#AskTheHIVDoc Episode 11: HIV Positive? What's Next?

It’s probably the scariest question people have when first learning they have HIV: “What do I do next?”

In the latest episode of the YouTube health series #AskTheHIVDoc, HIV expert Dr. David gives viewers some quick, and incredibly important, tips for people who have just been diagnosed with HIV.

“Don’t panic,” he says. “HIV isn’t the death sentence that it used to be in the '80s and the '90s. We have a lot of great medications, and the key is getting on medications early so we can reduce some of the replication of the virus in the bloodstream.”

Besides the health implications, Dr. David also stresses that people who have just been newly diagnosed with HIV should seek support for their mental health.

“Whether you have friends, whether you are religious or spiritual, you have support systems, tell somebody,” he says.

Watch the whole episode below.

#AskTheHIVDoc is a YouTube series created by the Greater Than AIDS organization to help gay men learn more about HIV and sexual health through honest, fun, and no-nonsense discussions. For more information, visit greaterthan.org/speakout.