HIV treatment can be harsh when you live your life in mystery, thinking nothing good comes out of it! But you’re not alone in it! Statistics show that approximately 28.2 million people undergo HIV treatment. That’s 67% of all the people who are living with HIV globally. Instead of hating yourself for this, if you start to lead a happy and fruitful life, it will show in your health!
Many of us, to this day, struggle to understand what HIV treatment is and how it can help foster a new and happy beginning in our lives. In this article, we will share some statistics and concepts on how you can live a loving life with HIV treatment. We tend to debunk some myths and share an approach to a happy life!
Myth 1: HIV means Death
And therefore, it’s a myth!
Thanks to the development of technology and procedures, there are advanced HIV treatments available. While HIV is a chronic condition, and one has to live it for life, it’s very manageable. Proper medication and a systematic healthcare system allow individuals with HIV treatments to live long and healthy lives. But, treatment is not the only aspect. Along with this, the person living with HIV seeks some love and support from their family and friends. While this is not a cure, the kind gesture helps them lead a happy and positive life, something that medicine can’t!
You don’t have to worry about dying anytime soon. If you’re undergoing treatment and have everything in control, you tend to live the expected years of your life!
Myth 2: You can Contaminate HIV through Casual Contact
And this is yet another myth!
Often, people have a fear that they contaminate the HIV through casual contact, which is why they avoid HIV treatment!
And that’s not the truth!
HIV cannot be contaminated through hugging, shaking hands, or sharing utensils. It’s also not contaminated through day-to-day interactions. However, HIV can be transmitted if you have unprotected sex with the person going through HIV treatment. Other ways of transmission include sharing needles or through mother-to-child during childbirth or breastfeeding. When you’re aware of what transmits and doesn’t transmit the disease, you can be careful and provide better care to an HIV treatment person.
Myth 3: People with HIV Cannot Build Relationships or Family
It’s a myth!
Don’t let yourself be limited to HIV. If you are undergoing HIV treatment, that will lead you to a happy and long life. Be aware of the precautions, medicines, and the risk of transmitting the disease. With appropriate preventive measures and treatment, you can significantly eradicate the risk of transmission to your partner or children. There is living proof of individuals with HIV leading healthy relationships and families. So, it’s a pure myth that a person with HIV can’t have a relationship or a family.
Myth 4: HIV Positive Individuals are Always Sick
And that’s just a myth as well!
Sure, HIV is a chronic disease that entirely cannot be eradicated. But people who receive HIV treatment lead a healthy and happy life. Just like Diabetes is a chronic disease, it doesn’t mean that a person with Diabetes is always sick. Sure, they are on some medication and might have to restrict some food, but they are not always ill.
Similarly, in the case of HIV, the person might always be living with the virus and undergoing treatment to balance it; they, too, can lead a life just like any other individual. Even individuals who live with HIV are on the positive side of having an active life. All they need is proper medication to help manage the virus and maintain their overall health. Otherwise, they can be healthy and not be labeled as’sick’ all the time.
Myth 5: HIV Positive Individuals are Infectious all the Time
And that is a myth that many of us might be unaware of! With HIV treatment, people achieve an undetectable viral load, making it unlikely to transmit the virus to others. It goes by the math that undetectable = untransmittable (U=U). So, while you might be concerned about the transmission of the virus, an individual receiving HIV treatment might have the virus undetectable, making it unlikely to transmit it to any other person.
Myth 6: HIV only Affects Certain Groups of People
That, too, is a myth!
There is a risk of HIV transmission to everyone, regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation, or age. So, you must understand the risk of HIV transmission and take preventative measures. The virus looks for no age group, no ethnicity, and no gender when transmitting.
You must always practice safe sex and take preventive measures when being with someone who has the virus to prevent yourself from transmitting it.
Further, you can look for ways with high transmission risk and ensure you keep yourself safe.
The most likely method of HIV transmission is unprotected sex and using the personal towel of the person who has HIV. You can avoid these actions and take a regular HIV test to keep yourself safe from it. Once you have it, it is incurable, so prevention is always a better option.
Myth 7: You Don’t Need Protection If Both Partners have HIV
This one is a myth, too! Even if you and your partner have HIV, protection is a must as there exist different strains of HIV. When unprotected sex takes place between HIV-positive individuals, they get exposed to various strains and secondary infections.
A safe sex practice is still essential, even if both of you have the virus. The virus’s presence in your body makes it very difficult for your body to fight against any other infections. Therefore, with safe sex, you can ensure the control of contamination with any other virus!
This way, you’re also eradicating the risk of your partner getting any infections or strains.
As a person going through HIV treatment, you must be aware of your health.
Conclusion
HIV treatment is a remedy for you to live a long, healthy, and happy life while living with a virus.
There are various myths surrounding HIV, which makes it difficult for a person to lead a happy life! It’s a great idea to start your medication right away after you find your HIV status to be positive. Undetected HIV can lead to AIDs, and medication rarely works in these cases.
Once you’re aware of the myths and facts surrounding HIV treatment, you can take preventive action and function better! In this article, we break down some common myths! You can proceed with learning more about each of these myths. But make sure you understand that a myth is a myth and not a reality. There are some misconceptions surrounding HIV that result in these myths that make other individuals scared of HIV.
