You're not alone

You don't need to face HIV alone. Your first response is likely to be to turn to those who are closest to you, loved ones, family or friends.

It's also good to know that a lot of professional support is available to you, no matter how long you've had HIV. You might find that counselling helps you work out your experiences of HIV. If you feel that this might be useful then ask at your clinic what counselling is available.

There are lots of organisations offering support to people living with HIV. Two national helplines which you might find particularly useful, both of which can provide information on HIV and are staffed by trained advisers who can help you talk through some of your feelings and help to put you in touch with local support.

These helplines are:

• THT Direct on 0845 122 1200.

And

• African AIDS Helpline on 0800 0967 500

Knowing that you’re not the only person going through your experiences might also be helpful, and some people find that meeting other HIV-positive people helps them to overcome their own feelings of stigma about having HIV. Some HIV organisations have events or support groups that you might find useful at different times, for example, groups for people who have been recently diagnosed. There are also support groups at some organisations for gay men with HIV, or African men and women. Don’t feel that you have to attend a group if you’re not comfortable with the idea, and don’t think you’ve made a mistake if you’ve reacted to HIV differently to somebody else.

For more information about local support you could ask someone at your HIV clinic, call one of the helplines above, or have a look at the section of this website called Finding information and support.