My name is Allen. I was diagnosed in 1987, while I was in the military. I got it from having unprotected sex with men. Unfortunately for me, when I started having sex, I was 22. And the person that I got involved with had AIDS, but I didn't realize that 'til after they died, later on down the line.
My advice? The first thing I say to people is: you can't dwell on the fact that you have HIV. You already have it. It's not going anywhere. It's how you deal with it that's most important. This is something that you can live with. There are medicines out here that you can take; to render it a chronic condition. But, the biggest thing is, have a positive mind. Think positive. Find people you can talk to: support groups; talk to your doctors; talk to friends who are HIV positive. Just go anywhere you can find positive people that are like you. That's what you do.
Knowing is better than not knowing, because if you know what you have, then you're better able to protect yourself. And, if you're going to engage in intimacy with someone that you love, you're better able to protect them too, because you don't know what you you're carrying. If you're not tested, you don't know. You could be carrying anything.
An AIDS Service Organization is an organization that provides services for people who are either living with the disease or who are affected by the disease. And when I say 'affected by the disease,' it could be the person who actually has acquired the disease; it could be their child; could be their fiancˇ, wife, brother, sister. The main thing we provide is a place to come to where you can see people that are just like you. You can receive treatment. You can receive education. You can receive love. You can cry. You can do whatever it is, and you can be comfortable.
HIV is preventable. It's preventable. All you have to do is use protection. Get educated. Don't go out there playing Russian roulette, because you could come back with something that you can't give away. Once you get it, it stays with you forever. So, protect yourself. Get educated.
It's not a death sentence. It can be treated. And you are not alone. And remember to seek the services that you need. If there's anything that you need, you find an AIDS Service Organization, all them up, tell them what you need, and come and get it.