Silence is Expensive
- Ty Andrews
- Dec 8, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 9, 2025
by Ty Andrews
I created my Facebook account in 2009 and have never gotten the kind of response since my World AIDS Day post. In a short span, "my confession" generated close to 30K views.
What other tea should I sling about my life?
The flood of love, calls, DMs, and messages I received showed me the real impact of telling the truth. Thank you.
Every single interaction affirmed the same thing: Silence is expensive.
I spent years hiding and seeking validation through my skills and talent. The "secret" didn't keep me safe, but I had managed It. It just kept me busy–and quietly terrified. Nobody wants to be sick right now, but you don't want to be sick under this U.S. Administration. Lack of proper health care could be a death sentence if you're uninsured. HIV meds cost thousands. I know this intimately. When I was diagnosed HIV/AIDS in 1998, I was hospitalized twice due to Pneumonia (PCP), primarily found in people with weakened immune systems. The medical bills were so overwhelming, they would have killed me if the disease didn't. If the local community groups and government programs hadn't stepped in to give me a roadmap on how to navigate the chaos, I'd be dead.
Suffering in silence drained my energy. Wearing a mask suffocated my peace.
Even after medicine progressed and I felt like I had my life and health under control, I just became a pressure cooker. My stress was due to being an overachiever in my career–a relentless pursuit to compensate for feeling less worthy. That pressure reached its peak during my marriage, which was falling apart.
The last panic attack hit me one month before I moved cross-country during the pandemic to LA to start my life over.
You can only keep a secret that big and live that hard before your body hits the emergency brake. I've never cried so much in agony during that episode, rushing to the hospital in an ambulance, my body shaking uncontrollably. I felt like I was releasing generations of pain I couldn't explain.
Lack of self-care and self-love is expensive, especially when healthcare funding and jobs are being cut. You learn quickly that food is medicine, and you have to move. Emotions are simply energy in motion. I am a firm believer that if you do not release stress, trauma, toxic feelings, and discomfort in the body, that suppressed energy can resurface as disease—and in my case, severe panic attacks. That's why I workout, drum, do outdoor activities and dance, not for vanity purposes, but for peace of mind, energetic release and longevity.
Fast forward to 2025, the moment I chose to publicly speak out about my diagnosis and thriving at age 50, the traffic flooded my social media account. That's not a coincidence.
The Takeaway
Your health is your wealth. It is your greatest political and personal asset.
The thing you're terrified to discuss is likely your greatest source of power. Keeping quiet about it is costing you more than you think. Choose life. Love yourself for the triumphs and the challenges.
Choose to be loud, even if it’s just learning to say yes with your whole gut.
I'm done whispering.
Resources for Action: Choosing Health Over Fear
Before diving into these national links for HIV/AIDS resources, I suggest contacting your local service providers, community groups, and social services who may assist with immediate needs like food, housing, and financial aid, and emotional support.
The cost of silence is high, but the resources to choose life are available. If my story resonated with your fears about health, stigma, or access to care, here are immediate, confidential steps you can take today.
Prevention and Testing
PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) Locator: Find providers and access programs for the once-daily medication that prevents HIV.
https://npin.cdc.gov/PrEPlocator/ (CDC National Resource)
At-Home Testing: Request confidential, free HIV test kits to know your status immediately.
https://www.freehivtest.net/ (Widely available service database)
Support, Advocacy, and Care
The AIDS Institute (National Advocacy): Find comprehensive resources on treatment, public policy, and patient advocacy across the United States.
Greater Than HIV: Access state-specific information for testing, PrEP, and care services in states like Texas and others. This organization has strong presence in major metropolitan areas, including Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program: Locates comprehensive service providers (including medical care, financial assistance, and support) for people living with HIV across all states.
Financial and Nutritional Wellness
PAN Foundation: Patient financial assistance for copays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses related to chronic illnesses.
Aidsinfo/HIV.gov: Search for resources covering housing, food, and financial stability, which are critical to the "food is medicine" approach.
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