[LINE CONNECTS]
Alex: Good afternoon, you're through to THT Direct. How can I help you today?
Caller: (long pause, quiet breathing) Oh... hi. I wasn't sure if I'd actually... I nearly hung up.
Alex: That's okay. I'm really glad you didn't. Take your time. There's no rush at all.
Caller: I just... I don't really know where to start, to be honest. It's been... it's been a long time since I've actually spoken to anyone properly.
Alex: Okay. Well, you’ve made first step with calling us, which is great, so take your time.
Caller: (exhales slowly) I've been positive for about six years. And for a long time I managed, you know? I had people around me, friends, a partner. But things kind of... fell apart. And now I'm... I'm just on my own most of the time. And I don't... (voice breaks slightly) I don't really know how to talk about it with anyone because no one in my life knows. My family don't know. My neighbours don't know. I've just been carrying it completely by myself.
Alex: That's understandable. Not everyone tells their family or friends at first or even after a while and that is your choice, but it can be hard when there is no one to talk to.
Caller: (quietly) Yeah. I just... I saw your number somewhere online and I thought, I'll just call. I nearly didn't.
Alex: I'm really glad you did. do you think you would like to talk to someone close to you who you can trust?
Caller: I wake up and there's just no one. And I can't tell anyone why I feel the way I do because then I'd have to explain. And I can't explain. So I just... don't.
Alex: That cycle you're describing, where you can't reach out because reaching out means disclosing, and disclosing feels impossible, that's something a lot of people living with HIV experience. It's really common, and it makes sense that you feel trapped in it. But you have now taken the first step in getting some support
Caller: I suppose I did, yeah.
Alex: Have you ever had any contact with peer support or any community groups? People who are in a similar position to you?
Caller: No. No, I didn't even know that was a thing, really. I kind of assumed everyone else was just... getting on with it better than me.
Alex: I promise you they're not. There are groups out there, people who understand exactly what it feels like to be where you are. Not because someone told them, but because they've lived it. And a lot of people say that just knowing those people exist, let alone actually meeting them, makes an enormous difference.
Caller: Really?
Alex: Really. I'd love to tell you about some options if that's okay, depending on where you are in the country, there may be local peer support, and there's also online community if getting out feels difficult right now.
Caller: Yeah. Yeah, I think... I think I'd like that.
Alex: Brilliant. Let's start there then.
[Call continues, signposting and information provided]
[END OF CALL EXCERPT]
Alex's post call note
Caller long-term diagnosed, clinically stable but severely socially isolated. No disclosure to anyone in personal life. Clearly emotional on connecting, took time to settle. Good engagement once rapport established. Provided information on peer support and local group. Caller left the call notably calmer than they arrived. Follow-up resource pack to be sent.
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