Every person has a completely unique personality that greatly influences how they shape their own life. The individual traits, desires, and needs are all essential parts of this personality. On the outside, these are usually not immediately visible to others and remain hidden unless you actively share them.
In particular, our needs determine how we live. We often aren’t even fully aware of them. We can only consciously shape our lives to be happy and enjoy a high quality of life if we truly know our own needs.
The art of accepting yourself
For people living with HIV, accepting the diagnosis also plays a key role in preserving one’s quality of life: HIV can become only a small part of life if you don’t let it dominate everyday existence.
There are various ways this can be achieved: first, it’s important to look inward. When you are well informed about HIV and the positive life ahead, and you adopt a calm approach to it, that leads to self-acceptance. It is also helpful to create an external environment in which an HIV-positive person is accepted as they are—with all the colorful facets of their personality—and not defined merely by the virus.
Consciously shaping life with HIV
When you can accept yourself as you are, you have a solid foundation to deliberately reorient your life around living with HIV. Even if the diagnosis is years in the past, alongside regular doctor visits, there are other routines and life situations that HIV-positive people need to navigate successfully.
For example, it is important to integrate treatment into daily life so that it restricts or burdens you as little as possible—such as avoiding unwanted side effects or psychological strain like concealing HIV medications for fear of discovery.
What you need is an HIV therapy that aligns with you and your unique personality, in line with the motto “My therapy should suit me, not I suit the therapy.”
How do I find a therapy that suits me?
To find an optimal therapy for yourself, it helps to first consider your current situation: Are you frequently traveling and anxious about potentially forgetting to take your pills? Or is the daily pill burden weighing on you because it constantly reminds you of your HIV status, which otherwise plays little to no role in your life?
Generally, it’s helpful to view HIV therapy as a friend rather than an enemy. The therapy is a companion that protects you without pushing itself on you. You don’t have to simply endure psychological stress or unwanted side effects. There are now diverse and innovative therapy options that are more tolerable than many older regimens.
While some people manage well with a daily pill, for others a therapy with regular injections may be the better solution. Being informed about the different therapy options is crucial, as it enables you to actively seek solutions and, together with your doctor, choose the one that best fits your life and reduces HIV as a daily factor in your routine.
Exchange with other HIV-positive people about their therapies—whether with friends or within a support network—can also be helpful. In such discussions you gain different perspectives and quickly realize that there is no “one size fits all” HIV medication; every person deserves an individual therapy that suits their life.
An individual HIV therapy — what is that exactly?
When selecting an appropriate, individualized therapy, the physician first checks whether all available options are open or whether there may be resistance to certain active ingredients. Personal preferences also play a major role: Are you someone who prefers daily pills, or do you experience pill fatigue, have trouble swallowing, or simply not want to be reminded of your HIV status every day?
If your current therapy isn’t in line with your needs and desires, you should work with your physician to explore options for switching or simplifying the regimen.
Find the optimal therapy together with your doctor
A candid conversation with your doctor about the different therapy options has the advantage of not only considering the current situation but also staying informed about future developments.
When choosing among the various possibilities, you’re in a fortunate position to tailor the treatment to your needs and life. You no longer have to worry about the efficacy of modern therapies. The freedom to choose from a wide array of options helps reduce HIV to a smaller part of daily life.
Further information on living with HIV as well as personal stories from HIV-positive people can be found at www.livlife.de
Supported by ViiV Healthcare
NP-DE-HVU-ADVR-230006
