Studies show people with chronic hepatitis B have higher rates of depression and anxiety than the general population, which should surprise no one.

There’s no cure, people with hepatitis B face stigma and discrimination, and when we disclose, we risk rejection or friends think we’ve done drugs or slept around. And, if we are people of color, we’re already viewed as outsiders or different already; a medical diagnosis just adds to our feeling of alienation.

Sometimes, we need help. We need to be reminded once again that hepatitis B is nothing to be ashamed of, that millions of people around the world are infected not because they did anything wrong, but because it’s not a perfect world and not everyone had access to the hepatitis B vaccine at birth or sterile medical equipment or is able to practice safe sex 100 percent of the time.

Some symptoms of depression include feeling sad, down, or just emotionally flat or apathetic. We may feel tired, irritable, or experience mood swings and find we are unable to concentrate. If we’re taking antivirals, we may frequently forget to take our meds. We might also lose our appetite, sleep too much or too little, and fantasize about harming ourselves or even suicide.

It’s time to get some help. Click here to read the rest of this blog and found out how you can get help. 

This article originally appeared in the Hepatitis B Foundation’s Hep B Blog; permission to reprint excerpt granted.