Materials: Living With HIV

People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)

Having touched this theme, we should not to mention about the PLWHA. We should not forget about what main role for them plays a support of society and those who are close to them.

Different people feel so various feelings in the situations, connected with HIV/AIDS. For somebody it is a conceptual theme enough, and such people are mainly interested as far the virus speeded and infected. For others they are just arguments and rumors, which are wandered in the circle of their communication about unfamiliar people. But for someone it is very serious and vital subject, because this problem concerned his relatives: friend, colleague, relative or simply good acquaintance.

There are some moments, joining the emotional experiences of all people, who had an occasion to communicate with PLWHA. At first many of them are afraid to be infecting themselves. This is a usual situation: such fear more often is caused by that the people do not know about the ways of HIV transmission. As a rule, timely getting credible information helps to overcome this fear. Many people feel better, seeing how another people unceremoniously and without dread communicate with a PLWHA. And it is also helpful to consult with a physician, who you are trusting: professional can confirm or reject the read from books or learnt from mass media.

Some people say that anxious feeling during the communication with the PLWHA, are akin to the annoyance, emerging in the unfamiliar surroundings: you do not know how to behave yourself, how to contact with; what you should talk and what you should not talk; what may insult or hurt the person. However in reality communication with PLWHA does not differ from usual communication with others: the main fact is to be as you are.

We cite here the utterance of person living with HIV. Perhaps namely the person with HIV can better explain how he feels the attitude of surroundings to himself and how he wants to be treated.

There is such a conception in society: “HIV- is a negative phenomenon” and that is why all HIV-positives are bad, but HIV- is a disease of people from risk group. But the other people are also infecting. Humane attitude from the part of surroundings reduces a fear of people themselves with HIV and make possible their dialogue.

I think it can be achieved only by the way of giving more information to the people.

As for, how the people react to the news, that you have HIV, everything depends on the perception of the person himself. Many people are afraid. Best friends are rarely called on.

People with HIV have an absolutely normal life. But the majority of people do not know that it is possible to live a certain period of time fully with HIV. The idea of the HIV-positive person about his disease is quite another.

We have not broken up, HIV for today even made better my life: I do not smoke, don’t drink, don’t use drugs, I am glad for every day.

I would like more humane attitude for myself. Though, of course you should not require this. But it would be better, if the people would have more information.

I need not any pity; I want to be treated as an ordinary person. And it would be reminded rarely. I only want to be myself.

I, myself have to inform people, tell about virus.

Many people change their attitude after a real meeting. It works exactly. The attitude changes when the person sees a normal and non dangerous person in front of him, living with HIV. Understanding is necessary. Understanding - is knowledge of problem and attitude with respect.

If you are not able yet to accept your acquaintance or colleague, living with HIV/AIDS, simply try not to hurt him, by the blame and misunderstanding. Try to get more credible information about this subject and base your decisions not on rumors and assumptions, but on real facts.