What’s it like living with HIV today?
The span of HIV lived reality pretty much mirrors the span of life in general these days. For more recently diagnosed guys there can be little perceptible difference with lives led by their HIV negative peers though it can be a very different situation for others, particularly men who’ve lived with HIV longer term and whose early treatment experiences were a far cry from the much simpler and more easily tolerated treatment regimens today.
The experience of HIV has always been highly variable from individual to individual though the improvements in treatments over recent years has ensured that most people can now experience the benefits offering in optimally suppressed virus. However some things haven’t improved: the tyranny of daily treatment; travel restrictions; the fear and ignorance of HIV that results in stigmatising and discriminatory attitudes towards PLHIV; the need to disclose to sexual partners, to family friends, colleagues and loved ones (and implicitly to everyone they know as well) and to be a walking HIV 101 lecture series and support group when doing so.
It is important that all these living with HIV stories are told, the good, the bad, the funny, the sad. A number of organisations have been collecting these stories, both here in Australia and overseas.
Below are a few links where you can read some personal stories and testimonials, which we particularly like. Let us know if you are aware of any other similar websites that you would like us to share!