AIDS is no longer perceived by the general public
as a "crisis," and this is because everybody is now aware of the virus. As people live longer with this disease, the focus is
on improving quality of life.
A loving, passionate, emotionally and physically satisfying sex life
is not something that can be denied to us. It is a fundamental basis of
our human nature, yes you can smile. Many +/+ couples and even some +/- couples have chosen
to practice unprotected sex within the context of a monogamous
relationship, this is a big risk though.
This is a very personal choice for them, and comes from
doing their own assessment of risk. For two HIV-positive people to have
unprotected sex together, obviously the risk of transmitting HIV is not
an issue, so the worry here would be more related to transmission of
other STDs
or "reinfection."
Whether or not a couple practices safer sex is not the issue at
hand. What is most relevant, is that they have established a line of
communication regarding HIV. The fact that they have disclosed their
status to each other before engaging in sex, and educated themselves
about their options, is what is most important.
Some people find it difficult to disclose their status to their partner and may also decide not to have sex with his/ her partner to avoid contact , shall we call it love or fear .
Some may even discriminate
against you because of it. Discrimination within one's family or friends
can really hurt. Discrimination at work can hurt, too, but it is also
illegal.
Sometimes
it's easiest to first disclose to someone you know that already has it, like a friend or family member living with HIV or members of
support group or someone who has disclosed another serious illness , that way your mind will be at rest that you are not alone in it.
Or if you don't know anyone living with HIV, or don't have access
to a support group, calling an HIV hotline and telling an operator you
have HIV can break the ice. They are used to these kinds of calls. I am sure they
won't judge you; they will understand. They might even be willing to
work with you, or just by listening, to help you find
the language and courage to tell others
Remember, you don't have to tell everybody, only those who you trust and
want or need to tell. Give yourself time to determine who these people
are and how you want to tell them.
Not hiding your HIV status from doctors or other healthcare providers
can help ensure that you get the most appropriate care, too. Disclosure
can also reduce the risk of HIV transmission to others, and it can lead to better, healthier sexual relationships.
Because of this HIV/AIDS saga some people
have chosen to avoid the whole dating thing all together. Some are using
Internet chat rooms, support groups, and dating sites 2go and co to meet others
like themselves. This is one way to avoid the stress of disclosure and
helps build a strong community of people who understand. But keep in
mind, it is important in any situation to never assume someone's HIV
status. Always talk about it before you have unprotected sex. In
addition, don't expect that just because someone is also HIV positive
that they will want to have unprotected sex with you.
2 comments:
Well done Rita. But it is not as easy as we think .
Thank you Dominic
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