Description

In Part Two of this two-part conversation, Eugene Lynch continues his story — what happened after his HIV diagnosis, how shame and addiction quietly took hold, and the winding road back to honesty, healing, and a full circle career at the charity that once saved him.

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References mentioned in this episode:

- Terrence Higgins Trust — https://tht.org.uk/

- Terrence Higgins Trust on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/thtorguk/

- Donate to Terrence Higgins Trust — https://donate.tht.org.uk/

- Terrence Higgins Trust's Positive Voices speaker programme — https://tht.org.uk/about-us/community-projects/hiv-training-and-speakers

THIS EPISODE DISCUSSES:

- HIV DIAGNOSIS

- DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION

- MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES, INCLUDING ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS

- SEXUAL ASSAULT (DISCLOSED IN DETAIL)

- REHAB AND ADDICTION TREATMENT

Listener discretion advised.

Chapters:

• 00:02:15 Telling Tim: the day of his HIV diagnosis
• 00:04:17 Guilt, shame, and hiding drug use from Tim
• 00:05:03 The medication side effect that went unnoticed for two years
• 00:07:48 The story Eugene told Tim about how he got HIV
• 00:09:12 Hitting rock bottom in 2018
• 00:11:33 Reaching out to Terrence Higgins Trust for support
• 00:15:21 A psychiatrist recommends rehab
• 00:16:21 Wrestling with the "addict" label as a gay man
• 00:19:16 Step One: writing down everything and reading it aloud
• 00:20:48 The full story he'd never told anyone, and a therapist's reframe
• 00:29:59 Telling Tim the truth years later, and a healing moment
• 00:34:20 Full circle: from service user to THT director, plus his advice and how to support the charity