Stigma and self-stigma
Many people worry about what others think of them, and this is also true for people with HIV. Negative thoughts about HIV can make someone with HIV feel inferior to other people. This is called self-stigma. Self-stigma can prevent a person from living life to the full. For example, some people are afraid of rejection or choose to hide their HIV status from loved ones.
How someone deals with HIV is personal and there is no right or wrong way. But it can help to explore the extent to which they have accepted HIV in their lives. People who have accepted their HIV generally feel better about themselves.
How someone deals with HIV is personal and there is no right or wrong way. But it can help to explore the extent to which they have accepted HIV in their lives. People who have accepted their HIV generally feel better about themselves.
A lot of people with HIV has had troubled thoughts about what it means to have HIV. You cannot wish the virus away. And it may be years before a cure for HIV is found.
Watch the video on the page below to see how other people wait for a cure for HIV.