However long it takes to find a cure, one thing is certain: until then you are living with HIV. How you do that – the choices you make, how you handle your health, relationships and future – that’s all up to you. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way. What’s most important is that you do what feels right in your situation, at your own speed and in your own way.
Some people want to know all about treatments, medication and their rights in the workplace. Others are just looking for emotional support or someone to talk to. Or perhaps they need to have contact with others in the same position, a health professional who really listens, or simply some clear and practical information.
Whatever you need: you’re not alone. There are many different places where you can go for reliable information, support or a conversation:
The Hiv Vereniging is an association that defends the interests of people living with HIV in the Netherlands. It offers reliable information, organises meetups and other contact between people who are in the same position, and advocates for equal rights, good healthcare and reducing stigma. The association is for everyone living with HIV, and its website provides a great deal of information for people with HIV, as well as practical tips and advice.
ShivA offers support and inspiration from a spiritual and meaningful perspective. The organisation aims to support migrants, in particular, from Africa, the Caribbean and other parts of the world. So if you feel at home in a diverse global community, ShivA could be the place for you.
If you are living with HIV in or near Rotterdam, MARA is there to support you. One of the services this organisation offers is peer counselling, which gives you the opportunity to talk to someone else who’s living with HIV. Young immigrants are welcome at The Group, where you get together with people of your own age to eat and talk about your experiences with HIV. There are also peer support groups for women living with HIV.
The hello gorgeous foundation aims to ‘normalise’ living with HIV by fighting stigma. It publishes a magazine, holds workshops and conducts campaigns to achieve its aims.