Living with Herpes:How to cope with herpes diagnosis
Finding out that you have herpes is a serious bummer. You might feel mad, embarrassed, ashamed, or upset at first. But you’ll probably feel a lot better as time goes by, and you see that having herpes doesn’t have to be a big deal.
What to do when you’re diagnosed with herpes
It can be shocking to hear the word “herpes” in the doctor’s office.While at the doctor’s office, don’t be afraid to ask all the questions you may have, and make sure you ask for clarification if you don’t understand something.
Have a treatment plan
What do I do if I find out I have herpes? The best thing to do when you find out you have herpes is follow your doctor’s directions for treating it. Consult a physician to learn how to manage the herpes infection and inhibit future outbreaks and which treatment protocols are best for you.
Antivirals: Antivirals are doctor-prescribed medications, specifically Valocyclovir (Valtrex) and Acyclovir. Taking them at the first sign of an outbreak can stop the outbreak from becoming worse and clear it up within a couple of days, which is great. Valtrex is generally easier to take, since you only need to take a couple a day at most. Acyclovir is much cheaper, but you could be taking four rounds of five capsules a day, totaling 20 pills! More facts about herpes treatment.
1. Know herpes is very common. You are not alone.
Genital herpes infection is common in the U.S. Nationwide, over 24 million men and women are infected with HSV-2, the virus that causes genital herpes. 70% of cases are caused by HSV-2. The rest are caused by HSV-1, the herpes virus responsible for cold sores. And there are 776,000 new HSV-2 infections each year. And according to statistics, 42 million of them don’t even know they have it. This isn’t something unheard of or new. Globally, an estimated 536 million people are infected.
So many people now and before you have had to deal with herpes. It wasn’t the end of the world for them, and it isn’t for you either! So many people of all ages have had relationships, married, had children, and just generally continued to live normal lives with this virus.
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Dealing With Emotions
Learning that you have herpes may stir up some feelings. You might be angry at the person who gave herpes to you or upset about having a chronic condition.
Keep in mind that the person who passed on genital herpes probably didn’t mean to put you at risk. Most people with genital herpes don't know they have it. Because herpes may not flare up for a long time, it might also be hard to figure out exactly when you got the herpes virus. And while there’s a lot you can do to have safer sex, you might not completely avoid STD risks every time. Don't be too hard on yourself, or anyone else, about it.
Try to focus on what you can do now: Take care of your condition, tell your partner what’s going on, get the facts about how to avoid spreading it, and get support.
Educate yourself about herpes. Read about and learn what is herpes and how does it spread and get more facts about herpes outbreak. If you’re having a hard time dealing with the news, talk with a counselor,a close friend or a support group for people living with herpes may make you feel better.
Herpes is viral skin condition. Do not make it more than this
Herpes is a nuisance, a nuisance primarily related to your skin surface (like a rash), but definitely not a death sentence. Herpes is highly manageable. As you saw in the above point, it’s also common and lots of people manage with it to the point where it’s hardly an issue at all. So put it in perspective:
- Herpes won’t kill you or ruin your health.
- Other forms of herpes are cold sores, chicken pox, and shingles.
- You can still have kids if you have herpes.
While herpes outbreaks can be annoying and painful, the first flare-up is usually the worst. For many people, outbreaks happen less over time and may eventually stop completely. You can still have a fulfilling sex and love life with herpes.
Tell anyone you have sex with that you have herpes
It’s not the easiest conversation, but it’s an important one. It might feel scary to admit you have herpes, but talking about things can really ease your mind. You could lean on a close, non-judgmental friend that you trust to keep the conversation private. Parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and other family members can also be a source of comfort. Remember, herpes is really common, so it’s possible the person you’re talking to has herpes, too.
What more should you do if you’re in a relationship with someone? Communication is absolutely key. It’s important to be open and honest about your situation and what you feel at the moment. Trust whatever your partner has to say and do not assign blame on anyone.
Do not want to have "Herpes" talk? Meet others with herpes
PositiveSingles is one of the most popular dating websites for people suffering from herpes and other STD. It was initiated in 2001. With 1,510,800+ members you are sure to find lots of potentail people around you.
