How do you tell?

[jlbon]

Im 18 and live with my mom, should I tell her?

[Caliope]

I'm 41 and I've never told any member of my family.

Who you want to tell is a very personal choice that only you can make and would depend on how close you are with your mom and if this is the kind of information you feel comfortable sharing with her.

I'd give anything to have a mom who I could trust with the details of my life and who would give me unconditionall love and support. If your mom is one who can offer you support and solid advice and you feel safe with her knowing the details of your personal life then you may want to tell her.

If that is not the situation you may want to keep your secret. If you aren't sure if you're ready to share then wait until you are. It's okay to take the time you need to come to terms with this new information.

[uk girl]

I have a 16 year old son and hope that if ever anything like this should happen to him,he would turn to me and confide in me.

I never had a mom who i could of trusted wish i had, id like to think i am pretty unshockable, and would only give love and support.

You dont have to tell her, but if you feel she would help and support you, then give it a go, a mothers love is unconditional.

[gutted.]

i told my mum, but out of shock more then anything

to be fair i always told my mum everything, as i trust her.

[mbrauneis]

i'm 20 i told my mom but i know that no matter what she will always be there to support me so if your mom is supportive i would tell her if not then you might want to keep it to yourself

[owenp]

For me I feel it would be better to not tell people, unless your having sex with them why do they need to know? even if people are supportive you are still going to be seen as somebody who is deseased.

[mbrauneis]

thats not always true not everyone is going to look at you and think your diseased if they know my mom would never look at me in that way she is very supportive and has been doing her research as well if you tell someone who is close and love you they shouldn't react in that kind of way.

[persephone]

I'm on my first outbreak right now, and at first I intended to never tell anyone, but now I've told my best friend, but not my mom, and they are the two people in the world that I tell everything. But, anyway, I guess all I'm trying to say is that I think you should take your time and tell her if/when you're ready, and no sooner. However, do not leave any personal items like washcloths or towels that you have used recently lying around the shower area, because you might not think that your mom or anyone else you live with would ever use a dirty washcloth or towel or someone else's razor or whatever, but you can't ever really know a person in the sense of what little unhygenic things they do when no one's looking, and even if they wouldn't on purpose, accidents happen. Catching it from you would be an awkward way for her to find out, huh?

[JRTJRT]

persephone - you're going to make a great wife/mom.

As far as telling, everyone is different. I'm not telling ANYONE, except of course a potential mate. One thing that is helping me get through this is that I am confident in knowing that NO ONE KNOWS. This will make it harder for me to tell someone but that's something I will have to deal with.

Hopefully I will find someone who will either not mind my H, or they will be trustworthy enough that I can be sure they won't tell anyone, should they choose to bail.