What Makes A Herpes Support Group Successful
The participants of a herpes support group are the backbone of the success of the forum. All members need to share honestly and give constructive feedback for the benefit of all members. This way, each member can get the emotional support required to live positively with HSV-2. A support group facilitator should be able to share helpful and accurate information about living with herpes. They should also be able to correct and address any misinformation shared in the group. With a herpes support group that works, members can get positive support and lead their best life.
Mental Health Care For Herpes
After you receive treatment for your first outbreak, the next thing to do is take care of your mental health and learn how to cope with your diagnosis.
You may want to find a support group in your area for people living with herpes. Meetup hosts the following herpes support groups in Toronto and Vancouver:
Joining a support group will accomplish two things:
- Build your knowledge of what itâs like to live with herpes
- Show you that youâre not alone in your experience with herpes
If you need to speak to a counsellor about your herpes diagnosis, you can also call the Ontario Sexual Health Infoline at 1-800-668-2437.
What Can I Do If I Have Herpes Simplex 2
Many people who find out they have herpes feel depressed knowing they’ll always have the virus and can give it to others. But you arent alone. Herpes is one of the most common STIs, both in the U.S. and worldwide. If you have herpes, you should:
- Learn all you can about it. Information will help you to manage your disease and feel better about yourself.
- Talk about your illness with your doctor.
If you have herpes, you can still:
- Have sex if you use a condom or dental dam , and you tell your partner about your illness. Some couples, who have sexual relations only with each other, may choose not to use condoms even though one partner has herpes. Because each situation is different, you should ask your doctor if this is the right choice for you in your relationship.
- Have children. People with herpes can still give birth to healthy babies. If you have herpes and plan to have children, discuss your illness with your healthcare provider.
If you have herpes, you should also get checked for HIV and other STIs .
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Can I Be Tested For Herpes
There are different tests available for herpes. Some tests can be done if you are experiencing symptoms. Blood tests are available for people who may not have had symptoms or if the signs have already healed. Not all tests are accurate, however, and many healthcare providers are unclear on which tests to perform. To find out more about getting an accurate diagnosis, visit our section on testing.
How Does Someone Get Herpes
Herpes is transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact. This happens when a contagious area comes into contact with a tiny break in the skin or mucous membrane tissue, usually on the mouth or genitals. Most skin on the body is too thick for the virus to go through.
Oral herpes can be passed on through kissing or oral sex. If a person with oral herpes performs oral sex, it is possible to pass along the infection to the partners genitals. If a person with genital herpes has sex, it is possible for his or her partner to get genital herpes. Any person who is sexually active can get genital herpes.
Genital herpes can be transmitted sexually both when symptoms are present and sometimes when symptoms are not present. There are several days throughout the year when the virus may be on the surface of the skin, but there are no symptoms. Herpes can be passed through sexual contact during this time.
There are no documented cases of a person getting genital herpes from an inanimate object such as a toilet seat, bathtub, or towel. Herpes is a very fragile virus and does not live long on surfaces.
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La Help/ Orange County Help
From their Website:
Herpes does not discriminate. Living with herpes isnt easy. Southern California HELP Group is here to provide you the tools and support necessary to overcome this situation. LAOC HELP is the Los Angeles and Orange County chapters of the Herpes Resource Center . We invite you to join us on the 4th Tuesday night of each month or the first Friday in OC to learn more about dealing with Herpes.
Orange County HELP
OUR MISSION
We are a social organization whose mission is to help those with Herpes help themselves develop the social skills needed to cope with Herpes. Our meetings may include speakers, small group discussions and films. We have a Medical Advisor who is a Medical Doctor but the majority of our members are volunteers who share similar problems of coping with Herpes.
This Is What Other Sites Dont Tell You:
This site is about helping you with herpes on the genitals or on the face called cold sores.
You can get a 2-page summary: All you need to know as a printable PDF. For answers to all your questions about herpes, see the FAQs page. You can call our herpes helpline which is answered by trained volunteers. And read our comments on current news stories.
You can listen to our director, Marian Nicholson, with a sexual health doctor on Womans hour in September 2021.
Before COVID, two members and Marian were chatting about getting rid of the stigma on Womans Hour 6 minutes in.
In 2022, we created a 6-minute video explaining herpes to help dermatologists to counsel people with genital herpes. Enjoy!
Theres a video on our Useful Links page that you will like too.
