When you learn that you have HIV, you feel many emotions: fear, grief, depression, denial, anger and anxiety. There is no cure for AIDS. But there are many ways to live positively with the sickness.
Talk to someone about your problems
It is easier to cope with the sickness when you know you are loved and accepted as you are. Therefore it is important that you talk to someone who can give you support.
You may want to speak to:
- A friend or member of your family
- A counsellor
- A doctor or health worker
- A minister
- A traditional healer or faith healer
Eat well and exercise
You also need to learn how to take care of yourself, and to eat well to help your body protect itself against the attack from the virus.
- Eat lots of fresh food like fruit and vegetables everyday. These foods help your body fight sickness.
- Eat lots of beans, lentils, soya mince and tinned fish if you cannot afford to buy meat or chicken. These foods build the body and help keep you strong.
- Eat lots of brown rice, brown bread, pap and samp. These foods give you energy.
- You should also add some butter, oil, milk, peanut butter and nuts to your food. This will give you energy and help you stay the same weight.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water everyday
- Exercise at least four times a week, for thirty minutes. A cheap, easy way to exercise is to go for a walk.
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You should stop smoking and drinking, as these activities weaken your body.
Take anti-retroviral treatment
There is no cure for AIDS. However, there is treatment. Anti-retroviral treatment (ART) makes the HIV in your body fall asleep.
This gives your body a chance to grow strong again. When this happens, your body will be able to fight diseases.
Speak to your health worker about when you should begin your treatment programme.
Keep in mind that:
- When you take ART, you are still HIV positive.
- You will need to take ART at the same time everyday, for the rest of your life.
- All medicines have side-effects. So ART also has side-effects.
Click on the signpost to learn more about HIV, how it is spread, how you can protect yourself and live a happy, healthy life.
