HIV vs AIDS: What’s the Real Difference?

Many people use HIV and AIDS like they mean the same thing but they don’t. Knowing the difference can help you take better care of your health and fight the stigma that still exists around these terms.

Here’s a simple breakdown:

• HIV is the virus that enters your body and weakens your immune system over time.
• AIDS is the advanced stage of HIV when the immune system is badly damaged and can’t fight off infections anymore.

Think of it like this:

If HIV is like a fire slowly burning inside a house, AIDS is when the fire has spread too much, and the house is starting to fall apart. But if you act early by testing and starting treatment you can put out the fire before the damage gets serious.

Yes. In fact, most people who get tested early and take their antiretroviral treatment (ARVs) as prescribed live full lives without ever developing AIDS. You can be healthy, strong, and live a normal life with HIV.

There’s no cure for HIV or AIDS yet, but ARVs can control HIV so well that the virus becomes “undetectable” which means it’s so low in your body it can’t be passed to others through sex.

Because HIV still affects many youths in our communities, and many are afraid to get tested or talk about it. But the truth is: knowing your status is powerful. It’s how you protect your health, your future, and your relationships.

Let’s drop the myths and talk facts. The more we understand, the more we can support each other.