Table of contents:
- Remember that confidentiality is very important
- Always ready by his side
- Offer specific support
- Help your friend cope with stress
If your friends are HIV positive, they may often feel anxious, anxious, afraid, and isolated. As a friend, this is the time for you to become someone they really trust to be a place for them to lean on when they are down. But they need the right way to help them, so that they don't feel hurt or their condition worsens. Here are some steps you can take to help a friend who is HIV positive feel better.
Remember that confidentiality is very important
Your friend has told you about his illness, this means they really trust you. They can also tell you who they have notified. Your friend is the only person who can choose when and who needs to know about their condition, so it's your responsibility to keep it a secret.
In fact, HIV still gets a negative label in the eyes of the public because of their lack of knowledge about this disease. Therefore, you need to discuss it with your friends first if you want to discuss it with other friends. Leaking a secret without the owner's knowledge is tantamount to betraying your friendship, and this can have a major impact on the progression of the disease.
Always ready by his side
Confronting HIV can be stressful for your friend, which can contribute to emotional turmoil in the early stages of diagnosis. This is the time for you to always be by your friend's side. You can help him focus on the positive things, give him the understanding that HIV is no longer considered a death sentence. Although there is no panacea, HIV can be managed well. You can show them your care and affection, so that they know that their illness does not change your assessment of them. A flood of understanding and attention from good friends can really support them.
Offer specific support
The more specific you have to offer, the better. You can help carry assignments to their homes if they are not going to school to visit the hospital. If your friend is required to be hospitalized, you can help them stay in touch with classmates through social networking sites. When you visit your friends, don't forget to bring them story books, comedy DVDs, small toys, food, or anything else that you think will make your friend laugh.
Help your friend cope with stress
Naturally, if your friend feels insecure and does not want other friends to know about his illness, which causes stress. Stress can have a negative impact on the immune system and cause problems such as anxiety and depression. You can offer to be a place to complain. If you see them drowning in stress, don't hesitate to lend a hand to help them deal with the problem; ask how he feels about his condition. As much as possible avoid topics that if make the atmosphere uncomfortable.
Your HIV positive friend will need not only to adjust to the major changes in his body, but also to combat traumatic events in his life. If you know what to do as a supportive friend, you can help your friend more than you can imagine!
x