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How To Live And Date With Herpes
Living and dating with the herpes virus are not as complicated as most people assume. Millions of people around the world are leading a healthy, happy life with herpes. You can join a dating site where you can meet other people living with herpes. When dating with herpes, it is essential to learn to practice safe sex, especially with new people. This goes a long way in protecting you from reinfections and protecting your partner too.
Talk to your spouse if you have been diagnosed with herpes, and whenever there is a herpes outbreak, the centers for disease control and prevention herpes resource center advises that it is wise to let your sexual partner know and to get them tested too. This is the best way to get the treatment both of you need.
Learn the facts there is a lot of misinformation when it comes to genital herpes. Ensure you read on the facts, and talk to your support group members to get the correct information.
Join a support group becoming part of a support group for people with herpes can make it easier for you to handle the diagnosis and learn how to live with it.
How Is Herpes Simplex Treated
Some people have few to no herpes outbreaks and choose not to have treatment. But many people prefer to use medications that shorten outbreaks and reduce symptoms.
During an outbreak, you may use an antiviral ointment or cream to help lessen your symptoms and help them go away faster, but it only works if you start it soon after you start an outbreak. Many people with HSV-2 take daily oral medications to keep outbreaks at bay.
Your provider may prescribe a topical medication or oral medication such as:
Read Also: How To Tell If You Have Genital Herpes
How Is Herpes Treated
Most herpes episodes last three to seven days. Antiviral medication is available on prescription from a doctor. These tablets should be taken within the first three days of the symptoms appearing for best effect.
Local treatments may also help.These include:
- salt baths, this may help if your genital area is painful
- aspirin, ibuprofens or paracetamol to help relieve pain
- acyclovir creams, like Zovirax, which can be used on the sores as soon as they appear
- topical anaethetic such as lignocaine gel
- passing urine in a warm bath, if urinating is painful
- applying ice to the infected area to help relieve pain
In addition you can:
- wear cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothing to increase comfort and help healing
- drink plenty of water so the urine is diluted and doesnt sting as much
- rest to help recovery
How Is Herpes Simplex Diagnosed
Healthcare providers may diagnose herpes simplex based on how the sores look. Your provider may take a sample from the sore. Laboratory analysis of the sample can confirm or rule out the herpes virus.
If you dont have sores, your healthcare provider can use a blood test to check for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibody, a marker showing youve been exposed to the virus. The blood test doesnt show an active infection . But it informs your provider whether youve been exposed to the herpes virus in the past. If this is your first infection, you may not test positive for herpes if there hasnt been enough time for your body to develop antibodies. The HSV-1and HSV-2 antibody test may be repeated in eight to 12 weeks.
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Herpes Coming Out Prompts: Existing Relationships
Option 1: âI have some news to share â I found out that I carry the herpes virus, and I think itâs important for you to get tested. I want to make it clear that Iâm not blaming you for my diagnosis, because a lot of people have herpes without any symptoms. Letâs talk about how you feel after youâve had some time to think.â
Option 2: âI need to have a chat about some news I got recently â I found out I have herpes. Iâve talked to a doctor and Iâve done some research, and itâs not a major problem â but youâll need to get tested and weâll need to start using protection. How do you feel about this?â
Secret Herpes Facebook Groups:
Local Secret Herpes Facebook Groups are popular among the herpes community. Acting as its own container, only group members can see within the group. At HWerks, we have our own secret Facebook Group for our members. They have access to these groups and many others. Learn more about and how they work.
*For privacy, Facebook Group names have been omitted.
Read Also: How To Heal Genital Herpes Sores Faster
Benefits Of Joining A Herpes Support Group
After you are diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection like genital herpes, there are several steps you need to take to deal with the news. First, you are required to talk to your doctor or a healthcare professional, take your meds and learn to live with the virus. Joining herpes support groups is one of the best ways to get resources and tools for living with herpes.
If you are feeling alone and isolated, there are numerous benefits to joining an HSV-2 support group.
Other benefits for joining a support group for herpes include:
The most important benefit of a herpes support group is that it is a source of hope where it would have otherwise been lost. By being in a social group with people who have overcome the stigma associated with HSV-2, you learn to hope for a better future and discover that you can still find love, enjoy sex and date even with herpes. On the other hand, if you need a grief support group then mensgroup.com has you covered.
Famous Quotes Containing The Words Support And/or Groups:
They can help the children work out schedules for homework, play, and television that minimize the conflicts involved in what to do first. They can offer moral support and encouragement to persist, to try again, to struggle for understanding and mastery. And they can share a childs pleasure in mastery and accomplishment. But they must not do the job for the children.
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People Of Color California
Welcome.To POC SN California
Were glad you found us.
