Coping with a Herpes diagnosis

[getstdtested expert]

You have been told you're infected with a virus for which there is no cure, and one that affects a very sensitive area. That's crummy news but don't get too down about it.

Above all, realize that genital herpes is very common. Chances are one of your friends, family members, or co-workers has it, too. If you have read about genital herpes, you know the statistic: About one in five people in the U.S. is infected. But you may not realize that some diseases we consider quite common are less so than genital herpes, asthma and diabetes, for instance.

If you've done your herpes homework, you also know it won't kill you, and it probably will not cause serious health problems later. Still, no one should underestimate the havoc the diagnosis can play with your emotions. You may feel "dirty" or sexually undesirable. You may get depressed thinking about a lifetime of symptoms and taking drugs to control them. You may be angry with the person who infected you. These are valid feelings, but you must learn to overcome them and get back to normal, or else you risk becoming your herpes. You are not herpes: You have herpes.