new to this..

[love2dance]

hi. my name is jess. i was just diagnosed about a week ago with genital herpes. it's been really hard for me, because my family doesn't want me telling anyone, except for one of my closest friends who knows. it has become very hard for me to be around my other friends because i feel like they don't know me anymore. i think i just need some more time, though. i think it would help me to talk to other people who are going through the same ordeal that i am, so that is why i joined this site.

[Shayna]

Hi Jess,

It's understandable you would feel like your friends don't know you anymore, Probably because you feel like you are keeping a secret from them. The thing is, Herpes are forever, So you really want to make sure that you trust the people you share that information with. You will feel better down the road knowing that your personal life was kept confidential.

This site is perfect for sharing information/feelings with others who have gone through what you're going through now. It's important to have a safe place to get things off your chest, and to be able to ask questions from those who have had this virus for a while. There are many people here who live well with hsv and lead happy, productive lives.

You may not believe it now, But you will feel better sooner than you think.

Herpes doesn't change who we are, It changes the way we take care of ourselves.

Keep your life simple for a while and soon you'll feel ready to comfortably hang with your friends.

Let yourself have fun and enjoy the rest of the summer!

You are going to be fine

[elena]

Hi Jess,

I agree with Shayna, share your personal life with only a select few. Some people still don't clearly understand herpes, and I believe it's best to kept your personal life confidential. However, you can feel comfortable sharing anything with this support group, and you will feel better for the sharing.