When HIV and AIDS first appeared in 1981, the country was in shock at how fast it made people deteriorate. Without medicine to prevent HIV turning into AIDS, 337 people were diagnosed with what they believed to be a form of pneumonia. Today we have PreP and antiretroviral therapy to help about 37 million people live their lives with these diseases.
I was on a phone call with my mother a few weeks ago. I had to get my blood drawn for a doctor's appointment and when they said they could do an HIV test for free, I said what the hell! I don't shoot up, but I have an active sex life so it felt important for me to check just in case. When I told my mom about this she responded with, "Well, if you turn out to be HIV positive then you should tell everyone you've ever had sex with. It just causes more problems. Better to live in an ignorant bliss, if you ask me."
Now, I can see where she's coming from. It would cause more stress if I knew I had HIV and it would put stress onto all of my past sexual partners. But, if you don't know and you are HIV positive? The disease could shift and soon enough you'll be living on the brink of life with AIDS. The diseases last a lifetime with no current cure, but if you are still in the stages of HIV there are treatments to prevent that turn. Your past partners could be saved if you tell them of your own diagnoses as well.
Getting tested is quick and easy. You can go to your local Planned Parenthood or your doctor for a gum-swab, where you can find out your status within 20 minutes, or a small blood sample, which takes about a week for the results to come back.
In a sense, getting tested for HIV with your partner(s) can be romantic. It's an intimate discussion that is worth having so to make sure you're both healthy and being safe. It can also be important to get tested if you use drugs with needles, one used needle can lead to a lifetime of HIV. Having proper resources for safe sex and safe drug use is so important for the population in hopes to prevent more people from becoming sick as well.
