One of the first questions interviewers ask me is if I know from whom I contracted herpes – HSV2, for me. And the answer is always the same, “No, I don’t, because when I was diagnosed, I had already been sexually active with more than one person, and I was too afraid of asking the […]
HSV2 – Going to be Forever Alone – STI Interviews
The number one concern we hear when someone is first diagnosed is that they’ll never find a partner who’s willing to accept that they have a long-term infection. While we never say never here at The STI Project, that fear is not at all unfounded. Getting diagnosed with an STI – in this case, HSV2 […]
HSV2 – I Have Lost My Confidence – STI Interviews
Interestingly, STI stigma – and in this case, HSV2 stigma – often transcends intimate relationships and can trickle into one’s public, professional, and social personas. Contracting an infection carries such immense shame that it can deteriorate confidence in all facets of life, not just the intimate ones. As this interviewee points out, she’s not only […]
HSV2 – I Cry Behind Closed Doors – STI Interviews
Relationships and living with an STI/STD – in this case, HSV2 – can be complicated. No one wants to be rejected by a partner, even though it happens to everyone. However, a rejection or what feels like a rejection as a result of an infection can truly erode your self-worth because of the incredible stigma associated with […]
Genital Herpes – Finding Forgiveness – STI Interviews
From the interviewee’s doctor accusing him of cheating on his wife to the years of being unable to talk to her about outbreaks, this interviewee’s story speaks to the turmoil that can exist internally and within an intimate relationship after an STD diagnosis – in this case, genital herpes. 1. How old are you? 56 2. What do […]
HSV1 & HSV2 – I Refused to Accept It – STI Interviews
Few things cause more trepidation about the future and situations that have not yet or might never take place than an STD diagnosis. The most common fear among those who are living with a long term infection is that of telling new partners and the rejection they assume is inevitable. While I cannot promise those fears […]
HSV1 – Things Feel Not Worth It – STI Interviews
Both an HSV1 and an HSV2 diagnosis can spur a multitude of traumatic emotions when located genitally. At The STI Project, we often hear from readers that HSV1 (traditionally thought to be only an oral infection) is the ‘good’ kind of herpes, and that HSV2 is the ‘bad’ kind. But, as evidenced by this interview, countless […]
HSV2 – Met Another Frog – STI Interviews
The immense stigma associated with having an STD, and in this case, HSV2, affects not only the person who’s diagnosed but is also commonly the reason why those who transmit their infection to others flee. The stigma associated with having a sexually transmitted infection and then the shame of transmitting it to someone else can […]