What does "positive living" really mean?

Nov 21, 2018

I was counselled, given ARVs and encouraged to live positively and take my drugs with good adherence.

Dear doctor, I recently went for an HIV test only to be shocked when I was told I have HIV. I was counselled, given ARVs and encouraged to live positively and take my drugs with good adherence. However, I would like to know what "positive living" really means. Does it mean I have to tell people that I am living positively with HIV?

Hakim.

Answer  Dear Hakim, although disclosing one's HIV status is encouraged and it is indeed part of living positively or "positive living", it is not limited to that. We encourage all people living with HIV to disclose to their sexual partners their HIV status for prevention purposes especially in case of discordance.

Disclosure is also done to the so-called significant few like members of one's family, close friends or colleagues at work for support. Some people take it a notch higher by doing public disclosure to give HIV and AIDS a face and to use their personal experience to help others and reduce stigma associated with the disease.

Positive living on the other hand includes seeking early counselling and prompt medical treatment including being put on ARVs, which must be taken with good adherence; meaning they are taken in the right doses and at the right time.

You should also adopt the so-called basic care package for people living with HIV, which is being on septrin prophylaxis, sleeping under an insecticide treated mosquito net, having access to safe water for personal hygiene and drinking and eating a balanced diet. Other tenets of positive living include: practicing safer sex or sex with condom protection, carrying on with a normal life like continuing to earn an income and avoiding harmful practices like excessive alcohol consumption and smoking.

 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});