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Author Topic: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change  (Read 23890 times)

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Offline poet

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  • Posts: 934
  • Poet living and working in Central Maine
Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #50 on: February 21, 2007, 05:32:56 am »
And the fears which you list, for the most part, will show your strength, Wesley, as you face them down and get past them or overcome them. But anytime we fear death, we fear something on another level all together.   To add to Daniel's post, I post this as a reborn Christian who accepts that death brings the end of some things and so is to be feared.  Gradations, again.  Win
Winthrop Smith has published three collections of poetry: Ghetto: From The First Five; The Weigh-In: Collected Poems; Skin Check: New York Poems.  The last was published in December 2006.  He has a work-in-progress underway titled Starting Positions.

Offline DanielMark

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  • Posts: 1,475
Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #51 on: February 21, 2007, 12:55:16 pm »
And the fears which you list, for the most part, will show your strength, Wesley, as you face them down and get past them or overcome them.

Interesting thought, Win. As I was saying in a PM to someone just this morning:

I believe anyone can grow from adversity, and frankly I find it pointless to run from it. The only real choice for me is to go THROUGH it and come out the other side. Whenever I see people choosing to escape their problems (often through drug or alcohol abuse) I really believe they’re doing themselves great harm and a disservice. I did the same thing for years so I know how that works.

How can anyone know what they can truly handle if they never turn around and meet it head-on? Fortunately, when we know better, most people do better.

Daniel
« Last Edit: February 21, 2007, 12:56:47 pm by DanielMark »
MEDS: REYATAZ & KIVEXA (SINCE AUG 2008)

MAY 2000 LAB RESULTS: CD4 678
VL STILL UNDETECTABLE

DIAGNOSED IN 1988

Offline allopathicholistic

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  • Posts: 3,258
Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #52 on: February 26, 2007, 07:58:29 am »
I believe anyone can grow from adversity, and frankly I find it pointless to run from it. The only real choice for me is to go THROUGH it and come out the other side. Whenever I see people choosing to escape their problems (often through drug or alcohol abuse) I really believe they’re doing themselves great harm and a disservice. I did the same thing for years so I know how that works.

Oh, love this, thanks. For me and adversity, it's more like I *dread* adversity because I know how I can go ballistic & irrational, e.g., I fear going back to work and being the only HIV positive person there and having to tolerate petty people who focus on climbing the corporate ladder without an ounce of thought for HIV/AIDS, our soldiers fighting in Iraq and domestic problems, etc. I dread having to deal with those "types" especially if they're all about rising to the top by any means necessary. In a way I was once that type of person before being diagnosed with HIV. In one year I became a senior report inspector and I worked for a big-shot and I was one step away from getting a fancy license called the NYSE Series 16SA. I didn't care who I stepped on to get to where I got. I was very mean to people when I held all the aces. HIV put a stop to all that nonsense. So I dread encountering "karma" in the workplace and losing ground healthwise because of people and their funky attitudes
« Last Edit: February 26, 2007, 10:42:25 am by allopathicholistic »

Offline DanielMark

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Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #53 on: February 26, 2007, 08:19:57 am »
Then consider yourself a better person for changing for the better and no longer being consumed by pettiness and selfish gain. The great thing about life is there's always something new to learn and that’s where my focus lies now. There is a limitless supply of possibilities out there, so long as we keep alert and so don’t run from the challenges, big or small, we can grow in some way from them all. That’s where the truly meaningful growth potential lies.

We can’t give what we don’t have, and the more we experience the more we can empathize with others on this planet. We may all be in this together by ourselves, as Lily Tomlin said, but not allowing fears (real or imagined) to keep me from participating in life in my own way is an important part of living to me. I still find meaning in life and I still want to live until I die, not die inside before my body expires.

It's a conscious choice.

Daniel
MEDS: REYATAZ & KIVEXA (SINCE AUG 2008)

MAY 2000 LAB RESULTS: CD4 678
VL STILL UNDETECTABLE

DIAGNOSED IN 1988

Offline AustinWesley

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    • HIV Discussion Group on Myspace!
Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #54 on: February 27, 2007, 03:26:14 am »
And the fears which you list, for the most part, will show your strength, Wesley, as you face them down and get past them or overcome them. But anytime we fear death, we fear something on another level all together.   To add to Daniel's post, I post this as a reborn Christian who accepts that death brings the end of some things and so is to be feared.  Gradations, again.  Win

Hey Win,

I have a lot of fears.  Death really isn't one of them.   I think it's great if some people feel they've found enlightenment from HIV and what not, but I haven't found Jesus although it looks like Cameron has this week. ; )   I will admit I have a fear of having a life not worth living.   My definition is probably a lot different than others.   It's sort of interesting you brought religion into the picture.   If it wasn't the root of most evil I'd be jumping on the bandwagon and telling everyone to find God.   

Anyways, I sort of wish I just had that mentality that whatever will be will be, but it ain't gona happen by me throwing out all my integrity and rational thought for my savior.

But, I say hey, whatever works for ya, then go with it!

Wesley
Diag. 3/06  Infected aprx. 2 mo. Prior
Date        CD4   %      VL
4/6/06     627    32    36,500     NO MEDS YET!
6/7/06     409    27    36,100
8/23/06   408    25     22,300
1/2/07     354    23     28,700
2/9/07     139    30     23,000  Hep A Vaccine same day???
2/21/07   274    26     18,500 
3/3/07    RX of Truvada/Sustiva Started.
4/5/07    321     27      Undectable 1st mo.  
5/16/07  383     28    Undectable 2nd mo.
8/10/07  422     32   UD <48 on new scale!

