Dr.Sheldon Cooper is not happy with all the HIV myths floating around

Team Project Sexuality

There is a lot of stigma attached to HIV in our society. Here are five of the most common myths regarding HIV and Sheldon Cooper does not approve of these idiocies.

 1.  Being HIV + means death is waiting for youIt’s true that the death rate used to be high during the 1980s and early 90s. But, that was because there was none or scarcely available treatment for HIV+ people. However, today with the advancement of medical science, there are Antiretroviral (ART) drugs that help in the treatment.

So, NO being HIV+ does NOT mean that you’re going to die an untimely death.

2.  You can get HIV by kissing an HIV+ person.

The HIV virus can NOT transfer through saliva. HIV transmission can happen through transmission of fluids like semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk or blood. Therefore, three of the most common ways by which HIV can be transmitted is unprotected sex, sharing needles and blood transfusion.

3.  If my partner and I are both HIV+, we don’t have to worry, right?

WRONG. HIV has several strains and if you get infected with two or more strains it can cause problems for treatment. So, always use a condom while having sex.

4.  Women with HIV shouldn’t get pregnant

Although Parent To Child HIV transmission does exist, however, there have been many cases where in the foetus is not infected with the virus. Thus, there should be no reason why a woman living with HIV should not get pregnant if she wants to.

5.  HIV is a homosexual disease

Although men who have sex with men are the most at risk population; HIV transmission through heterosexual sexual intercourse is the most common. Up to 80% of HIV transmission occurs through heterosexual sex but HIV is contracted much more easily through anal sex as the anus is prone to cuts and bleeding, which raises the risk of infection. So both men who have sex with men and heterosexuals—who have regular anal sex without condoms are particularly vulnerable.