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long term fears and anxieties. The initial period of adjustment following diagnoses isextremely difficult and challenging. Some go through a denial stage and some mourningand grieving. Some faced a sense of shame and guilt in them. All these emotionalturmoil subsequently affect the mental health and the coping skills and strategies of theparticipants.“Orang saya ini dihantui oleh HIV. Kadang-kala, saya biasanya sayaakan cakap pada diri saya, saya tak ada HIV. Bila orangcakap..eh...engkau datang ini apa problem sakit ke...ada HIV? Simplesaya nafikan sebab apa benda itu menghantui, jadi kita tidak perlu jaditertekan pada diri kita sendiri. Kita tidak boleh asyik memikirkan tentangyang saya ini ada HIV. Memikirkan sangat tentang tu akan jadi gilamacam ini. Saya tak mau macam itu”(”People like me is haunted by HIV. Sometimes I, usually I’ll tell myselfthat I don’t have HIV. When people come to me and ask…eh…you comehere because of illness problem…have HIV? Simple, I denied becausewhatever that is haunting us, we don’t have to pressure ourselves. Wecannot constantly think myself have HIV. If we think too much about that,we’ll go crazy. I don’t want to be like that”)(Male, 32yrs, Lower secondary education, DU)”Saya cuba mahu kerja. Macam tidak tenang saya punya fikiran kalausaya kerja. Habis saya kadang-kadang ambil ubat, kadang-kadang checkdarah. Itulah saya jadi bingung. Bagus lagi saya diam-diam di rumah”(”I tried to work. I felt restless, my thoughts, if i don’t work. I’m done ifoccasionally I take medicine or check blood. That’s why I’m stunned. It’sbetter if I sit quietly at home”)(Female, 29yrs, Upper secondary education, Infected Partner)Some of the participants had a more positive outlook in life and have gathered courage tomove on with their lives.“Walaupun saya tahu yang saya sakit saya tidak mau lemah semangat.Saya mesti meneruskan kerja saya. Still meneruskan hidup saya”(“Although I am aware that I’m sick, I don’t want to give in. I want tocontinue with my work. I want to move on in my life”)(Female, 30yrs, University education, Infected Partner)Emotional status following diagnosisFollowing diagnosis, participants are swamped with all sorts of worries, anxieties, fears,anger, frustration and even suicide. They find themselves suddenly at a loss. Some gaveup hope and see the future as dim. The FGDs found that it was initially very hard for oneto accept the fact that they are HIV positive.56