Offline sweetasmeli

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  • Love what you are...
Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #55 on: February 27, 2007, 03:37:20 am »
I'm not religious at all but I definitely have the outlook que sera sera. The way I look at it, whats the alternative? That is, whats the alternative that won't possibly cause a stomach ulcer (or worse) from stress. Don't get me wrong, I'm not apathetic - not by a long shot - but I am learning how to recognise situations I can't do anything to alter. I use the serenity prayer in a non-praying way, more like a mantra. Works for me.

Melia :)
/\___/\       /\__/\
(=' . '=)    (=' . '=)
(,,,_ ,,,)/   (,,,_ ,,,)/ Cats rule!

The difference between cats and dogs is that dogs come when called, whereas cats take a message and get back to you.

Yeia kai hara (health and happiness) to everyone!

Offline AustinWesley

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    • HIV Discussion Group on Myspace!
Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #56 on: February 27, 2007, 03:08:17 pm »
que sera sera.....  Good Attitude Melia.   I'm still working through some of my fears right now so I'm not as gleeful as others.   I've adopted that principle quite a lot lately.   However, I am proactive and I think taking action, even if it's just typing my ramblings on here is a step in the right direction.

I don't have all the answers and don't claim to.   Just sort of work through my fears as they arise.   And, the recent one of an AIDS diagnosis has been pretty challenging and right now I'm not willing to accept que sera sera because it's all up in the air at the moment.   

So, while I'm trying to work through my fear of why my Virus is potentially progressing at warp speed I'm trying to learn from others what rational insight they have on the subject matter.   In turn, I'm immediately psychoanalyzed or bombarded with philosophical & religious BS.

So taking all that out of it.   I think my fear is that I have some fast progressing version of the HIV virus.   Probably after this passes I'll move on with my life and look back and laugh, but right now I'm trying to figure things out.   I fear others who may have actual advice are afraid to speak up and tell me they've had a similar experience for a variety of reasons.

Well, those are my fears today, however whacked they may be ;) 


que sera sera.......   

ps.  Melia, I hope you're happy cause now I got that song stuck in my head ; )
Diag. 3/06  Infected aprx. 2 mo. Prior
Date        CD4   %      VL
4/6/06     627    32    36,500     NO MEDS YET!
6/7/06     409    27    36,100
8/23/06   408    25     22,300
1/2/07     354    23     28,700
2/9/07     139    30     23,000  Hep A Vaccine same day???
2/21/07   274    26     18,500 
3/3/07    RX of Truvada/Sustiva Started.
4/5/07    321     27      Undectable 1st mo.  
5/16/07  383     28    Undectable 2nd mo.
8/10/07  422     32   UD <48 on new scale!

Offline steve

  • Member
  • Posts: 3
Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #57 on: March 02, 2007, 10:10:08 pm »
If I may,

Living with this dastardly virus in me has heightened my awareness of how short a time human beings each have to live on this earth, Poz or not, and how fragile life can be. It's already an insecure world, and living with HIV in my body adds to that another kind of insecurity in a personal way.

I was not asking for help per se, but rather trying to start a discussion about FEAR, its roots and causes, and how people cope with theirs. Some interesting thoughts about that have been raised already and I hope that will continue, and not be lost by derailing this thread. That’s up to people who post here and out of my hands, but I believe (hope) it’s not impossible.

The topic of this thread is:

Living with HIV and the Fear of Change

How does being HIV positive influence (if it does) how you deal with fear of change?

Daniel

You are so right Daniel!
Fear? - hummm the only thing we have to fear is the fear that we create all by our selves.

Steve


Offline DanielMark

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  • Posts: 1,475
Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #58 on: March 03, 2007, 04:30:05 am »
Welcome, Steve.

I have to admit I am at times guilty of over thinking things. This can take a lot of energy, not to mention wasted time on speculation. You would think by now I’d learn that most things I fear vanish into thin air once I turn around and face them.

There’s a phrase in an old James Taylor song Shower the People that says, “you can run but you cannot hide, this is widely known.” Maybe it’s not as widely known as one might think.

 ;)

Daniel
MEDS: REYATAZ & KIVEXA (SINCE AUG 2008)

MAY 2000 LAB RESULTS: CD4 678
VL STILL UNDETECTABLE

DIAGNOSED IN 1988

Offline steve

  • Member
  • Posts: 3
Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #59 on: March 03, 2007, 07:56:41 pm »
DanielMark,

Many thanks for your welcome and reply.

We would not be living in a real world if we thought we never had any fear.  I have found that what would have been shocking and thrown me for a real loop five to eight years ago, I now am better able to absorb and handle.  I don't think that I am desensitizing things (I hope not anyway) I think it is just experience, learning from past mistakes, and knowing how to handle things in a much improved way.

Steve :) ;) 

Offline allopathicholistic

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  • Posts: 3,258
Re: Living with HIV and the Fear of Change
« Reply #60 on: March 05, 2007, 09:30:56 am »
Then consider yourself a better person for changing for the better and no longer being consumed by pettiness and selfish gain.

One thing I do know: I do have a fear/dread of going bezerk/postal on conniving "office scorpions" who know nothing about HIV and how T-cell levels can drop due to stress/rage. I can't stomach the thought of losing T-cells because of vile office scorpions.

Ha, I always think of this kind of stuff on Monday mornings. Surprise, surprise.

I suppose this can go hand-in-hand with the "no hiding, no shame, no stigma, tell-everyone-and-their-grandma-even-at-work" thing.

So yes, if I go back to work I want to be seen as a dying man and yes I want special treatment. It might be an ugly thing to admit to, but it's how I feel. I have an incurable disease. How many HIV negative people can say that?

 


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