It Gets Better

I’ve had Genital HSV-1 for about 2.5 years now. Thank God, the frequency of the outbreaks and their intensity has gone down dramatically. So far, I’ve had three disclosures, and they have all been positive. I was only intimate with two of them. The last one I dated never made me feel any kind of way but wanted and admired and was much more comfortable doing sexual things with me. I’m currently not dating, but ugh, I kind of hate the idea of disclosing. No, I'm not saying for people to not disclose; it can be a lot. I was already emotionally invested in the first two disclosures before I told them. But I’d suggest doing it early enough—by the third date, where it's clear that there are feelings and you enjoy each other’s company, but not after the point of saying you want to be in a committed relationship. Everyone deserves the right to figure out what works for them. You will find someone who genuinely likes you and who doesn't care about the risk of having HSV. It really does get better, and there are more pressing issues in the world. Lol, I'm currently a junior in undergrad majoring in CS + Math. I have a herniated disc, am currently planning a party, and most days, if I do think about it, it's the least of my concerns. For those that do have recurring outbreaks, I get it. I think time plays a role. For women, or at least for me, my hormones play a big role. There are two supplements I love: monolaurin and l-lysine, and good vitamin D levels, etc. Eating things with zinc and monitoring my iron levels (iron deficient) helps me make the best of what I have!