of effective contraceptive methods.