Did anyone meet anyone online to date post diagnosis?

[MdV123]

Hi! I am still struggling with online dating which until being diagnosed with HSV2 I totally enjoyed. Now I don’t know whether I should try that anymore? Has anyone successfully dated someone online after diagnosis/disclosure? I need to feel okay about meeting people this way.

[RegularGuy]

Sounds like your having difficulty with a lot more than dating.

It's totally fine to keep meeting people!

As long as you disclose before getting physical, you will be doing a good thing by continuing to seek a relationship.

However, your doubts may be rooted in a deminished sense of worth for yourself. You might benefit from seeking introspection and determining how to regain your confidence. If you need to take a break from dating to do that, it wouldn't do anything but good for you.

Being diagnosed does inherently bring up some doubts about the future and some questions about how it will effect the things you uses to enjoy.

The truth is that the real impact on doing things is minimal if any at all. But, the impact on your psyche is pretty huge.

Most people experience a hiccup in being able to date and anxiety when nearing disclosure. Those are primarily centered around fear and a lack of positive self-image.

Try to do things that make you feel fulfilled, lke your old self. In dating, remember that you are valuable and the other person's health and right to consent are important. If you struggle with those things realize that they are symptoms of internal struggle in response to your diagnosis and engage yourself in resolving that struggle directly.

[MdV123]

@RegularGuy. Thanks so much! And I did take my profile down for now. It’s a strange thing how something which affects me physically so little has made such a huge emotional and psychological impact. But at the end of the day I have got to get a grip. Our brave soldiers come home mangled and missing limbs and I’m going to sit here and feel sorry for myself over a hidden virus that I don’t even have symptoms from? (My heartfelt sympathy to those who do suffer. My HSV1 hurts like hell when I have an OB) I think not!! If they can carry on with missing limbs I can carry on with this. I appreciate your response and I am certainly going to take some time to regain my sense of self. Much love to all here who lift everyone up during a difficult time in life. You all make a difference!

[Sothisislife]

Heck yes. I figured "out of all the dates I went on with guys I'd met online how many of them did I even have sex with"... and the answer is One. That's what made me join online dating again. I've gone on dates since diagnosis, didn't like them enough to have sex and that was it. It's still fun. It's still enjoyable to talk to people.