Friend with HIV/AIDS
By alena824
@alena824 (376)
Philippines
August 4, 2008 9:30pm CST
Would you honestly know what to say or how to react if a friend admits he or she is HIV positive? Knowing all you do about the virus and the disease, would you feel uncomfortable or accepting?
I was thinking about this hypothetical question and the truth is I wouldn't know how I'd react if I were in such a situation. I know part of me will feel sad and pity my friend and another will try to think of ways how to battle it. But I am certain that if faced with the situation in real life, it will be an entirely different thing.
3 responses
@ellie333 (21016)
•
5 Aug 08
Hi Alena, I too with like to think that I would be accepting and try to help in anyway I could but until faced with the reality I don't know that for sure, but it is an illness and I have stayed friends with others that have been ill so I don't see why I shouldn't remain friends in this instance either. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@smdivin (20)
• United States
5 Aug 08
I've met a couple of people who told me they were HIV positive and my reaction at those times was, for lack of a better term, nonchalant. I'm inclined to think that my reaction was based on theirs; they pretty much just told me about as an informative statement or because it just came up in coversation.
I have yet to encounter someone telling me they are HIV positive in a more emotional setting; such as if a friend just found out and was panicked about it. I'd like to think that I would be supportive and do whatever I could to help the person. However, there is a difference between thinking how you would react and actually being in the situation.
I do know that I wouldn't feel uncomfortable or anything. Yes, it's a disease, but it's not as if you can catch it just because someone breathed on you.
@Simply_The_Best (80)
• Belize
4 May 09
About a year ago while shopping I saw an old friend of mine, I noticed he looked a shadow of his former self. And while I hugged him before he told me, I just kind of knew. So, when I asked, 'so hun, how have you been what's new?' And when he said, 'I have AIDS but I'm good,' I felt as though someone knocked the wind out of me.
