Can straining from constipation cause blood in stool?

I am a 19 year old male and for a few 7 months or so, I have had off --and-on painful bowel movements. They are not usually painful until the point where it is almost about to exit. After the movement, as I begin to wipe, I notice either a little or a lot of blood either on the toilet paper or on the actual stool, sometimes the bowl. There is rarely blood on the stool itself, but sometimes there is. The blood usually goes a way after a few wipes, but the wipes are almost always painful on my sphincter. I honestly cannot remember my last peaceful bowel movement. My most recent, I was constipated. I did a lot of straining and nothing came out. I did a few dry wipes to check but nothing. I continued to strain and I felt a little something. I wiped and it was blood. Straight blood. I looked in the toilet bowl and there w.s blood. After straining more, more blood came out then finally, the movement passed. There was very little blood on the actual stool itself. Could the blood be caused by hemorrhoids and straining, or could this be something a lot more serious? I know the question sounds silly but I am a severe hypochondriac.