Establishing and maintaining relationships is an important part of life. A big part of being in a relationship is sharing personal stories with each other. Your personal stories are often filled with a colourful history that isn’t always perfect. Sharing your hemophilia will be a part of this story. Conversations like this will happen naturally as you get to know one another. Feeling anxious about sharing your condition is normal. Sharing your hemophilia may bring you two closer together or perhaps not much will change at all. Once you feel like the other person has gotten to know you well enough you may feel ready to talk to them about your hemophilia. You may feel comfortable very early in the relationship or want to wait until a few months have passed.
Talking to your significant other about hemophilia
When you are ready to talk to your significant other about your hemophilia, you may want to prepare yourself first. Learning more about your condition from websites like this is a good way to help sort out what you want to say.
- Role play with a friend of the same gender as your significant other. This is a helpful way to figure out what you want to say and how to say it.
- Keep it simple and straightforward.
- Find a good friend you can keep as ‘stand-by’ the same day you talk to your significant other about hemophilia. They can be a good support system, and you may want to call them after to talk about your conversation.
When you tell your partner that you have hemophilia you have a great opportunity to reassure them. You can explain that the condition is not contagious, and that you will live a long and happy life.
What if they react badly?
Some people might become distant. They might be scared or confused. Dating is a learning process; lots of people who date don't pursue a relationship for various reasons. If things do not go as planned, give a good friend a call and talk it over. Venting can go a long way to making you feel better. Remember, the right person will like you for who you are and will continue to like you when they find out you have hemophilia. While they may be scared at first, their greatest concern is likely to be for your well-being.
