Four Myths About HIV

HIV is anything but temporary, and while there are several people who live with it, day in and day out, the ones who do know that their time is up live under the proverbial Damocles sword, wondering when their time will come.

And if that’s not enough, they also feel ostracized by society due to the fact that there are several myths flying around, and since some of these myths border from the bizarre to the atrocious, here are a few that can help alleviate the pressure that HIV patients face.

1.       Casual contact can spread AIDS/ HIV

One cannot get AIDS/ HIV from casual contact with a person who has this deadly disease. Even if you drink from the same glass, share the same towel or even hug each other, this is not how the disease infects another person.

2.       HIV shortens one’s lifespan

This is not true as some people get AIDS in a few months while others can live with it for years to come, just like other normal people.

3.       There is a cure for AIDS/ HIV

Unfortunately, there isn’t a cure for HIV/AIDS even now. All your doctor can do for you is prescribe drugs that will keep the virus levels low in the body, thus keeping your immune system intact for as long as possible.

4.       You cannot get lifesaving HIV drugs without insurance

Truth be told, there are several pharmaceutical companies, nonprofit groups and government programs that will assist you in getting these drugs, and while they are very expensive, the truth is that one can get assistance.