Three Things to Avoid in HIV Forums and Support Groups

Life with HIV AIDS is very hard to reconcile with for most people. But the support and encouragement of others can be very helpful in making you more accepting of your HIV positive status. It is here that online HIV forums and HIV support groups play such a crucial role. They can help you come out about your condition to your family and friends, accept your new life with HIV AIDS, and give you important tips with regard to taking care of your health.

But at the same time, there could be some drawbacks of being a member of such HIV support groups and forums. These are not intrinsic to the groups and forums themselves; they are more a result of the way people utilize them. So we will briefly detail the three things you should avoid, below:

1. Miracle 'cures': Good HIV support groups and forums try their best to stop people who are out to make a buck from the hopes of HIV positive people, but the web being what it is, even the best online group or forum will not be able to stop some commercial 'plugs' from sneaking in, masquerading as posts by real users. These plugs usually offer 'news' of a miracle cure for HIV or AIDS. Needless to say, these are ploys to financially capitalize on people's ignorance and unwillingness to accept their condition. Avoid these and report them to the website administrator.

2. Accepting every advice: Many of the tips given on HIV forums and support groups by real users can be very helpful, but they are not a substitute for professional treatment. For example, some people have adverse psychological reactions to the HIV medication Atripla. For some, these are severe enough to warrant different drug regimes. For others, the reactions reduce over time. The point is that just because someone on a forum or group has made the decision to change (or even stop) medication does not mean that you should do the same. Always get in touch with your doctor before you take any major decision.

3. Self pitying: For many users, a forum or group becomes a way of not only airing their difficulties regarding life with HIV AIDS, but also of perpetually wallowing in them. They forget they are there to get support from, and even encourage, other users. Such an attitude is understandable, given the still prevalent stigma attached to AIDS and HIV. But it stops you from trying to resolve your problems and accepting your HIV positive status. So you should actively seek help, and try to implement the tips you get (after medical consultation).