LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Safe |
| by Sal Seeley LCSW |
| Time To Test
There are thousands of people in the United States and in our own community who have HIV and don't know it. The other day I talked to someone who ended up in the hospital with an infectious disease that could have been prevented if he had been tested for HIV. We all have an HIV status: it's either HIV negative or HIV positive. When you take an HIV test it won't change your HIV status, it just tells you what your status already is. But lots of guys put off testing, not realizing the damage they could be doing. If you do have HIV, the sooner you find out, the better. The earlier you get tested, the more problems you can avoid, Although it's recommended that you take an HIV test every year, many guys don't. In fact, as many as one in four gay men who find out they have HIV only realize after they've had the virus for many years. By then it has caused serious damage to their health. Back in the '80s, many guys put off testing because even if they knew they had HIV there wasn't much the doctors could do to help. With the drugs used to treat HIV getting better every year, today it's very different. In fact, most people taking HIV drugs can now expect to live into old age, if they get the right treatment. To live that long you need to get diagnosed early, Finding out about your status puts you in control of your health. If you know you are HIV negative you can take steps to stay negative. If you test positive, you can make sure you're getting the right medical care to keep you healthy. The sooner you find out if you're HIV positive the more likely you can avoid complications. HIV doctors and researchers have discovered that lots of other health problems that we don't think of being HIV related, are linked to a later diagnosis of HIV too. Guys who know their status are in control. It gives them a chance to make decisions about their life, health and relationships. If you don't know your status it can leave you with a feeling of uncertainty. But some guys think they'd rather not know they have HIV, because they wouldn't know how to cope. My answer to that is whatever the result of the test, you'll know your result and be sure to end the stress caused by uncertainty. At the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center, we provide free HIV testing. If you're not ready for a test but need someone to talk to about what might be safe for you, we offer free sexual health counseling. You can come in as often as you want to ask any questions about sex! We also have free condoms and lube so you will never be without! For more information about testing, go to www.hivtest.org or www.campsafereho.com. |
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LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 18, No. 15 November 21, 2008 |