How to Deal When Living With HIV Feels Like Too Much

Living with HIV isn’t always easy. Like when you’re not feeling well and those scary thoughts come up. Or when you disclose to someone and they don’t exactly react the way you thought they would. Or when you are going out for an evening and you have to think about when you can get away to take your medication. Or when…well, you know what I mean.

You have a lot to think about to keep your self-care on track—diet, exercise, monitoring your numbers, disclosure, medication compliance. Sure, you don’t need me to tell you that. And yes, you’re committed to staying on the path. But still, even if you’re doing everything right, things just seem to go a whole lot more smoothly on some days than others.

And if you’ve had a few of those not-so-great days in a row, chances are you may be just about ready to scream: “Enough already! I’m tired of this! Why me?”

Feeling a little burnt out? Here are some ideas to help you cope:

First, let yourself be human. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or experienced, you may sometimes hear that voice that says: “If I stop cooperating maybe the bully will give up and go away on his own.” Or, that louder voice that just wants to have a temper tantrum and scream: “I shouldn’t have to do this. It’s somebody else’s turn!” Managing HIV can be a pretty bumpy road at times, and it’s only human to get frustrated. Show yourself some compassion.

http://www.hivplusmag.com/just-diagnosed/2014/05/18/how-deal-when-living-hiv-feels-too-much