How can I find out if I am infected with HIV?
The only way you can find out if you are HIV positive is if you take an HIV test. This test tests for the presence HIV antibodies you body creates to fight off HIV. There are 2 types of tests- ELISA and Western blot. To learn more about these, vis
it the Tests section.
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Who should be tested for HIV?
This question is based up to you, but there are a few guidelines which will help you make your decision. If you have participated in risky behavior in the past 15 years, it is safe to take an HIV test. This includes unsafe sex, drugs, or receiving b
lood. You don't need anyone's permission (not even your parents), and there isn't any age restriction.
Taking this test isn't and shouldn't be an easy decision. It isn't good just to take the test to reassure yourself that you aren't HIV positive. By doing this, you aren't preparing yourself for the "worst". You need to plan ahead and think seri
ously about how to react. (Personally, I think it's best to "hope for the best, but prepare for the worst".) Consider how testing positive will affects your and your family's life.
It's alright if you don't think you're ready. It's best to wait until you are prepared for either outcome. But remember, the earlier you detect HIV, the earlier the treatment can begin. By catching the virus before it catches you, you have many
more options on how to live your life.
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What will an HIV test tell me?
An HIV test will tell you if you are HIV positive or not, and depending on the test you have, it may also tell you how long HIV has been in your body and to what extent it has spread.
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Where can I get an HIV antibody test?
Nowadays, it's very easy to get an HIV test. There are HIV clinics you can attend (so will let you test for HIV for free) to determine your HIV status. If you are concerned with privacy, you can buy a HIV antibody test at the local store and do at h
ome. You send in the results anonymously to a lab, and call in a few weeks to get the results.
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What is the difference between the different places offering HIV tests?
When you go to an HIV antibody testing clinic, you have 2 choices. There is an anonymous clinic, which will administer the test without knowing who you are, and confidential clinics, which know your name and your results, but are not permitted by law
to release these results. (There are very few exceptions) Personally, if you are worried about privacy and disclosure, you should go to an anonymous testing site.
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What are the different types of tests for HIV?
There are 2 types of tests: ELISA and Western Blot. Basically, ELISA will be the primary test and Western Blot will be used for verification.
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What will happen when I go for an HIV test?
Getting an HIV test is just like getting a blood test for anything else. You will wither get pricked on your finger by the medical technician, letting the blood drain into a tube, or a nurse will remove some blood.
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What does a positive HIV test result mean?
If you test positive for HIV, it means that you are 99.5% sure that you have HIV. You should probably take a different HIV test just to be sure. IF this tests positive too, then it means that you have HIV. It doesn't mean you are infected with AIDS
.
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What does a negative or inconclusive HIV test result mean?
A negative test results tells you either that you don't have HIV or that your body hasn't produced the antibodies to HIV. An inconclusive result menans that the test was not able to determine whether or not there were antibodies to HIV in your blood.
If this happens, then you will probably take another blood test in a few weeks.
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Isn't it better not to know if you have HIV?
"Ignorance is bliss," right? Well, not in this case. Some people think its better not to know if they are infected. Their attitude seems to be "It's better not to know and keep living my normal life." This is extremely dangerous and stupid. Not k
nowing puts other people at risk and doesn't give you a chance at catching HIV in its early stages. By finding out too late, you drastically shorten your lifespan.
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Can an HIV test result be wrong?
Yes. An HIV test can give you to incorrect test results. False-positive means that the test says your positive when you really arent. The chances of this are very low. (about .5%) This is why you should take 2 tests for assurance. There is also
called a false-negative test. When you test false-negative, if means that you are positive for HIV but it doesn't show up on the test. This can happen if you just got infected and your body hasn't had the time to create antibodies.
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How often should I be tested for HIV?
It depends. If you participate in high-risk activities, then it's best to get tested at least twice a year. If not, then you may only need to be tested once. Because mistakes can happen, it's best to get tested twice to be sure of your results.
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Why do some people say that there should be mandatory HIV testing?
People who say there should be mandatory testing (where everyone who applies to any job, etc, must get tested by law) are very bold people. They say this "for the benefit of the public". And in some cases, it's true. By knowing who is and who isn't
infected with HIV, we might slow down the spread of HIV. But there are problems to this theory. Who gets tested? Every student? Every job applicant? Every nurse? Doctor? Who's told the results? What about discrimination? HIV-positive peop
le may lose their jobs and homes. This deals completley with governmental public policy. Check out
What doctors think about this idea.
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What do I do if I am HIV-positive?
Unfortunantly, we can't help you as much as we could like to help you. The best thing to do is to talk to someone. A friend, a parent, it doesn't matter. We can't give 'generic advice' on this topic. Go to the forum and speak your thoughts there.