Join and meet nearby people with herpes, browse profiles and chat now!
Learn How to Date with Herpes
Many of people with hepres have a lot of negative beliefs related to herpes that make it difficult to convince ourselves that others would want to be with us. It is important to recognize these beliefs and consciously change them. Accepting the fact that you have herpes will make it easier to let others into your life.
Yes, you can still date like before. But you need to feel confidence, self-respect, and honesty. Once you have come to terms with the diagnosis, it will be easier to inform and reassure potential partners about it without scaring them away. It doesn’t have to be as hard as it seems.
It’s up to you as to when you would tell potential partners about your condition, but do remember that it is your obligation to tell him or her about it before pursuing a sexual relationship. Informing your partner about your herpes infection could also lessen the chances that he or she might be infected with herpes.
- How to accept your herpes diagnosis and increase your self-esteem.
- How to tell your partner you have herpes
- What’s your risk of spreading Herpes?
- How to have a fulfilling sex life when you have herpes
The truth is, some people will reject you when they find out you have herpes. However, if you do above things, then being diagnosed with herpes is not the end of the world. Most of people with herpes have active, happy dating and sexual lives. The truth is, it's so hard to meet the right person that dating with herpes makes it only the tiniest bit harder.
Of course, if you’d like to avoid having the talk, you can do that too by dating people who have herpes. That’s because there are herpes dating sites you can use, in particular Positive Singles, which you can read more about here.
Do not want to be judged by others? Meet nearby singles with herpes
PositiveSingles is one of the most popular dating websites for people suffering from herpes and other STD. It was initiated in 2001. With 1,510,800+ members you are sure to find lots of potentail people around you.
Join and meet nearby people with herpes, browse profiles and chat now!
Will having herpes affect my pregnancy?
If you’ve had genital herpes for a while and you get pregnant, you probably don’t need to worry — it’s unlikely that you’ll give herpes to your baby during birth. But you should still let your doctor know you have genital herpes if you’re pregnant, no matter what.
If you get herpes while you’re pregnant, it’s a lot more dangerous — especially late in the pregnancy. More facts about herpes and pregnancy: how to protect your baby.
Maintaining good physical health
Maintaining good physical health is also a must if you have herpes, in order to keep your immune system in tip-top shape. Make sure to follow these lifestyle tips:
- Following a healthy and balanced diet composed of real food. This refers to high amounts of vegetables, low-to-moderate portions of high-quality protein, and excellent healthy fat.
- Getting adequate amounts of sleep per night. According to 2015 guidelines from the National Sleep Foundation, young adults aged 18 to 25 and adults aged 26 to 64 need seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
- Performing mild exercises. Excessive exercise strains your immune system and increases your stress levels. If you want to work out, opt for light walking, yoga or tai chi.
- Refraining from smoking, using recreational drugs, taking excessive prescription drugs and drinking too much.
- Managing your stress, since stress can trigger another herpes outbreak. Effective stress-relieving techniques include the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Grounding, meditation, mindfulness training, journaling, yoga, and various breathing techniques.
- How to have a fulfilling sex life with herpes
- What is your chance of spreading herpes?
- Fear transmission? Try herpes dating sites
- How to handle dating when you have herpes
- How to tell your partner you have herpes
- Overcome the stigma of herpes
- Herpes and getting pregnant: How to protect your baby
- Herpes and HIV
- Do condoms prevent herpes? How likely is it to get herpes with a condom?
Herpes can make you healthier. Because you become more aware of your body, what you put into it, do with it and what you think about yourself and life.
Love Yourself
You are still you, and you deserve love and respect. The first source of that love and respect should always be yourself. Then, you won’t be willing to let anyone else compromise that or make you feel any other way. This skin condition does not make the essence of you any less beautiful.
We encourage you to use this time for self-reflection about what you want out of life, and to do those things for yourself. Don’t let something as silly as a minor inconvenience like herpes get in the way of the bigger picture. Take care of yourself, live, laugh, and love. That’s what it’s all about. Read more about the positive side of having herpes.