When do I wake up from this nightmare?

[Abeille]

I received my diagnosis three days ago. After almost a year and a half of denial, I finally bit the bullet and told my doctor at my annual checkup last week that I wanted to be tested for everything, just so that I could officially confirm what I already knew. She called me three days ago and left me a voicemail that said everything was negative, except that I have "cold sore herpes 1" and she made it sound like it was no big deal. But it is a big deal. I am 21 years old. The person I lost my virginity to gave me a social disease. I can't tell anyone close to me because I am the last person on the planet that would ever contract herpes, at least in everyone else's eyes. Smart girl, good student, athletic, fun -- that kind of person doesn't have herpes! I am literally at such a loss right now I don't know what my next step is. I don't know what to think, what to do; I have no one to talk to. I just can't believe that this has happened to me. I feel completely hopeless about the rest of my life right now.

[LiveLoveLaugh10]

I know how you feel, I just received my diagnosis yesterday and it crushed me I feel like I'm the only person going through this (so glad I found this site because I realize I'm not) I feel like its something that will cause people to look down on me and judge me and that now its going to affect me for the rest of my life. I just feel really lost but I guess its something that I just have to realize has happend and I have to get over it and go from there.... Good luck.

[Abeille]

Everything I have read before finding this site is so negative. I am completely terrified of being judged by my friends and family. I did tell one friend the day I was tested because I had been drinking and hysterically broke down when she asked me why my arms looked like I had had blood taken (from the outlines the band-aids left and because I have rolling veins so the needles left some marks from the nurse not being able to get them in very easily). I told her everything and she was very supportive but I just can't imagine telling anyone else at this point.

[LiveLoveLaugh10]

I can understand that... I just told my boyfriend today and I was suprised at how understanding he was, which makes things so much better.. I've told my sister and a close friend of mine, I would have to say my friend was a lot more supportive than my sister I cried and cried and just told her how a felt about how life will be from now on but I know I'm just making it a lot worse than what it will be ( I hope!!) I most nervous tell my family, I know they wont judge me or anything its just the fact that I have to tell them I have it which is scary.

[RealisticGal]

It's really normal, the way you are feeling right now. The good news is that if you educate yourself a bit more about herpes, you probably won't feel that way forever.

Herpes is a virus that anyone can get. In North America, about 80% of the adult population has HSV1. In Italy, it is considered virtually 100%!

Usually that has meant oral herpes, but genital HSV1 is on the rise.

But seriously, you are not any different now from who you were before you had the diagnosis. It is just that now you know. But you are still bright and athletic and smart and fun. The stigma that says you have to have some sort of character defect to get herpes is just BS. This virus has been infecting humans for thousands of years, but the stigma has only been around for a few decades. It's totally manufactured.

Here's an article I want to share with you, as it should show you that what you are feeling is very common at this point.

I Was Ashamed of My Herpes Until I Found Out...

Stick around and learn from this resource. The links on the right side of the page are great, and most of the folks here are very supportive.

[lalalaurzie10]

i was recently diagnosed with genital herpes. it sucks and i knw what you mean by a nightmare. but there is hope! im not the type of girl that you would expect to have it either. raised in church all my life, two christian parents, loving family, what could go wrong? theres a stigma behind herpes that is so unfair and people need to look past it. its more common than people think and there are ways of treating it. im going thru this with you, every step of the way! everyone on this site is here to help you also! you can do it!