HIV Support Group
HIV (also known as human immunodeficiency virus, and formerly known as HTLV-III and lymphadenopathy-associated virus) is a retrovirus that primarily infects vital components of the human immune system which can lead the syndrome known as AIDS. Many of the problems faced by people infected with HIV result from failure of the immune system to protect from opportunistic...
I am hurting...a lot. This feeling, right now as I stare cross-eyed into my own eyes, is much worse than any feeling of depression I've ever had. I used to think that I had already experienced the hardest time of my life, when I didn't want to be alive anymore. I would destroy myself with behaviors like spending money I didn't have, cutting my arms and legs until I couldn't count, swallowing as many pills as I could to see what they would do to me... I was a mess, it's true.
But this is much, much worse.
My point is not to complain or make you feel bad for me...my point in all of this is to say that I don't consider my pain worse than yours. I need you to know that. By saying that my depression is worse than it's ever been before, I am only comparing it to my own depression experiences. Your depression is just as real and probably just as awful as mine. Yeah, sure, I have some really crappy circumstances, but that DOES NOT invalidate what you're feeling right now. It actually makes me have a physical reaction of anger when people say things like "get over it, life isn't fair". How about we practice a little compassion and validation? It's okay to not be okay. Cry about it, throw a tantrum, be devastated, feel the frustration of it not being fair....god knows I do. Get THROUGH your pain, not over it.
imjustpositive.blogspot.com
But this is much, much worse.
My point is not to complain or make you feel bad for me...my point in all of this is to say that I don't consider my pain worse than yours. I need you to know that. By saying that my depression is worse than it's ever been before, I am only comparing it to my own depression experiences. Your depression is just as real and probably just as awful as mine. Yeah, sure, I have some really crappy circumstances, but that DOES NOT invalidate what you're feeling right now. It actually makes me have a physical reaction of anger when people say things like "get over it, life isn't fair". How about we practice a little compassion and validation? It's okay to not be okay. Cry about it, throw a tantrum, be devastated, feel the frustration of it not being fair....god knows I do. Get THROUGH your pain, not over it.
imjustpositive.blogspot.com
There is a lot of bad stigma around HIV in comparison to HCV and many other viruses. But we all just need to work to overcome that. HIV infection is not just a gay male problem, it can happen to anyone.
A few people who have been living with HIV for many years have claimed that the infection was the best thing that every happened to them. This is not true for most people, but it illustrates that how the virus affects you depends mostly on how you choose to deal with it. Coming to a place like this to begin to look for support is one good step in the right direction. You should also poke around in other places like thebody.com and other places that provide support groups.