Question

How should I accept the fact that I am HIV positive and manage it?

18 July 2007. Related: All topics, Living with HIV long-term, Side effects.

Currently I am on treatment and doing fine.

Everyday my mind keep telling me I am a HIV positive so automatically. I try not to think about it but can not help it and keep hearing it everyday.

This disturbance cause me very stressful and I am having trouble living a ‘normal’ life.

How should I manager it?

Thank you very much.

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

Thanks for your question.

It is a difficult one, because there isn’t one easy answer.

Usually, with time, things get easier.

If you were newly diagnosed, or only started treatment recently, this does take a while. Focusing on the fact that with an undetectable viral load you have stopped HIV developing or from damaging your immune system may help.

Or that taking pills only takes a few minutes each day (leaving you free for the other 23 hours and 55 minutes a day to do other things).

If you currently have side effects, talk to your doctor about adapting your treatment so these are easier is important.

Your overall quality of life needs to be good – but the routine bit definitely takes a while to get used to.

After a while though, most people say that it gets easier and they reach a point where, apart from adherence, they don’t think so much about it.

If this is causing you a lot of difficulty then perhaps ask about whether counselling support is available, in case the worry is related to unresolved issues of your original HIV diagnosis.