Finding out that one is HIV positive is an overwhelming and scary experience. Unless you know empowered HIV-positive people who can help you navigate the next steps to gain control of HIV, searching for information on the Internet and at support groups can be a daunting experience. And most HIV primary care clinics are so burdened that they have limited time to educate someone about how to stay healthy with HIV.
As funding for treatment education has been cut by pharmaceutical companies and the federal grant process, it is imperative that educated long-term survivors serve as mentors to people who are just starting their journey as HIV positive.
As a 27-year HIV survivor and research advocate, it amazes me how many people make uninformed choices due to lack of direction and support. That is why I decided to sit down to attempt to describe the most important things that every newly diagnosed person should know.