Hi @Acool,
Welcome to the community and we are happy to have you. There have been many discussions on the platform, take your time to check some of them out as they might be helpful.
Your first question depends on the person. Yes, we all share the same disease our journeys and experiences might differ greatly. The initial reaction after diagnosis is fear, anxiety, depression, some mood swings, anger, self-isolation, frustration, etc. and this can come and go with no triggers. But it gets better after some time when people come to accept this diagnosis and understand what they have better. It takes time so you have to be patient. If these feelings begin to affect your life, job, friendships, etc. then you might need to talk to someone. All these are going to differ among HBV patients.
Yes, many countries do not deny you a visa for having HBV, but some countries do. Most Middle Eastern countries for example will deny you a visa for having HBV.
There is currently no cure for HBV. However, there are effective antivirals to help slow down the progression of the disease. Some patients have been cured by these antivirals but the cure rates are low (less than 5% if I remember correctly). We remain hopeful for a cure one day, but we can’t be certain when that happens.
Occasional drinking is fine as long as you are not consuming a lot. It is best if you can avoid it. If not, then moderation is the key.
To avoid stigma don’t self-stigmatize yourself. Some people isolate themselves from society avoid seeing family members and friends, and stop doing what they love. That won’t be helpful. Getting stigmatized by others, only education can help. We can’t control how others behave, but with education and awareness, we hope things get better on this topic for patients. HBV stigma and discrimination are real so we need to acknowledge them.
I hope this helps. Take it one day at a time. Best, Bansah1
