Why are we afraid to get tested for HIV?

Consistently, this post from February 2013 is one of the most viewed on this site, we’re left to wonder why that is. Is it that people are genuinely afraid to get tested for HIV or looking for the stories of other who either have been or choose not get test for HIV?

What difference does a HIV test make to ones life? Could it be that ignorance really is bliss?

Consider this, whatever your persuasion wouldn’t it be better to know your own HIV status? – Of course people will be fearful, if you discover you have HIV it could be life changing. You’ll be entering a new social group of people, and it’s fearful of coming out as HIV positive. Thats just one view point, in practice HIV really is a manageable condition, don’t take our word for it, Google it – throw yourself at the mercy of opinions online and you’ll find there’s a lot more information out there about HIV if you know how and where to look.

A HIV diagnoses isn’t going to kill you, living a life of ignorance to the condition probably will, it’s your choice so why not take a HIV test. This week is National HIV Testing Week, if you’ve never taken a test before, we hope you’ll consider it this week.

LASS

For some people the idea of being tested for HIV is as simple as making a note in a calendar, an entry which sits comfortably beneath a dentist appointment and above a mother’s birthday. For others, the idea of making that appointment, or taking that long walk to the clinic, is one of the most nerve-wracking experiences they can imagine. However, in an age where the numbers of people diagnosed with HIV are increasing, has our natural fear of the unknown become a luxury we simply can’t afford?

Many years ago it was a scary disease. We called it AIDS and it became a name associated with sin and death. The massive number of infections, particularly in the gay community, were staggering, and as the death toll slowly crept up, nations across the world panicked. It’s impossible for any society to come through such a dark time and emerge unscathed…

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