Overcoming Herpes Shame & Stigma
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. The herpes itself? It's a skin condition. An annoying one sometimes, sure. But the shame? That's the real virus. The shame is what keeps you up at night. The shame is what makes you feel "less than." The shame is what the stigma feeds on. And here's the thing: shame can only survive in silence.
These conversations from the now-sunset Herpes Opportunity forums are the opposite of silence. They're people speaking up, stepping out, and refusing to let a skin condition define their worth. Some of them were drowning in guilt when they first posted. Some were ready to fight. All of them found something powerful on the other side of speaking their truth.
If shame has been running the show in your life since your diagnosis, pull up a chair. You're about to hear from people who've been exactly where you are, and came out the other side with something the stigma can never touch: their own sense of self.
Want to take a stand with us? The Shameless Herpes Movement!
Adrial launches the Shameless Herpes Movement and dozens of community members step up to declare they're done hiding. A rallying cry that turned into a movement.
Ashamed, full of guilt.
Drowning in shame and guilt after her diagnosis, she reaches out. The community's response is a masterclass in compassion, gently dismantling the shame one post at a time.
I have herpes: How to become "stigma bulletproof"
Adrial shares his philosophy on becoming 'stigma bulletproof' and the community responds with their own strategies for building an unshakeable sense of self-worth.
Help!! Why do I feel so dirty with herpes? Who will want me?
She asks the question so many are afraid to voice: 'Who will want me?' The honest, loving responses prove that the stigma is the problem, not the person.
The worst case scenario: a tale of a broken vagina.
With dark humor and raw honesty, she tells her story of being diagnosed, then shares how the community helped her reclaim her narrative and her body.
Broken hearted
Heartbroken after a rejection tied to herpes, she reaches out. What follows is an intimate, ongoing conversation about rebuilding when your confidence has been shattered.
