Again, there are no ideal ways to cope. Discussing feelings with others including friends, family and support groups, learning about HIV, being healthy, and making space and time to relax and take part in other activities can help. “He found it incredibly difficult to handle and told me he was terrified. I saw another side to this person and for 2 days all he talked about was how is he going to cope? At first I found this startling as I was the one with the diagnosis, but in fact turned all my efforts in to helping him cope with his mental health. It took my mind away from what I was supposed to be dealing with. However 3 days later he told me he could cope no longer and I was sent on my merry way.” Trevor, Brisbane, Australia
People with HIV not only have to go through a lot of physical pain and take many precautions, but they also go through tremendous amount of emotional pain. It is very important that people with HIV are aware that they are not alone because many people with HIV isolate themselves from the world out of fear.