Help! I’m struggling to adhere to my HIV treatment

You might be asking yourself why you are finding adherence to HIV treatment hard. You’re not alone! Many young people, and even adults, ask themselves the same question. We have shared some tips on our page, ‘Treatment adherence for young people,’ and we’re here to help you find more ways to make it easier.

Why am I finding it hard to adhere to my HIV treatment?

Different things can make it difficult to take HIV treatment consistently. These reasons can include:

• Forgetting to take your pills
• Possible side effects  from the medication
• Money problems
• Feeling stressed, depressed, or sad
• Having no support from friends or family
• Stigma from others or from self
• Drug or alcohol use and abuse

Finding the reason why you are struggling to adhere to your HIV treatment can help you find a solution.

Common barriers and solutions

8 Tips to help you take your HIV treatment consistently

Here are some simple ways to help you stick to your HIV treatment:

Take your medicine with a daily activity

Link taking your pills to something you do every day. For example, eating a meal, having your first cup of tea every morning, brushing your teeth, or going to bed. A clever trick is to keep your medicine in a place that you see often.

Use a pill box

A pill box with days of the week and times of the day can help you keep track. Fill the box at the start of each week. 

Set a reminder

Use an alarm on your phone or watch to remind you to take your pills. You can also download an app on your phone that can send you alerts. Additionally, if someone close to you knows your HIV status, you can ask them to remind you. 

Use a calendar

You can use a paper calendar, or a phone app. Make sure it is somewhere that you look at often. Mark off each day after taking your pills. Some people find it easy to keep a diary and they write every time they take their medication

Keep spare doses

Always carry extra pills in your bag, or your car, or in your office, or at school (in a safe and dry place). This helps if you are away from home when it is time to take your medication.

Plan for nights out and travel

Changes in your routine can make it easy to forget to take your pills. Plan ahead!

• Set a reminder if you are going out for the night.
• If you are drinking alcohol or using drugs, decide in advance how to take your medicine in advance.
• Carry extra medicine when traveling. If you go to a different time zone, try to take your pills at the usual time

Talk to a healthcare provider

If you often forget to take your medicine or if you have any side effects that are hindering your adherence, talk to a doctor. They can help you to find a solution or change your treatment if there are any other available options in your country.