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What is done to treat people with HIV and AIDS?
Take a look at our Treatment Section to learn more about this subject.
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Who can I talk to about HIV and AIDS?
Because AIDS is a disease that affects so many people, most cities have established counseling centers that specialize in answering questions about HIV. In addition, there are many groups around the country that specialize in offering groups for
people like you who want to learn more about HIV. There are also hotlines where people can talk about their problems over the phone.
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Why do some people say that people with AIDS deserve the disease?
AIDS can be a very frightening disease, and many people find it hard to talk about AIDS because it nears talking about sex and drugs, things that we are usually taught to be afraid or ashamed of. People who say that anyone deserves AIDS are simply ign
orant and afraid. They think that only drug addicts, people who have a lot of indiscriminate sex, and other people they consider "bad" get AIDS, and they like to think that they are better than people who participate in high-risk behavior. They also thin
k that they don't know anyone affected by AIDS and that AIDS will never affect them. They are wrong. Anyone can get AIDS, and almost everyone knows of somebody that has been affected by
HIV.
People with AIDS are not bad people, and They are not being "punished" for anything they did. They are people who have contracted a disease. AIDS does not pick certain people to infect because of who they are. It can infect captains of baseball te
ams, farmers, ministers, firefighters, models, class valedictorians, or anyone else. You don't have to be a drug addict to get AIDS; you only have to use an infected needle once. You don't have to have sex with a lot of people to get AIDS; you only have
to pick the wrong person once. The only people who should be ashamed are the ones who say that anyone deserves to have AIDS.
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Someone I know has AIDS, and now my friends don't want me to talk to him?
The best way to deal with people who don't understand AIDS is to give them the facts. Remember that they are afraid of AIDS because they don't understand what it's all about. Help them to learn more about HIV and AIDS. As more and more people begin t
o understand AIDS, the fear around the disease will go away.
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How can I tell them it's okay?
You just did. The best a friend can do when someone is in a time of crisis like that is to just be around and comfort him/her. Don't ignore them or act strange around then. Remember, people with HIV are still the same people as they used to be.
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My brother is HIV-positive, and I'm afraid to tell anyone How can I deal with my feelings?
For everyone who has HIV disease, there are fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends, and lovers who are dealing with that person's illness. These people all need
to be able to talk about what they are feeling. There are many organizations around the country that help the families and friends of HIV-positive people and people with AIDS deal with their feelings. The best way to deal with your feelings about AIDS is
to talk about them with other people who have experienced the same thing. The worst thing you can do is bottle all your feelings up inside and pretend that nothing is wrong.
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My six-year-old sister wants to know about AIDS. What should I tell her?
AIDS is in the news a lot these days, and children are becoming aware of it at a very early age. Many young children are frightened because they don't understand AIDS. They think they can get it like they get a cold, or that they can get it from a blo
od test. They need to be told that these things are not dangerous. Young children do not have to be told all the details involved with sex in order to understand AIDS. Telling them that AIDS is a disease that people get by doing certain things is usually
enough. Children really want to know how they can't get AIDS. They should be reassured that they do not have to worry about blood tests, or
having their teeth cleaned, or of people with AIDS sneezing near them, playing with them, or kissing them.
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What should I say when someone tells me she or he is infected with HIV?
When a friend tells you that she or he has been infected with HIV, that person has chosen to trust you with very important information. Unless your friend asks you to, do not tell anyone else about his/her other condition. Because of ignorance about A
IDS, discrimination still exists, and even though you have the facts, not everyone will respond as you would hope they would.
One of the biggest problems faced by people with AIDS is the psychological stress of having to tell people that they are infected and worrying about whether people will reject them. This can often be harder than dealing with the disease itself. Th
e most important thing you can do for a friend who tells you he or she is HIV-positive is to tell your friend, "I am here for you when you need me."
You must also learn to understand your friend's disease. Find out all you can about AIDS so that you can recognize when your friend needs rest or needs help with something. This might mean staying in on a Friday night and watching television becau
se your friend is tired, when you would rather have gone to a movie or gone dancing. It might mean attending support groups with your friend or going along on visits to the doctor.
This doesn't mean that you have to treat your friend like an invalid or a dying patient. You don't have to always ask if your friend is all right or be a nurse. The person is still the same person you loved before she or he was infected. You can s
till hug and kiss your friend and share food and drinks. Your friend will still enjoy ball games and fishing trips, concerts and shopping, and will still want to do these things with you.
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What can I do about AIDS?
We have a whole section on this. Check it out.
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