Curious about Support Groups

[Jnm594]

I am curious on other people's experience about support groups in dealing with HIV/AIDS. For myself I would love to have one to attend but unfortunately there isn't one and my ASO is not interested in starting one. 

There is one about an hour away in Denver but it starts earlier than I can get there after getting off of work. There is one in a neighboring county but they will only allow clients of that ASO to attend (which sucks). Assholes.

But I was curious about other people's experience with this. I depend almost 100% on this site since it is the best and most user friendly one I have found so far and wanted to see if there were other people in a similar situation with obtaining support.

I would love to have some face to face time with someone though, but those are the breaks.

Thanks for your responses.

Jeffrey

[Matty the Damned]

I'm a member of a nearby PLWHA Poz Living Centre. I never go. Too many Barbra obsessed types lisping banalities around the luncheon table for my liking.

MtD

[aupointillimite]

There's one at the MCC about half a mile from me, and another at the Free Clinic.

I've called them asking them to get back with me about times and stuff.

They never did.

Bastards.

[bear60]

My support group was the best thing I ever did. Here we are on one of our outings.  

[Matty the Damned]

There's one at the MCC about half a mile from me,

They could probably smell the bitter herbs and sweet wine on you dearest.

MtD

[koi1]

I have not been to a support group, though Los Angeles is the land of support groups for everything imaginable, like the "OMG my poodle won't stop peeing on my comforter support group." Like how do I keep on living?

rob

[Mike89406]

I am curious on other people's experience about support groups in dealing with HIV/AIDS. For myself I would love to have one to attend but unfortunately there isn't one and my ASO is not interested in starting one. 

There is one about an hour away in Denver but it starts earlier than I can get there after getting off of work. There is one in a neighboring county but they will only allow clients of that ASO to attend (which sucks). Assholes.

But I was curious about other people's experience with this. I depend almost 100% on this site since it is the best and most user friendly one I have found so far and wanted to see if there were other people in a similar situation with obtaining support.

I would love to have some face to face time with someone though, but those are the breaks.

Thanks for your responses.

Jeffrey

Going to support groups has been good for me. The 2 groups I have been a part of are very informative and I did meet some old timers which I learned a lot from. The people in the group were very supportive and cared about my problems as i did theyre problem
I don't think that you necessarily need to go to a group to deal with HIV but for a newly diagnosed HIV person it can help out a lot. I have heard of a few groups that are like a click but mostly you can meet gay/straight, married people in one group and who knows maybe someone has gone through a situation you have encountered and can give you some advice.
My advice is go to one and see what its like. There are non-profit groups in certain metro areas that have HIV support groups try asking you're local county health dept, or if you have a caseworker then ask them.

[Jeffreyj]

There are a few near me, they quickly became annoying as I would get those "come F me" eyes. That's not why I was there.

[Bucko]

Over the years I've been involved in three different groups. None of them were 1/10th as informative, diverse or witty as AIDSmeds.

They have proven to be cliquish and dysfunctional in my experience, but there are two positive things I'll say about them:

1) They are only as effective as their facilitators are professional; and
2) They are an excellent place to meet people people in your community whom you can genuinely help to make their lives easier.

Brent
(Who feels that if he wanted to hang with depressed drunks seeking crummy sex he'd have stayed with his ex)

[Mike89406]

I will say this, and thats basically that support groups can vary from geographic location and how they are ran organized they're mission statement etc... I dont think one support group is exactly like the other necessarily.
Me I have been lucky

Theres one I have to go to because I am required to go to a major military medical facility every 6 mos for a HIV eval and those guys are military or retired military that choose to go back because they get good treatment. I am required to go because I am active duty and until I retire I have to do these 6 mos functions.

I used to go to Bethesda Naval Hospital which is really good they're right across the street from th NIH. But now that I have been assigned to the Nevada I have been flying to Naval Hospital San Diego on my 6mos checkup.
I am required to spend a minimum of 3 days going to doctors appointments the daily support groups which are facilitated by social workers. That particular group is rigid and controlled there isn't much loosening up. I do consider it a mini vacation because the government provides travel and reimbursement for travel if I need it. Now if i develop a OI or get cancer etc... then I see them sooner as I had to last June after my cd4 dropped to 126 my radiation therapy I had to do labs every 3 weeks and they monitored mine until they decided I need meds shortly after.

What does that have to do with support groups other than the one I went to in Bethesda? Absolutely nothing.

