Here's why you should get tested for HIV!

New Delhi: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 be tested for HIV at least once as part of routine medical care. 

People who have vaginal or anal sex without using a condom or consistently taking Truvada (a medication that can prevent HIV infection if taken as prescribed) every day, or who share injection drug equipment with someone who has HIV should be tested more frequently.

Here is why its important for you:- 

1. You may not be aware that you have HIV

One in every six people living in the United States doesn't know that hie is HIV infected. If you have had sex with someone you didn’t know or whose HIV status you are not aware of and if you didn’t use a condom, you may be HIV infected.

2. Start treatment if you have HIV

You need not wait for symptoms to know you HIV status. It is advisable to start early treatment than to wait for symptoms to develop. Doing this will help you live longer with fewer health problems.
The only way to know if you should start treatment is to get tested.

3. Fear of transmitting HIV to other persons

If you have sex with someone you don’t know, you should always use condoms to prevent transmission of HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) to others and to keep from getting them yourself. If you have HIV, getting treatment can further reduce the possibility of transmission to someone else. Using a condom every time you have sex can be hard; getting treatment doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use condoms, but it can help reduce the risk of transmission if you accidentally forget and don’t.

4. Counselling 

Counselling can help you make plans to avoid getting HIV if you are negative. If you are positive, counselling can help you in making important decisions about getting treatment and in finding out about community resources that may help you cope with having HIV.

5. Balanced lifestyle & medication

A balanced lifestyle and precautionary medication can make your life easier in coping with HIV.

6. Staying positive

Staying positive and keeping a right frame of mind is very important for those who have HIV. They should never forget that there is life after HIV.

Many people with HIV go on to live normal lives. They have to live on medicines but there are no major side effects if a proper routine is followed. People with HIV go to school, work and have relationships. Though it's not easy but having HIV is certainly not a death sentence.

There are several resources to help you determine your risk for HIV, including informational websites and magazines specifically for people with HIV/AIDS.