When you are an HIV-infected person, seeking love may feel frightening and may also make you feel inferior, but you can believe that even if you are HIV positive, you can still have love and meet your “soulmate.” Through treatment, you can live a long and normal life while protecting your partner. The following 10 tips are written for you who are confused.
1. Be clear about what kind of disease AIDS is
Sometimes it is difficult to talk about HIV with new or potential partners. Feeling stressed or embarrassed is normal, but learning more about your condition will help. How and when to disclose your status is up to you. The more you understand HIV, the more confident you will be to have an “honest talk” with others, and the more likely the other person is to accept HIV. If you can’t even explain AIDS clearly, how can you explain this disease to the other person? It’s no wonder if the other person runs away.
2. Remember U=U, treatment is prevention
HIV medication can reduce the amount of HIV in the blood until it is undetectable. This helps the immune system repair itself and prevents you from getting other diseases. If you take your medication as prescribed and have maintained undetectable HIV for at least six months, you will not transmit HIV to your partner.
3. If you are not in a hurry to move to physical intimacy, choose the right time to tell him
During your dates, when is the best time to disclose your HIV status? There may not be a definite answer. But you should choose a time when both of you are sober and rational, sit down and have a good conversation, and understand how the other person views HIV and how they see your relationship going forward.
4. Be honest about HIV before engaging in physical intimacy
Knowingly infecting others with AIDS is considered “intentional injury,” and if it causes serious injury, according to Article 234, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Law, it can be punished with imprisonment of more than three years and less than ten years. No one can force you to disclose your infection, but to avoid breaking the law and to allow the other person to make decisions for their own health, being honest is more conducive to the long-term stability of your relationship.
5. Use condoms every time
Practice safe sex. Condoms can prevent the transmission of HIV and protect you from other sexually transmitted infections. For peace of mind, use condoms every time, especially if you have multiple partners.
6. Choose low-risk sexual activities
7. Tell your partner to take pre-exposure prophylaxis
If you have not yet reached or cannot maintain an undetectable HIV viral load, encourage your HIV-negative partner to learn about and use PrEP. PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis, which means your partner takes medication before sex to reduce the risk of HIV infection. This is a very effective way to prevent HIV infection.
8. Practice self-care
Whether you are HIV positive or not, dating and finding the right person takes time. You may feel stressed about your love life and how HIV affects your relationships, but be kind to yourself. Take some time to do things that make you feel good and help you stay self-aware.
9. Find like-minded friends to brainstorm with
Dealing with HIV alone can be difficult and can lead to isolation and depression. You can join some HIV treatment groups, find some like-minded friends to brainstorm for your “honest talk” about love, and also communicate treatment experiences without worries. You can also seek help and confide in trusted family or friends.
