Aa
Social Stigma and Hep C
I want everybody to try to be honest with themselves, with this one: when you find out a person has Hep C, which one of these type of thoughts first comes to mind:
I am SO glad you dont discriminate against people.
In a Society where I see so many homeless, disabled people sleeping on the streets, I sometimes feel surprised that more people dont help them out, by giving them money to stay in a motel room, for the night.
When I was pregnant and homeless, many good people did give us donations, and I was able to stayin a motel every night,and subsequently, I got back on my feet.
But I also still feel the discrimination, here in my own home town. Although I have been clean and sober, for almost 13 yrs now, my own mother and three sisters will still not speak to me.
By reading the comments and results of this poll, one would get the impression that there was NOT alot of Social Stigma, concerning Hep C.
It might also be the area I live in, the San Francisco Bay Area. I know that people are continually practising Classism. They check out what kind of car I drive. What symbols are on my clothing. For Instance, I was lucky enough to find a discarded pair of shorts, that had the NorthFace insignia on them, and I noticed people were more friendly to me (if they didn't see my crappy car)
They look at what kind of shoes I am wearing, what kind of hair-cut I have (I cut my hair myself, to save money, so I cll it my CaveWoman Look) Classism and Stigma are alive and well, at least here, where I live.
In a Society where I see so many homeless, disabled people sleeping on the streets, I sometimes feel surprised that more people dont help them out, by giving them money to stay in a motel room, for the night.
When I was pregnant and homeless, many good people did give us donations, and I was able to stayin a motel every night,and subsequently, I got back on my feet.
But I also still feel the discrimination, here in my own home town. Although I have been clean and sober, for almost 13 yrs now, my own mother and three sisters will still not speak to me.
By reading the comments and results of this poll, one would get the impression that there was NOT alot of Social Stigma, concerning Hep C.
It might also be the area I live in, the San Francisco Bay Area. I know that people are continually practising Classism. They check out what kind of car I drive. What symbols are on my clothing. For Instance, I was lucky enough to find a discarded pair of shorts, that had the NorthFace insignia on them, and I noticed people were more friendly to me (if they didn't see my crappy car)
They look at what kind of shoes I am wearing, what kind of hair-cut I have (I cut my hair myself, to save money, so I cll it my CaveWoman Look) Classism and Stigma are alive and well, at least here, where I live.
"it is pretty rare for people to reinfect, after Tx, even people who actively use according to stats"
"Hahahhh. Where do I get this stuff? Like I have told you guys over and over agian, form my Most Beloved Doctor, Dr. Diana Sylvestre. She is an Internal Medicine Doctor, and an Addiction Psychiatrist"
"I got my Stats from her Lectures, concerning reinfection"
"Well, my Treatment Doctor happens to be an Internal Medicine Doctor, and an Addiction Psychiatrist, and I remember her telling us, if a person injects I.V. drugs, for a month, then there is a 50% chance they will have Hep C"
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
"Hahahhh. Where do I get this stuff? Like I have told you guys over and over agian, form my Most Beloved Doctor, Dr. Diana Sylvestre. She is an Internal Medicine Doctor, and an Addiction Psychiatrist"
"I got my Stats from her Lectures, concerning reinfection"
"Well, my Treatment Doctor happens to be an Internal Medicine Doctor, and an Addiction Psychiatrist, and I remember her telling us, if a person injects I.V. drugs, for a month, then there is a 50% chance they will have Hep C"
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
So ? what are you saying here? what was the purpose of this
poll? IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT PEOPLE LOOK LIKE!
OM good God!
As long as I've been here I've never seen this' anything like this!!
HCV does not care and neither do I. I still don't know how some of
my close friends got it , because it just does not matter!!!
Re:
Hemophilacs , your doctor is a good doctor however , I would like to know what the heck makes her so special than say..... some of our other hepatologists
and hematologists? treating a person with hemophilia takes, more than just
a MD , it takes all three on board.
It's not easy, not at all. Hemophilacs have been treating for a while now,
nothing new.
poll? IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT PEOPLE LOOK LIKE!
OM good God!
As long as I've been here I've never seen this' anything like this!!
HCV does not care and neither do I. I still don't know how some of
my close friends got it , because it just does not matter!!!
Re:
Hemophilacs , your doctor is a good doctor however , I would like to know what the heck makes her so special than say..... some of our other hepatologists
and hematologists? treating a person with hemophilia takes, more than just
a MD , it takes all three on board.
It's not easy, not at all. Hemophilacs have been treating for a while now,
nothing new.
Well, my Treatment Doctor happens to be an Internal Medicine Doctor, and an Addiction Psychiatrist, and I remember her telling us, if a person injects I.V. drugs, for a month, then there is a 50% chance they will have Hep C, but if they continue on to become addicted, and inject drugs for a year, then they have a 90% chance of contracting Hep C.
Back in the 90's, when she was doing intake work, at a methadone Clinic, she began noticing that most of the addicts had Hep C.
I go to a Hep C Support group, at her Clinic, and there are many people who attend these meetings. Some are Hemophiliacs, who sometimes even come from other States, to talk with my Doctor, because she is willing to treat people that other Doctors arent willing to treat, because of their health, etc.
When I first attended the meetings, I said to myy husband, lots of those older ladies in there looked very square, and two of them are nurses, you dont think they were Wild Childs' of the 70's, do you? And my husband would tease me back, saying they were still wild, and that a bunch of them kept winking at him, etc.
I know it may be "wrong" for me to think these things about my peers, and my curiousity doesn't stem from meaness of spirit. In fact, I really enjoy making people feel good about them-selves, and enjoy helping out animals, and the environment, etc.
I am just interested in Human Nature, Psych, and Sociology, etc.
Back in the 90's, when she was doing intake work, at a methadone Clinic, she began noticing that most of the addicts had Hep C.
I go to a Hep C Support group, at her Clinic, and there are many people who attend these meetings. Some are Hemophiliacs, who sometimes even come from other States, to talk with my Doctor, because she is willing to treat people that other Doctors arent willing to treat, because of their health, etc.
When I first attended the meetings, I said to myy husband, lots of those older ladies in there looked very square, and two of them are nurses, you dont think they were Wild Childs' of the 70's, do you? And my husband would tease me back, saying they were still wild, and that a bunch of them kept winking at him, etc.
I know it may be "wrong" for me to think these things about my peers, and my curiousity doesn't stem from meaness of spirit. In fact, I really enjoy making people feel good about them-selves, and enjoy helping out animals, and the environment, etc.
I am just interested in Human Nature, Psych, and Sociology, etc.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis Social Community
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
