I just joined this site. I have HS. I have had it since 6th grade. I am now 18. I had a terrible home life. I was adopted by my aunt who always made me feel bad about myself. I have sensitive skin but as soon as I started having these lumps I told my aunt so she could help me. She told me it was just sensitive skin. As time went along more bumps came back but my aunt didn’t show concern. I became insecure and antisocial. I hated that I wasn’t normal. I realized I would never be like other girls and be able to wear whatever I wanted because of the condition of my skin. As I started high school the bumps became worse. I also got a boyfriend about a year later. One day the bumps got so bad I couldn’t walk right. My sister became ashamed of me and would leave me when we went in stores. I tried to explain over and over that it wasn’t my fault. My aunt finally took me to the doctor when I couldn’t bare to be at school with so much pain. She yelled at me and told me it was nothing. As soon as the doctor came into my room. My aunt began to tell her it was aids or some type of STD. I sat there astonished at why she would say that. I told the doctor I wasn’t even sexually active. Eventually my aunt left the room and the doctor told me about HS. I told my whole family right after. My aunt and her sister still believed I had aids. They told our pastor and other people in our town. They got mad when I touched it sat on something of theirs. They treated me like a disease. People at school began to make fun of me. Turns out my brother also believed I had aids and told all his friends. We haven’t spoken in 3 years now. I recently graduated and I left home the night of graduation. I could no longer be around those toxic people. I know this is a lot but this is my story. This is my first time being in a support group. I just feel so alone and I didn’t know what else to do.