By Louise Vallace
AIDS 2024, the 25th International AIDS Conference, convened July 22-26, 2024, in Munich Germany, showcasing exciting community-led innovations alongside scientific breakthroughs and game changers. Two members of The Well Project's community advisory board made their way to Munich to experience the conference's unparalleled energy – and often-complicated dynamics – firsthand. Read on for one perspective on AIDS 2024 – and scroll down the page for more.
I had the honor of speaking at the Silver Zone for the International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2024). The Zone is a wonderful space dedicated to aging and older individuals living with HIV. It's a place where we can socialize, mobilize, and enhance our awareness and knowledge.
At the conference, I led a workshop titled "Mindful Living: Techniques for Stress Reduction and Emotional Balance." I'd like to share some insights from that session and my personal journey with mindfulness.
My mindfulness journey began many years ago, deeply connected to my experience of living with HIV. When I first received my diagnosis, I was overwhelmed with fear, shame, and a profound sense of isolation. The stigma associated with HIV was a heavy burden, and I didn't know how to cope. I turned to alcohol and various substances.
It was a dark period where I desperately wanted to hide from my reality. Amid this turmoil, I knew that maintaining a healthy immune system was crucial, which added another layer of complexity to my struggles. My guilt and shame were compounded.
For ten years, I lived in fear, hiding from the stigma and avoiding the confrontation of my reality. It was an incredibly lonely time, yet it also marked the beginning of a significant transformation. Slowly, I started to open up to myself about my condition. This openness left me feeling vulnerable and exposed, but it also helped me to start paying attention to who I truly am. In this journey of self-discovery, I began to embrace mindfulness as a means to cope with my situation.
Let me share a bit more about my background. I am the youngest of three siblings, divorced, and a mother of three children. My life has been marked by episodes of domestic abuse, and I was diagnosed with dyslexia in my 40s. Alongside these challenges, I struggled with various addictions to substances, love, shopping, and even my phone. Each of these factors contributed to a tumultuous existence, one where I constantly sought external validation and relief from my internal turmoil.
The turning point in my life came when I discovered the power of staying present, of being mindful. Learning to focus on the here and now provided a sense of safety and stability that I had never known before. My journey into mindfulness didn't happen overnight; it was a gradual process that required patience and practice. However, as I committed to it, I began to experience profound changes in my life.
Mindfulness has taught me to live in the moment, to appreciate the simple joys of life, and to manage my stress and emotions more effectively. It's a practice that has helped me to rebuild my life, to find peace and balance amidst the chaos. I shared these techniques in my workshop, hoping to inspire others to embark on their own mindfulness journeys.
If you're interested in learning more about mindfulness and how it can help you, I invite you to watch the webinar below.
As a community, we can find ways to live more mindfully and to support each other in our journey alongside HIV.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Remember, no matter how challenging the journey may be, there is always hope and a way forward.
With love and mindfulness, Aunty Lou
More from The Well Project on the 25th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2024)
- Can We Talk About Sex?!? A Recap from AIDS 2024 by Kimberly Canady
- Listening to Older Women Across the Globe: An Overview of AIDS 2024 by Louise Vallace
