Here are some words of encouragement from WEBMD

Remember, you are too legit to quit!!

Newly Diagnosed with Genital Herpes:

Now you know you have genital herpes. It is never pleasant to be diagnosed withany health problem, but you can take comfort in the fact that this one will not make you seriously ill, and that it is one of the most common viral infections people get.

If there is anything unusual about you, it is that you are one of the few who know your status. The vast majority of people infected with the herpes simplex virus, which causes genital herpes, do not know they have it. That is because someone infected with the virus can have an outbreak without having a visible lesion or a sore. Most likely, some of your friends and family members have it, too.

Nevertheless, there is still a stigma attached to having a sexually transmitted disease. If you were to find someone's lip balm and ask what it is for, he or she probably would not mind telling you that it is for soothing cold sores – another infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. But if someone were to find a bottle of antiviral pills in your medicine cabinet, you might feel ashamed to say they are for treating genital herpes.

Having genital herpes does not mean you have done anything wrong or that you are being punished for leading a certain lifestyle. People from all walks of life can be infected with the herpes virus. The more sex partners you have, the higher your risk of contracting genital herpes. Likewise, the more time you spend in public, the greater your chance of catching a cold. No one would say you deserve a cold for touching doorknobs or being nearby when somebody sneezed.

When you tell a current sex partner or future partners that you have genital herpes, they should understand this. Both you and your partner should also know that your sex life is not over. It may become more complicated, but it can be as good as ever.

Other aspects of your life probably will not change much. In the past, having genital herpes symptoms was more inconvenient than it is today. Now there are drugs (proven safe and effective by years of scientific testing) that you can take to manage herpes symptoms. Many independent groups of doctors in the U.S. and abroad recommend these drugs to people who are bothered by herpes symptoms. They are also taken to prevent the spread of the infection from one person to another.

While there is currently no cure for genital herpes, research into new ways of treating and preventing infection has shown promise. What is more, awareness about genital herpes is increasing. Now is not a bad time to have been diagnosed, but for you and millions of others with herpes, the future looks even better.

Yours in health,
Charlotte E. Grayson, MD
Medically reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD, July 2004. © 2004 WebMD Inc.