1/
"HIV is a chronic disease, just like high blood pressure or diabetes."

No it's not.

You don't have to worry about being abandoned by friends and family after disclosing your blood pressure or sugar status to them.

You don't have to fear rejection, violence or death because of your your high blood pressure or sugar.

You can still get a life insurance policy from any company despite your blood pressure or sugar status.

2/
You don't have to be anxious about your lab report revealing your blood pressure or sugar status being sent to your parents because you are on their insurance.

You don't have to agonize over being fired from your job if they find out about your high blood pressure or sugar.

3/
You don't have to think about being brought up on criminal charges or thrown in prison because you didn't disclose your blood pressure or sugar status to a consensual sexual partner.

I spent an hour discussing all these things with a former patient of mine yesterday.

4/
Yes, #HIV can be medically managed by taking one pill, once a day.

Just like high blood pressure and diabetes.

That's where the analogy ends.

Let's be honest with ourselves and our patients about the rest of it.

If we aren't, society will surely remind them.

#HIVstigma