Living with HIV

We asked a group of women who had been living with HIV for some time how they had felt and responded when they first had their diagnosis.

“This is happening to someone else” and “Why me?” were followed by shock, numbness, disbelief, fear, anger, blame and shame.

“Feelings of isolation, fear of rejection, anxiety about having a sexual relationship and disclosing my status were overwhelming.”

But for some women, it was a relief to know what had been causing them to be ill.

We then asked the same group “What has helped you to move into living your life as you are now?”

“Speaking with other women with HIV helped me say I’m HIV-positive and [to] be myself.”

“Seeing others with HIV getting on with life and challenging the image of illness and death.”

“Making achievable plans, studying, working and not putting life on hold.”

“A supportive healthcare team.”

“Seeing women with HIV looking well and beautiful was an inspiration.”

In practical terms, many women found counselling, peer support and a good healthcare team helped in dealing with their feelings. Being able to disclose HIV status and having supportive and non-judgemental friends and family, being part of a supportive faith community, and personal faith and spirituality all contributed to becoming ‘more than a virus’.