HIV is no longer a death sentence, and the current therapies available are viable enough to lessen the viral load to the point where it’s undetectable in the body. Because of that, people living with and managing HIV can live healthy and happy lives.
That said, when you first become diagnosed, it can be challenging to see the light at the end of the tunnel, especially when the information surrounding HIV and its prognosis is often stuck in the 80s.
, who is a Cityline Style expert, well-known in the fashion industry, and a HIV/AIDS and Sobriety activist, was diagnosed in 2018. Since then, they have been using their status and voice to help others with HIV find their way following diagnosis.
At first, though, it wasn’t easy for Sexton. They, too, thought that HIV was still a life-threatening illness.
“When I was diagnosed, I thought I was going to die,” they said. “And then I had to learn that, no, I can take a pill or get an injection and live a very normal life.”
While treatments are much more manageable these days and have much better effects, having a chronic illness of any type is challenging to navigate on your own, especially if you don’t know where to start.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty that I think comes out when you do get diagnosed, and depending on where you access service, that journey can be very different,” Sexton said.