That group is totally different than the out of town groups I have been to. The 2 groups I went to weren't clichish in fact they were accommodating to me or others.On group I met with was once a month the other is once a week. The major selling point and me attending was because the facilitators did they're job in fact it was laid back we didn't always talk about HIV whatever was on our mind and wanted to talk about. It was a social gathering for HIV+ people and we had BBQ's sometimes but it helps you interact with other POZ's.

Do all groups operate like that? Probably not. The whole point is that I wouldn't judge support groups in general because there not all the same. Some people might have had a good experience others bad. They do serve the purpose though.

I don't attend now because I am taking college night classes and thats more important to me right now.

In summary not everyone needs a support group nor do I think I did but I liked the social interaction. Also support groups could help a newly diagnosed a  person. or those who have OI's and don't have benefits or need some kind of services. They may not be the best source of knowledge as someone has mentioned but they may be a bvlessing to someone else.

[aupointillimite]

They could probably smell the bitter herbs and sweet wine on you dearest.

Apparently, they like the gefilte fish.

I just got a call back.

I could have sworn I posted this about five minutes ago, but it seems to have disappeared somewhere.  Weird.

Yes, the facilitator called me back with details and such.

We discovered that we live literally within three or four blocks of each other... I walk by his place everyday that I go to work.  He said that he's probably seen me, to which I responded, "Yeah, I'm that jackass walking by really fast and talking into a phone about absolutely nothing."  He said, "Oh, that's you" and laughed... so he has a sense of humor, which I take to be a good sign or something.

He invited me to come hang out on his porch sometime, and I thought that was cool... I'll probably do it, too.

Here begins a new thing of mine... getting to know poz people in my city.  Weird.

The one thing I ask is that please... nobody project their negative experiences here onto mine.  I've never done anything like that before... and while I expect a bunch of middle-aged, weepy alcoholics trollin' for booty (I plan on being their king within a week)... I do this "expect the worst" thing in the hopes of being pleasantly surprised. 

You know I'll keep you posted as to how this goes.   

[bear60]

Good going Benj!!!!!!!

[aupointillimite]

Good going Benj!!!!!!!

Thank you, good sir.

I can't believe I've lived that close to that guy for a year... it's like the diseased are everywhere or something.   

[milker]

  i posted here by mistake, removed entry.

[J.R.E.]

Hello,

There are support groups in my community, But I have never attended them. Perhaps somewhere down the road, but not now.


Ray

[Bucko]

Apparently, they like the gefilte fish.

I just got a call back.

I could have sworn I posted this about five minutes ago, but it seems to have disappeared somewhere.  Weird.

Yes, the facilitator called me back with details and such.

We discovered that we live literally within three or four blocks of each other... I walk by his place everyday that I go to work.  He said that he's probably seen me, to which I responded, "Yeah, I'm that jackass walking by really fast and talking into a phone about absolutely nothing."  He said, "Oh, that's you" and laughed... so he has a sense of humor, which I take to be a good sign or something.

He invited me to come hang out on his porch sometime, and I thought that was cool... I'll probably do it, too.

Here begins a new thing of mine... getting to know poz people in my city.  Weird.

The one thing I ask is that please... nobody project their negative experiences here onto mine.  I've never done anything like that before... and while I expect a bunch of middle-aged, weepy alcoholics trollin' for booty (I plan on being their king within a week)... I do this "expect the worst" thing in the hopes of being pleasantly surprised. 

You know I'll keep you posted as to how this goes.   

Beware of the Personality Test, Benj...It's a T R A P !!

And consume no food or beverage, you might not be able to get back out 

Brent
(Who knows Benj will get the refs)

[aupointillimite]

Brent.

I'm mired in the brig.

What else do you expect me to do?

Booze is my muse tonight.   

[jkinatl2]

I live in the Atlanta area, where there are MANY support groups for HIV. I have, as yet, not really felt comfortable in any of them. More to do with the pre-existing condition of not fitting in, than anything else.

[Miss Philicia]

I have a support group meeting tonight.  It's small -- only about six people (it's for "treatment experienced" HIV-ers, specifically funded by Roche for fuzeon folks) -- and I've not had anyone try and have sex with me so I can't comment on that phenom.  I've been cruised at other support groups in NYC though, but nothing horribly annoying.  I just ignored it.

I joined a six month closed group when I was diagnosed eons ago, then probably went 8 years before I ever went to one again.  They can be a mixed bag, but I've not had any particularly negative experiences.  It all varies greatly from group to group and how well things are managed by the facilitator.