Question
How do I tell my family?
5 November 2012. Related: All topics, Disclosure.
Hi I’m 6 months pregnant and I just started taking ARVs. My CD4 count is 319.
My family don’t know anythng about this. Only my cousin knows that I’m taking ARVs.
My question is should I tell them now or should I wait for the perfect time because I’m afraid how they will react when they hear about my status.
Answer
Hello,
I’m very sorry to hear how worried you are about telling your family your status.
It’s up to you to decide who to tell, and when. But it’s important to have some support. So it’s great that you have been able to tell your cousin.
Telling your family can be difficult, especially if you are worried about how they might react. Maybe this is something your cousin can support you with. It might also help to bring up the topic of HIV with your family, and see how they react. This can give you an idea of how they will react when you tell them your status.
For more information the Terrence Higgins Trust has helpful tips about disclosure on their website.
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