Tips to live a full life as HIV Positive

HIV is not a killer anymore. We are not living in times when there were only experimental drugs available. Now we have tried and tested medicines which work to keep a person healthy. And the government has provisions to supply you with medicines for free of cost.

So if you are newly tested HIV positive, stop feeling lost. There are many of us who are living a good, healthy and fruitful life. HIV is not a condition that happens to a certain kind of people. It can happen to a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer or a sportsman. So you should not feel any less about yourself. You may say that it is easily said than done. But I have lived this through and this gets better. In fact, way better, you realise that you live a healthier life style and you surround yourself with the best of the people.

The following are some of the things I would suggest:

• Do not panic. HIV can be brought perfectly under control.
• Make a wise choice about whom to trust. People are people. There are some who empathise and some who act out of fear.
• It is wise to figure out whom you got the virus from and inform him/her. Do not resort to acts that harm him/her. Neither you nor that person is set to benefit from this bout of anger. But if you cannot figure out who it was, don’t beat yourself up about it and focus on your health. What should be the goal is to save this person and those they could possibly infect if he/she has not realised that he/she is positive.
• Life doesn’t change for the bad after a diagnosis. It only gets better. It will be the best excuse to pamper yourself with all the good things. To begin, you would lead a better life style. You would eat healthy. You would exercise. You would keep yourself happy. Does it sound impossible or difficult?
• Finally, believe in yourself! Believe in your body. Believe that even this will pass.

Editor’s note: The writer chose to remain anonymous for personal reasons.