The Worst Advice Someone Gave Me About Herpes

When it comes to advice after a herpes diagnosis, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to what will feel good for your situation. Beyond transmission statistics and medical facts, conversations about herpes tend to turn clinical very quickly—leaving out the human element entirely.

What makes this worse is that herpes advice tends to be broad, unhelpful, and dismissive. Because so many people either don’t know they have it or carry their own preconceived notions about those who do (hello, stigma!), the guidance often feels like empty generalizations rather than real support.

The worst advice I ever received probably isn’t from who you’d expect.