Support is important when you are diagnosed with genital herpes. There are many ways to find genital herpes support. There may be a support group in your area, (although there aren’t many) and online message boards.
American Social Health Administration
The American Social Health Administration can help you find a help group near you. The Administration also runs the Herpes Resource Center Hotline. You can contact them at (919) 361-8488, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. They provide free counseling on herpes, and offer referrals. The American Social Health Administration also runs 90 support groups (HELP groups) in America, Canada, Mexico, and Australia.
Center for Disease Control (STD)
There is also the CDC STD Hotline. You can contact them at (800) 227-8922. They provide information about sexually transmitted diseases to the general public, via trained Information Specialists. They can also refer you to free or low cost clinics across the country. They have information available about various sexually transmitted diseases and prevention methods. They can also answer many of your questions or concerns you may have.
Online Chat and Message Boards
There are many online chats, and message boards if you would like help anonymously. You can ask questions of real people who may have been through it, and may get some helpful answers.
It is important to remember that having genital herpes is not “the end” of anything. You can still live a happy, health life in general, and can even have a happy sex life. Genital herpes will stay in your body, but it is treatable, and there is help out there. There are many forma of treatment, and many forms of help, and they keep growing every day. New treatments are being tested, and there are even studies going on to find a successful vaccination, and even a cure. Of course, there isn’t a cure yet, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer.
Take advantage of the various help, and treatments available. Having genital herpes is not something to be ashamed of-many people have it, and some don’t even know it. By knowing it, and talking to your partner about it before having sexual relations with them, you are doing the right thing. Many people still carry stigma about the virus, but by educating them you are helping lift that stigma. And people who have oral herpes have genital herpes; it’s the same virus, it just infects a different part of your body. Genital herpes is nothing to be feared.