Please feel free to post an introduction telling us a little about yourselfpost a picture, ask questions, or just jump into any discussion that may be going onon the boards.
We want this group to be a place for adviceencouragement and inspiration.Or just come on in for a joke or two.
This community is for you.so we hope that you will join us here and help make this a fun and informative place to be.
Does Herpes Get Less Contagious Over Time
Once you contract herpes, you have it for life, which means that it remains contagious. Over time, outbreaks of herpes happen less frequently, especially if you take prescription medications to treat herpes. This means that youll notice fewer sores as time passes, but this does not mean the virus has weakened. You can still transmit herpes even when you dont have symptoms.
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Can I Treat Herpes Simplex At Home
Avoiding known triggers, such as illness or stress, can help reduce how often you have herpes outbreaks.
How can I ease my symptoms during an outbreak of HSV-1 ?
- Over-the-counter creams such as L-lysine, benzocaine or docosanol .
- Applying ice to blisters or sores.
How can I ease my symptoms during an outbreak of HSV-2 ?
- Apply an ice pack to your genitals. Wrap the ice pack in a washcloth or apply it over your underwear.
- Keep your genitals dry. Wear cotton or other nonsynthetic underpants and avoid tight-fitting clothes. Moist sores take longer to heal.
- Soak in a warm bath.
- Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain.
- Topical 1% or 2% lidocaine may be used as a topical analgesic.
How Can I Reduce My Risk For Herpes
Any sexually active person may contract genital herpes. Aside from abstaining from sex or mutual monogamy with one uninfected partner, there are many options a couple may consider to reduce the risk of transmission.
Since one in eight persons is thought to have herpes and the majority of people dont know, if a partner has ever been sexually active, it is possible that she or he could unknowingly have the virus too. Accurate blood tests are available to determine whether a person has antibodies for HSV. Knowing a partners status can help a couple make a joint decision about whether they need to take steps to reduce the risk of transmitting HSV.
One antiviral medication for herpes, valacyclovir, has been shown to reduce the risk of herpes transmission. When a person with a history of recurrent genital herpes takes 500 mg of valacyclovir daily, it can reduce the risk of transmission to a partner who does not have the virus by 50%. Its likely that a combination of suppressive valacyclovir and condoms provides greater protection than either method alone.
We do not recommend regular use of the spermicide nonoxynol-9 as it can cause irritation in the genital area, making it easier for some STIs to be transmitted. If a spermicide is used, it should be used with a condom, not in place of one.
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What We Do On The Assurance Day
You get a full day of curated events with three speakers who can offer all the answers. All the others attending will be as worried about it as you are But like you, they want to move on.
Are you stuck at the stage where you dump them if it looks like it is getting serious ? Do you say to yourself Will anyone want to be with me now I have herpes? Or How do I tell someone I have herpes? We have a solution:
At a recent event of this sort, members who attended gave us six perfect scores and one 80% for the day! This is a full days event which we know give you the facts, the ideas and most importantly, the confidence about how to tell someone I have herpes. We discuss amongst ourselves the where when and how. We ask members what they would say to a person thinking about coming along. They say:
- Definitely worth attending! Even if you think you know all about herpes helps you to feel more positive.
- Do it sooner rather than later!
- Well worth the money . Very good. Must do.
- Please attend the day as soon as you feel ready. I wish I had made the trip to London sooner I think I would have had a more positive attitude towards sex, etc. over the last few years had I attended the study day sooner.
How Can I Reduce My Risk Of Herpes Simplex
Preventing HSV-1
You can reduce your risk of contracting HSV-1 by avoiding physical contact with someone who has a cold sore. People can still spread HSV-1 when cold sores arent present, but its less likely.
If someone has an active HSV-1 infection, avoid:
- Sharing utensils, cups, lip balms or other personal care products.
- Touching the skin near their mouth.
Preventing HSV-2
If youre sexually active, you can take these steps to protect yourself and others from the herpes virus and other STIs:
- Be monogamous with one sexual partner or limit your number of partners.
- Get tested for STIs and complete any prescribed treatment.
- Tell your sexual partners if you have genital herpes so they can get tested.
- Use condoms during intercourse and dental dams during oral sex.
Wash your hands often if you have an outbreak or are around someone with symptoms.
If your sexual partner has genital herpes, these actions can lower your risk of getting the virus:
- Dont have sex when your partner has active symptoms. Condoms may not cover all sores, so you may still get the virus.
- Make sure your partner takes antiviral medication as prescribed.
- Wait to have sex until scabs fall off active lesions.
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