Latest news with #supportgroup
WebMD
3 days ago
- Health
- WebMD
The Journey to Disclosure and Visibility
With HIV, there are a million things you have to consider and prepare for. A lot of them happen simultaneously. It's a lot to manage. At the start of your HIV journey, it's normal to be focused on surviving these challenges. As the basics of managing your diagnosis unfold, there's much also happening inside you – feelings and emotions that can be overwhelming. Feeling angry, confused, sad, hopeless, and frightened are to be expected. Unpacking those feelings is important. There's a lot of change and new information to digest as well. Move at your own pace. Being patient, persistent, and honest with yourself goes a long way in helping you adapt. Regardless of how it looks or how long it takes to adjust, life with HIV can be rewarding and empowering. What seemed impossible ends up in your rear view mirror. Day by day, month by month, year by year, you can build mental and emotional strength. That strength will always be useful and necessary. When things start to level out for you, it may help to figure out how and when to share your experience. Finding your level of comfort with talking about your status takes time. This varies from person to person. But once you've become more secure in the basics of what it means to live with HIV, opening up is often easier. There's no right or wrong way to approach this. Opening up about your status may happen with someone close to you, with whom you feel safe. Or it could happen in a support group, sharing with others who can relate to what you're going through and experienced. Choosing to process some (or all) of what's happened with a mental health professional could be the way to go. For some, sharing publicly about their life with HIV is beneficial. This could happen through speaking engagements, artistic performances, or writing. In my case, after a few years with HIV, I tried each of the above methods. They were helpful for me, albeit at different points in the first 10 years of my HIV journey. If you choose to go share your experiences, it's important to be mindful of potential risks. Stigma, ignorance, fear, and misinformation are prevalent. In some instances, they've led to harmful outcomes. While this shouldn't deter you from being open about your status or being more visible, if that's what you want, it's important to consider how visible you choose to be, and with whom. When it comes to HIV and how much of your life it impacts, your decision about disclosure and visibility should be made carefully. But the choice is an extremely personal one. It's not for everyone, which is OK. Whether you choose to navigate their HIV journey privately, publicly, or somewhere in between, the important thing is you get the treatment, care, and support you need and deserve. Regardless of what you choose, the goal is living a long, healthy, and prosperous life while feeling as safe as possible.
Health Line
09-07-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Managing Your Day-to-Day with Ankylosing Spondylitis
Key takeaways Understanding ankylosing spondylitis is essential, as gaining knowledge about the condition and its varied symptoms can empower you to take control and improve your quality of life. Joining a support group can provide emotional support and practical tips from others facing similar challenges, helping to reduce feelings of isolation and improve your overall mood. Regular visits to a rheumatologist are crucial for managing AS, as they can monitor the disease's progression, share new research, and recommend exercises to maintain or improve your mobility. Life with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) can be, well, burdensome to say the least. Learning how to adapt to your progressive disease can take some time and bring about a whole set of dilemmas. But by breaking up your AS management into workable chunks, you too can live a productive life. Here are three management tips from others with AS on coming to terms and handling life with the disease. 1. Learn everything you can about the condition Ankylosing spondylitis is just as hard to pronounce as it is to understand. Everyone experiences different symptoms and challenges, but knowing as much as you can about it can provide a sense of relief. Doing your own research and arming yourself with knowledge is liberating. It puts you in the driver seat of your own life and your condition, providing you with the tools you need to feel better and, more importantly, live better too. 2. Join a support group Because there's no known cause of the disease, it's easy for those diagnosed with AS to blame themselves. This can trigger a wave of emotions, including feelings of sadness, depression, and overall moodiness. Finding a support group of other patients who are experiencing similar challenges can be both empowering and inspiring. By talking with others, you'll be able to confront your condition directly while also learn tips from others. Ask your healthcare provider about local groups, or contact a national organization such as the Spondylitis Association of America to find an online AS group. Social media is another way to connect with other patients. 3. See your rheumatologist regularly Nobody really enjoys going to the doctor. But when you have AS, it quickly becomes an essential part of your life. Your rheumatologist specializes in arthritis and related conditions, so they truly understand AS and how to best treat and manage it. By seeing your rheumatologist regularly, they will have a better sense of your disease progression. They can also share with you new research and promising studies about treating AS, and suggest certain strengthening exercises to maintain or increase your mobility.
NHK
09-07-2025
- NHK
Thai people fight to stop domestic violence
A group in Thailand helping domestic violence victims has drawn attention to the issue through its campaign that features an AI video of a young woman who was abused.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Warwickshire man says Viking support group boosts mental health
A man says a global mental health support group that "channels the Viking state of being" has helped him to feel less alone. The Midgard Vikings Brotherhood aims to provide a space for men to come together and support each other to overcome difficulties they face. Kevin Lyndon from Bulkington, Warwickshire, joined the group six months ago after struggling to balance friendships and family are encouraged to display the values of "the Viking way", such as respecting one another, forging strong bonds, and growing facial hair. And that, Mr Lyndon said, had created "an open and happy place", where making friends and fundraising for charity had "a fantastic effect" on mental health. Mr Lyndon said the group regularly chatted on instant messaging platforms, about all sorts of topics. "There's people from all walks of life, with all different hobbies so there is always someone there who you can reach out to and talk to," he added."You go on there and have a bit of a rant and find out there's 50 or 60 other people in the same boat as you."You know it's not you, you're not failing, it's something that everybody is going through." He said the group "offered comfort", as well as "camaraderie, brotherhood and banter".Mr Lyndon recently met some of his fellow Brotherhood members for the first time at a gig in Blackpool. "It was nice to finally meet them but I felt like I'd known them all my life and we instantly clicked."He added that the support group planned to host a gathering for members from across the world in York next year and said the only requirement to join the group was "any type of facial hair". Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Pleo offers peer support for parents
Ottawa Watch Pleo's mission is to foster positive outcomes for families with children facing mental health challenges. They are celebrating 25 years of providing peer support.
