HIV paranoia - just when things we getting good

[Konstant]

I just moved back into school. I don't have many friends here, but today that changed. I met some real cool people. But now, I feel doomed from what just happened.

I kid I knew prior to today had this nasty cut on his hand. I gave him a high five not knowing that he had a bandaid covering up his fresh new cut from work.

I saw the band aid and panicked. I asked him if it was still bad and he said yea. I am so worried that his blood seeped into my hand via a cut or something.

I don't even know if he has HIV, but it doesn't matter. It still is killing me. I feel doomed. I can't take it. the day went from really awesome to really terrible.

im stuck in my room now thinking i just contracted HIV..

If I had a cut on my hand, which i may, am i at risk? I'm losing it

[AnnieMags]

There is NO WAY you can contract HIV from what you describe. Anxiety is running away with you. He had a cut, but it was covered by a BandAid. You say, "If I had a cut.." Well, do you? HIV is very hard to catch. Assuming that your friend is HIV positive (very unlikely to start with), a bleeding cut on his hand would have had to rub into a bleeding cut on your hand for a a POTENTIAL transmission. None of that happended, did it? You are absolutely fine, I promise you.

[Konstant]

Thanks, it helps to here that. I know better, but my anxiety takes control of me. I tell myself I know better, but there is a trigger in me that doesn't allow the proper thoughts to flow. It hurts.

[AnnieMags]

I know, it is very hard to be rational when the fear and anxiety take hold. If you haven't done so already, it might be an idea to talk to your doctor about the anxiety so you can get some help and counselling. Rest assured though that HIV is not one of your problems.

[puzzledlass]

My Cousin married a man with Aids. They have been together for years and years, they have been intimate (with condoms), shared bathrooms, cutlery, you can be sure that at some stage they both had cuts too! They shared everything. She has not contracted HIV/Aids in this time.

---------- Post added at 14:14 ---------- Previous post was at 14:14 ----------

It's really not that easy to get! If it was there would be heaps and heaps more people diagnosed with it.

[Katie_cupcakes]

I did a first aid course for teaching first aid in Africa. Somebody asked the question about treating someone who is bleeding and the risk of Hiv. The first aid leader said that you would have to drink litres of their blood to be at any risk of catching it. Obviously I don't know much about it, but I know that hiv doesn't 'live' long outside the body

[iPodClassic]

I did a first aid course for teaching first aid in Africa. Somebody asked the question about treating someone who is bleeding and the risk of Hiv. The first aid leader said that you would have to drink litres of their blood to be at any risk of catching it. Obviously I don't know much about it, but I know that hiv doesn't 'live' long outside the body


I don't know if this a little bit of exaggeration, as I am sure that only a few drops can carry a huge viral load, but that depends on the viral load the infected person has. as an aid leader I would not use such exaggeration, not even as educational purposes, because it minimises the danger and seriousness of exposure.

Yes, it's not easy to contract it, but also people should not think it's 'hard', if you know what I mean.

OP's case is obviously HA, he doesn't even have to get tested. I would recommend going to a psychologist to talk about the reason why he's so scared about such things.