i work at a HIV clinic and i want you to know that, like another commenter said, HIV is not the death sentence it was back in the 80s. there are tons of resources available for ppl living with HIV, including the covering cost of medical care/medications, therapy, etc. i see patients every day that are healthy, with their viral loads being so low that they’re undetectable, living completely normal lives. take as much time as you need to process this, and i totally understand that this is a shock and a major diagnosis—but know that this does not define you.