Living Pozitive :: Keeping House With Your HIV

After seven years of being HIV-positive, I can freely admit that at times I've become a bit lazy with my status... I know this because, I am still questioning if it's been seven or eight years. But regardless, I haven't been on top of it, as I should have.

The reality is, the fact I haven't been as tuned into my status is not such a bad thing. It means I'm healthy, seeing my doctor only twice per year as needed and I'm just living my life. That being said, though it's great how comfortable I am with my status, it doesn't mean I should disregard it completely. We live our lives paying bills, watering the lawns, maintaining our homes, but, we also need to apply the same care to ourselves. If you are fortunate to be in a good place with your HIV-meaning that you are on meds, healthy and on track-take a few moments to make sure you stay that way. Focus on a mini-check list that can be reviewed every few months, weeks or days, depending on what you need to make certain you are keeping on course.

1. ADHERENCE: I'll be the first to admit that, as I get older, my memory has begun to fail me, and that includes times when I can't remember if I just swallowed a pill, or just thought about swallowing a pill. I'm pretty sure I've taken two in a row at some point, or not taken any at all for a day... I've also just flat out forgotten at times. A few instances every now and then won't hurt you, though if this becomes too routine it could lead to adherence problems, which could eventually lead to bigger problems. To avoid that, make sure your medication routine is on point, and if it isn't, figure out a better system. A daily alarm on your phone, a pillbox, or even something as simple as a Post-it note on your bathroom mirror to serve as a reminder.

2. PHYSICAL HEALTH: Okay, so your HIV is under control, meaning you are on meds and your doctor told you not to worry about anything. That's wonderful, but it's not a pass to forget about your general health. Having a routine visit with your primary care physician is not only just a good idea, it's a must. Personally, I've begun to accept the aches and pains and oddities that take place with my body, because I just attribute them to getting older... and, well, life. Even if I feel like something might be a bit off, I tend to ignore it or at least put it off, because I don't want to make time for it. Obviously, this is not the right attitude. Waiting to check something out that may or may not be something more, is not the right way to go. Take the time to schedule a visit with your doctor regularly, even if you feel 100 percent all the time. It may not be HIV-related, but it's still your body and your health.

3. MENTAL HEALTH: I think this might be the most important one out of all, because it is very easy to convince ourselves that "everything is fine." Although we may feel like we're doing great and are mentally in a good place, make sure to have some "down time" to enjoy feeling this way, or to catch and correct a problem before it goes down any further.

I've gone through sadness or even mini-depression modes at times, and those times can be brought on by so many different possibilities: Anxiety or stress from work, a recent disclosure experience that didn't turn out the way I had hoped for, it can even be just a moment of self-doubt that causes me to feel bad. We are all human and fluctuation in our emotions are perfectly normal. Taking some time every now and then, to make sure that these times when we are down aren't lingering for too long, is a good idea. By meditating, practicing yoga or even just while standing alone during those five minutes of peace in your shower-take a moment to self-reflect and make sure you are healthy upstairs, as well.