This isn't really a question, but I wanted to share a few insights about being HIV+. As I read through this forum, I am struck by the number of people who found out they tested positive and are letting it get the best of them, both physically and mentally. To those people, I'd like to offer a measure of comfort mixed with the sober truth. HIV is a treatable disease. Yes, it can be scary, inconvenient, and life-altering. But it ain't the end of the road. If I've learned anything about human nature in my life, it's this: people are adaptable. Having HIV is just one more thing to get used to. I'm not downplaying the seriousness of the disease, mind you, I'm merely saying that when you look at it from another perspective, it suddenly isn't as scary as it first appeared. Taking medication everyday can be annoying, but it's a minor inconvenience in the long run. Another human truth is this: everyone will eventually die. Whether it be from old age, disease, accident, or other cause, it is certain that every single one of us will eventually pass on. When you accept your own mortality not as impending doom, but instead as a simple fact of life, it can be quite liberating. And if you're anything like me, accepting my mortality also gave me the drive to do as much as I possibly can with my time on this Earth. There is an old cliche that says, "Where there's a will, there's a way". Memorize it, and remind yourself of it frequently. If you are having trouble paying for meds, if you feel that you simply can't go on any longer, if you feel alone and vulnerable and utterly dead inside...you are not. The emotions you feel are important, but they are emotions that can be overcome and surpassed. They prove that you are very much alive. Accept them as a part of you, but do not allow them to be all of you. You'll be astonished at how resillient you really are.

Thank you for sharing your thoughtful and insightful message.