I recognise that people visiting this page/post might want to know where they can get support. If you require support around your mental health, addiction or physical health, see this Support page here.
I recognise that people visiting this page/post might want to know where they can get support. If you require support around your mental health, addiction or physical health, see this Support page here.
Today is World AIDS Day. To raise awareness of HIV and AIDS here some facts:
Over 36 million people have HIV across the world. This number is increasing year on year, partly because people with HIV are living longer due to better treatment.
There are around 103,000 people with HIV in the UK.
Continued below…
Groups of people most at risk of getting HIV include: those who have regular sex without a condoms, those men that have sex with men, those who are of a black African ethnicity, those whom sex work and those who inject drugs.
Although there is no cure for HIV, treatment is better than it has ever been. Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is very effective at preventing HIV from replicating and can lead to someone with HIV having an undetectable HIV load. But treatment does come with side effects including: depression, anxiety, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, exhaustion and rashes.
As well as the physical effects of HIV and its treatment, there are many social impacts to. Stigma is still experienced by too many people whom are HIV positive today. People whom are positive report experiencing stigma at their places of work, shamefully in the NHS, by family and friends, on social media and sometimes from the mainstream media.
The best way to prevent the spread of HIV is to always use a condom when having sex; know your HIV status (by regular testing in sexual health clinics) and the status of your sexual partner(s); if you inject drugs don’t share needles or other injecting equipment.
If you think you’ve been exposed to HIV, to take post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment if available.
Here are is a video were someone shares their experiences of being HIV positive, it is well worth a watch and only about a minute long:
24 jars (like the one left) have arrived today for my next creative project.
I’m going to be making red jar candles, scented with hot cinnamon for Yule/Christmas presents.
I’m going to use glass marker pens to draw patterns (or possibly designs), so that as the candle burns down it looks like stained glass with the sun behind it.
This month I will receive the supplies needed: 24 jars, 1KG of paraffin candle wax, red dye, hot cinnamon fragrance oil, wicks and glass marker pens.
Next month I will buy the tools needed: a wooden spoon, a melting pot and a food thermometer. Then I will begin production, starting with a one-candle trial.
I can’t wait to get started on this creative project. I’ve been watching many candle making videos on YouTube. It looks like such fun. I have a feeling that it will either be a huge success or a complete disaster.
I will keep you updated on my progress on this blog.
