Yes. At first, of course, it was difficult. I was a college student when I found out so it was really difficult. Just tryin’ to figure out who to tell, who to talk to, who not to talk to, things like that. I was able to adjust to it so I’m pretty—I’m more confident in it now. (103001F_8.8.18.doc)

Well, I was raped. That’s how I caught it. I was 17. I tried to commit suicide the first time I found out. I was very depressed. I didn’t wanna eat. It was just a drastic change for me. I lost a lot of friends, even some family members. I deal with it now. I feel like, I’m still a person, at the end of the day. It doesn’t change the type of person that I am. There are times I still get discouraged taking meds. My kids are my biggest motivation to keep goin’. That’s pretty much. (Black female age 25)

As it stands right now, the only way you'd probably know about my status is if —well, if you have a status, or you are family, or that's it. Actually, I don't have any real friends to tell my status to about. Just not any I would share that much personal information with. (Black male age 22 - 100507)

I think I learned about it two years ago. It was hard. It was hard to grasp the feeling of having HIV, at first. It felt difficult. I felt sad and bad. I didn’t wanna open up to anyone about it. Then, I opened up to a family member when I was overthinking about having it. When she had accepted me, then it felt a little easier. Then, it felt easier to open up to friends about it, and then felt—it just felt easier, person by person, opening up about it. Then, I was just a little bit more motivated with taking medication on time and daily. The thought, in the back of my head, about just having it, it brings me down little bit. (White male age 23 - 104503C.doc)

Well, my biological may know. My adopted family knows. I think some – some of my close friends know. My boyfriend knows. My boyfriend is also HIV positive. So we’re basically each other’s support team [crosstalk] in a way. (Black male age 18 - 101012E_5.14.19_W12.docx)

Telling my sisters was hard for me, ‘cause we’re really close. I have a lot of support from them. That was a good thing. I do have an aunt that we don’t speak any word. Once she found out, she started telling other people my business without me telling them. I felt betrayed. I wanted to share my status with people. I felt like I was in a box, very closed in, not wanting to disclose it. I felt like I was by myself. I do have a lot of supports now. The Terra 01:53 Program definitely helps. It’s taught me to learn a bunch of different ways to try to help keep taking my meds. I’m doing pretty well. (Black female age 25-103505L.doc)

It’s not easy. Takes a toll on your mental, not knowing—feeling different is a very strong feeling, .... You feel different, especially when you’ve—are open about what goes on in your personal life, a feeling of loneliness still in the vicinity of people. You still feel like you’re outcast. You still feel like—you just still feel set-aside from everyone else and knowing that you won’t be able to be as free in relationships because you’ll always have to keep that consciousness in your mind that at some point, you’re gonna have to be open with the person and tell them. That’s hard, too, because it’s hard, learning how to trust people. It’s hard finding people you can trust. It’s like a double—it’s 50/50. It’s 50/50 situation. (Black male age 24)