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Porchia Dees (Courtesy of Porchia Dees)
Although we are nearing the end of 2020 with more access to information than ever before, there are still certain subjects that are stigmatized, in our society. HIV and AIDS awareness brings about challenges that still encompass a cloud of misinformation that is vital for the Black community to not only debunk, but also continue to learn and teach others.
As a result of misinformation and lack of awareness, Porchia Dees of the Black AIDS Institute compiled a list of the 3 things everyone needs to know about HIV.
Prevention
HIV is preventable in multiple forms including usage of condoms, getting tested regularly, and knowing both you and your partner’s status. There is also a pill that is offered and is tailored to pre-exposure. According to Dees, a daily pill called PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) gives you over 90% protection from HIV.
The PrEP pill is useful for people who are not HIV+, but have a higher chance of contracting it through drug use or sexual contact. There are two medications under PrEP called Truvada and Descovy which are proven most effective when taken as prescribed.
Not a Death Sentence
“I’m HIV+ but not infectious. My daily medication keeps the virus so low it’s undetectable! I’m healthy and I can’t pass HIV on to my sexual partners and my future children,” Dees stated.
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Life expectancy has vastly increased for those living with HIV. People diagnosed HIV+ and receive antiretroviral therapy (also known as ART), have proven to live well beyond their 50’s and older–having had the virus for many years. A Center for Disease Control and Prevention report that had taken data between 2014 and 2018, showed results that the estimated 1.1 million people diagnosed, close to half a million were 55 and over–living healthy lives with treatment.
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You Can Have a Healthy Sex Life
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Yes, people living with HIV can have healthy sex lives that do not negatively impact their partners.
“People like me, living with HIV, are just as beautiful and worthy of love after our HIV diagnosis as we were before our HIV diagnosis. Being HIV+ empowered me to navigate sex and relationships in a healthy way! I encourage people living with HIV to openly explore their sexuality safely,” said Dees.
Healthy sexual relationships can exist when:
- Medications are taken regularly.
- Communicating with your partner of your status and having conversations surrounding most healthy practices in engaging in sexual activity.
- Speaking to your health care practitioner for any uncertainties that may arise.
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Courtesy of pexels.com A couple’s sex life is one of the most important aspects to a healthy successful relationship. The act blends the mind and the body — the physical and the emotional — into one. It brings people, especially those in a relationship built off of trust and love, closer together. Since sex plays such an essential role in love and marriage, the downs of sexual desire can be daunting. When the once highly anticipated act in a relationship becomes more of a responsibility, it can put a damper on the overall experience. However, it’s important to know that having a low sex drive at any given point is not abnormal. “A low sex drive is basically you do not have as much interest in sex as you may have once had, … so a low sex drive is relative to you and your experience,” says Dr. Donna Oriowo, a sex and relationship therapist. “There's always going to be ebbs and flows in the ways that we experience our sexual desire and our libido.” Related Articles: Been Married For Years and Hit a Sexual Plateau? Consider These Tips It’s Possible! I Rekindled My Sex Life in My 30-Year Relationship The Ultimate List of Intimacy-Boosting Products for Couples External factors, such as eating habits and stress levels, all contribute to the ebbs and flows of your sex drive. Oriowo tells Black Love that these factors play into sexual response cycles, specifically William Masters and Virginia Johnson four-stage linear model. From data they collected, they found that the four stages of human sexual response are excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution. In 1979, Helen Kaplan took it a step further, adding desire as the first stage. Oriowo says that if people experience a successful cycle and a good resolution that will increase their desire and sex drive. However, when they have a poor experience, often influenced by those hidden external factors, it can contribute to the low sex drive. In agreement with Oriowo, licensed marriage and family therapist Rabiia Ali says that when it comes to sex, everything is connected. “When one part of it is off, everything can be off,” Ali tells Black Love. “If you are experiencing stressful situations, you may not have the capacity to be able to even feel sexual or physical sexual feelings, and that definitely could impact your sex drive.” The status of your mental, physical and emotional health outside of the bedroom impacts the experience you may have within it. If you are experiencing a low sex drive, these five things may be secretly interfering with your bedroom experience. Stress Courtesy of Canva.com Stress is prevalent in the Black community, with people reporting experiencing stress at a higher rate than their white counterparts. In today’s political and social climate, people are more stressed than ever. “One of the biggest things that goes into a low self sex drive is how we're feeling,” Oriowo tells Black Love. “Now, people are experiencing more stress than they have ever experienced before. It makes sense because people are having less sex than they have ever had before.” Low Self-Esteem The way that you feel about yourself plays a major role in your performance in the bedroom. With society’s unattainable beauty standards, it’s easy to put pressure on yourself to look a certain way. Sex requires you to be in your most vulnerable state with your partner. If you are not comfortable in your looks and your own skin, you can shy away from it. Low self-esteem and confidence may be the cause of your low sex drive. Diet The foods that you eat and the amount of water you consume plays a pivotal role in your sexual performance. Alcohol, along with other drugs, could also negatively impact your sex drive. “When clients are coming in and they're saying that they are not having strong orgasms, or they're not able to get erect, one of the first things I ask them about is their water consumption and their diets,” Oriowo says. “Eat what you normally eat, and add in foods that are high in antioxidants [and that] help with blood flow.” Courtesy of Unsplash.com Lack of Interest A good sexual experience combines an emotional connection with an intense physical attraction. If you have a lower sex drive with your partner, one reason could be that you are no longer interested in them. When the connection that you are experiencing with your partner is diminishing or is lost, it can be difficult to maintain an active sex life. Fatigue When you come home after a long day of work and complete all of your household chores, you may be exhausted. Without the proper amount of rest and relaxation, your body won’t be in the best position to perform in the bedroom. Make sure to get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. Adults who sleep less than 7 hours may have more health issues, including low sex drive.
