The author struggled with his mental health after receiving a life-changing diagnosis.

women's health

Claudia Poposki, News.com.au

A woman has revealed how she became suicidal after a brief phone call with her doctor.

Annalize Easley thought she had gotten a cut from shaving, and by the time she was supposed to get a routine checkup, the cut hadn't healed.

“The doctor agreed it was a shaving cut, but he swabbed it for cold sores,” Mr Easley told news.com.au.

A week later, Easley was told she needed to make a follow-up appointment.

She was nervous because normally with tests like this, no news is a good thing.

She made a telemedicine appointment because she couldn't understand having her suspicions explained to her face-to-face.

“When I called him the next day, he told me I was HSV-2 positive and ended most of the conversation except to discuss antivirals,” Easley said.

“I hung up the phone and my heart just broke. In an instant, I was grieving my entire life without a diagnosis, and I was forced to accept something that so many people don't understand. It felt like it was gone.”

HSV is a herpes simplex virus that causes viral skin diseases known as HSV1 and HSV2.

HSV1 is spread by oral contact and is better known as herpes.

Oral-genital contact can also cause genital herpes.

HSV2 is known as genital herpes and is transmitted through sexual contact.

The World Health Organization announced that as of April 2023, 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 were infected with HSV-1 and 491 million people between the ages of 15 and 49 were infected with HSV-2. .

Ms. Easley was shocked and deeply saddened by her diagnosis, especially because of the misinformation about herpes and the fact that no one talks about it.

When she discovered her diagnosis in May 2023, she was a week away from publishing her book keep swimming.

It was already a difficult time, so she turned her head and did what needed to be done.

“After the excitement about it started to wear off, that diagnosis came back to mind. It got worse before it got better,” she said.

“I started really struggling with suicidal thoughts again.”

Her book is about mental health and she was going through some difficult times in her life. She served in the Navy, but after six years she was discharged and her marriage had also left to focus on her mental health.

But something about this particular news gripped her.

Although she wasn't angry at the person who gave her herpes.

“I can say that they probably didn't tell me, but it's very likely that these people either didn't know they were infected or their symptoms were so mild that they thought it was something else. ” she said.

“It's really no one's fault unless someone is doing it intentionally.”

Rather, she feared that her diagnosis would lead to a future filled with confusion and criticism from others, and she lamented the life she had imagined.

The day before her 30th birthday trip to Thailand, Easley suddenly found herself unsure whether she would be able to get on the plane.

It felt as if she had no future.

So she went for a drive, as she always did when she needed to clear her head.

While driving for three hours, she debated whether or not she should get on the plane.

While I was driving, I received an email from a woman who had attended a book presentation.

The woman expressed gratitude for the candid speech about mental health, saying it helped her better support her son, who suffers from depression.

“That email reminded me of the power I have to use my voice to turn my pain into purpose and overcome it to help others,” she said.

“A month after her book was published, I had a lightbulb moment when I realized that if my voice was still having an impact, that might be why I got herpes. Because I can't sit still and see how much it affects people's mental health.

“There are many people who suffer in silence because they feel like they have no one to talk to.”

She decided to board a plane to Thailand.

On the plane, she wrote about her diagnosis and shared it with friends.

This friend then passed it on to another person diagnosed with herpes, who found it extremely helpful.

She then decided to go public with her sexual health in order to continue to use her lived experience to support others.

Now, she's using her voice to raise awareness and debunk misconceptions about herpes.

She emphasizes that while the physical symptoms may be concerning, the psychological effects are often the most difficult.

Easlea points out that doctors typically provide minimal information about support services and general STI education.

She also advocates for people diagnosed with the condition to get a referral to a psychologist or sexologist to help them get over the initial shock and trauma.

“It doesn't define them, they can learn how to live and thrive with HSV. I can do that because I'm doing it,” she said.

Easley, who is on a date, said there are benefits to having herpes, such as it acting as a filter for daters when it comes to conversations about herpes.

She said it can also help keep track of your mental and physical health, as symptoms often get worse under stress.

Easlea encouraged people to get tested for sexually transmitted infections regularly, but also reminded them that a positive diagnosis doesn't mean the end of the world.

Dr. Mitchell Tanner, co-founder of Stigma Health, said early detection is key to reducing potential long-term risks.

“More than one-third of Stigma Health patients using asynchronous telehealth options are receiving an STI test for the first time, proving the value of discreet access. “Thousands of people who may not have sought testing that way,” he said.

“Having access to sexually transmitted disease testing and sexual health services in a non-judgmental online environment is essential to increasing testing rates in Australia.”

If you live in New York City and are struggling with suicidal thoughts or experiencing a mental health crisis, call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. I can. If you live outside the five boroughs, dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or visit the link below. SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.