herpes related emotional stress - Herpes Message Board

angelcat · 01-10-2005, 01:12 PM

Hi, does/has anyone suffered from the emotional stress that goes alongside herpes? Since I found out, see stuff on sti's particularly hiv everywhere ... makes me think I'm being sent signs! Can anyone share similar experiences with me? Do u think this is to do with the "life long" term of herpes and my associations of a life sentence? I'm thinking it's like when people think they might be pregnant and see babies and pregnant people everywhere???

Dream0n83 · 01-10-2005, 03:53 PM

I know I was extremely stressed out before I had my primary breakout. I had a lot of stuff happening in my life, I had a headache last for 2 or 3 days before my Ob started. Then I had that for over a week and had to get treatment.

I have read on websites that there is no proven relationship between stress and herpes OB's but I do believe it can strike it! I tell you I watch my stress level like crazy now! I havent had another OB since my primary. Good luck!

marco2618 · 01-10-2005, 04:30 PM

Odd. I thought that I heard that stress will contribute to an outbreak. It is not a direct cause, but it does have something to do with it.

beaker24 · 01-10-2005, 05:40 PM

I could be wrong, but I heard that only one study find a link between stress and herpes. I think it's fair to say that different things are a trigger for different people. I've had oral herpes for a long time and I can't ever remember it breaking out when I have been stressed (major law exams time, family disagreements etc), yet it does if I have been in the sun or if my lips are damaged from the cold, or if I eat certain foods.

beaker24 · 01-10-2005, 05:43 PM

I think the original poster was talking about the feelings of stress connected with herpes, and I can relate to this. I used to be terrified of giving someone genital herpes from my oral herpes, and then it actually happened to me! I couldn't believe it, after all the worry I had been through, that I would get HSV1 again genitally - but I did. For months I was stressed out, hardly sleeping, scouring websites, looking "down there" over and over looking for the next OB, etc etc.

I managed to relax in time, though the reason for me has probably been that after my initial (lengthy, painful, yucky!!) genital herpes OB, I haven't had any problems since. I think I am a bit better at dealing with it now generally though. It doesn't seem like my life is ruined anymore.