There are a lot of ways you can get infected with HIV. The best way to protect yourself from an infection and a good place to start would be to know more about the virus and how it gets transmitted. Once you know more about how it works and the amount of damage it can do to you, you can take better precautions. Prevention is better than cure and you need to take extra precautions if you are someone who indulges in high risk behavior. You can either knowingly or unknowingly get infected. Life is not easy when you have AIDS and although with proper medication and diet, you can live life as normal as possible; you will always have it dangling above you. The best way is to protect yourself from an infection and here are some ways you can do that.
1. Do not be too promiscuous
Morality has nothing to do with this, but the real threat of getting infected easily. If you do have sex with a lot of partners, make sure you take additional precautions. Always use a condom and do not engage in a high risk sexual behavior. If possible, find out from the other person if they are infected. It sure is a kill joy, but it is your health that is at stake.
2. Do not share syringes if you are an intravenous drug user
Another way HIV is transmitted is through the syringes used by intravenous drug users. It is bad enough that you are injecting bad drugs into your body. Do not make it worse by getting infected with HIV in the process. Your body will just completely give up on you with the drugs and the virus.
3. If you are engaging in sexual relations with a person with HIV, take added protection
If you know your partner is infected and still would like to have sexual relations, it always helps to add an extra condom. There is always the rick of a condom breaking and an additional layer will ensure that you do not get infected.
4. If you work in a nursing home or a hospice, make sure you are fitted accordingly
There are chances of an infection when you work with HIV infected patients in their terminal stages. Wear the appropriate clothing provided by the institution and be doubly careful about any open wounds that you might have, especially places that may come into contact with a person who has been infected.
5. If you are a homosexual, get tested for and vaccinated against hepatitis A and Hepatitis B
Vaccination is a good choice if you engage in a homosexual relationship. Also get yourself and your partner regularly checked for any infections.
The best way to avoid infection is to stay off sex, but that would be too drastic a measure. The next best thing you can do is to indulge less in high risk behavior and not knowingly get into trouble.