Herpes Support Groups and Herpes Social Groups exist in most major cities in the US and Canada. Herpes support groups are sometimes called “HELP” support groups, and are occasionally affiliated with ASHA, the American Social Health Association. Herpes social groups often use terms like “Friends” as in “Bay Area Friends” (SF Bay Area) or “H2O” as in “DC H2O” or “H Club” or “H Friends”. A lot of regional herpes groups can be found on Meetup.com, Facebook (see below), Yahoo Groups, and other websites and social media platforms. Many local herpes groups function as both a Herpes Support Group and a Herpes Social Group.
There are also many “secret” (hidden) herpes Facebook groups that have hundreds or thousands of members, but cannot be found by doing a search and require knowing the right person who can “add” you. If you cannot find your local herpes social group or herpes support group on the list below – never fear! There may be a *secret* Facebook group in your area. View the list below, then follow the instructions to join your local herpes group.
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Herpes Privacy Tips
Most of us are concerned about privacy online and do not want our sensitive, personal information to be seen by the rest of the world. If you want to take extra precautions to keep your herpes status private online, we recommend the following:
– Create a brand new email account and username on Gmail that does not use your real name or any other words that too closely identify who you are. For instance, if your real name is “Kate Frisbatch” from Los Angeles, you might create a new email account such as “[email protected]* and your username might be “K818 Angel”.
– Use this new email address and username *exclusively* for your herpes-related online activities. Do NOT share this email address with any of your non-herpes friends. Do NOT use this email address to do anything else except to sign up for herpes groups, herpes dating services, and herpes social media sites (including Facebook).
– If you join any herpes groups on social media (such as Meetup, Facebook, Yahoo, or other community sites), do NOT accept friend requests from anyone you haven’t already met, except for group admins/moderators. While most people who join herpes groups are nice, normal people, there are always a few folks out there who are trolling for dates/sex, or who send you a message recommending a herpes site, group, product or dating service for which they may receive a commission or have another motive for getting you to join. If anyone like this contacts you, please report this immediately to your group admins. They will tell you whether or not the person or what they are recommending is legitimate.
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LIST OF HERPES GROUPS
UNITED STATES
National Herpes Hotline: (919) 361-8488 (Note: This is now a PAID service.)
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255
National HELP
NATIONAL HELP HERPES SUPPORT GROUP
National HELP is a *secret* Facebook herpes support group for herpes-related topics only. This hidden, private, confidential group has thousands of members and is moderated by experienced Herpes Support Group Leaders from all over the USA. Because this Facebook group is *secret* – it is hidden and cannot be found by doing a search on Facebook. Instead, you need to be *added* by a group admin. All group activity for National HELP is completely private and will NEVER appear on your public Facebook profile and cannot be found or seen by anyone except other members. Please carefully follow the below directions to be added to this group.
To join National HELP, the secret Facebook herpes support group, please follow these directions:
– Log in to Facebook first! Unless you are logged in to Facebook first, the link below will not work.
– AFTER you are already logged in to Facebook, find JoAnn Purkey of Kaiserslautern High School or go to https://www.facebook.com/joann.purkey (she OK’d this link).
– Send JoAnn a “friend request.” But you’re not done yet! AT THE SAME TIME, also send JoAnn a *private message* (don’t post on her wall) saying something like “I found your name on DatingWithHerpes.org. I have herpes and want to join National HELP on Facebook.” Due to the increase in scammer friend requests, JoAnn asks that you be sure to include the message with your friend request. If you don’t follow these instructions to the letter, your friend request and request to join National HELP may be rejected.
NOTE: Please do not accept any *friend requests* from anyone you don’t know, except National HELP admins or your local group admins, within your first few weeks of joining. If anyone else, including any other H group admins that JoAnn or other National HELP admins did not refer you to, contact you privately within your first few weeks of joining, and recommend other Facebook groups or websites for you to join, please say “Thanks, but I’m going to get used to National HELP and my local group first before joining any other groups.” They may be very nice but very persistent and say “let me help you by adding you now and you can always unjoin later if you want.” Just say “no thank you for now” and take your time getting to know your way around National HELP and your local group first before joining any other groups. You can always join other groups later. There are good reasons for this advice. Please contact your group admins if anyone is trying to get you to join other groups or websites within your first few weeks of joining National HELP or your local group.
– The process of getting added to National HELP may take a few days. Please be patient. JoAnn and the rest of us are just UNPAID VOLUNTEERS who do this in our spare time. If you are waiting longer than a week, then please re-contact JoAnn in case your previous message didn’t reach her.
Other Secret Facebook Groups for Herpes and/or HPV – There are numerous *Secret* Facebook groups for people with Herpes and/or HPV. Many are location-based while others are based on topics, activities or special interests. Please check the list below and join your local group first, or join National HELP through JoAnn and ask for help in connecting to your local or other groups. National HELP group admins will help you get connected.
Alabama Herpes Groups
There is *secret* Facebook group in this state. Join National HELP (see top listing) and ask to be added to your local group.
Alaska Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook group for Alaska. Contact the group above or National HELP for more info.
Arizona Herpes Groups
AZ Heeps Meetup Group – new as of November 2014
Prescott Herpes Support Group – email hsgprescott (at) gmail dot com
There is a *secret* Facebook group in this state. Join one of the local groups below or National HELP (see top listing) and ask to be added to your local Facebook group.
Arkansas Herpes Groups
There is a *secret* Facebook group in this state. Join National HELP (see top listing) and ask to be added to your local group.
California Herpes Groups
Bay Area Friends (BAF) Meetup Group – San Francisco Bay Area – nearly 2000 members of all backgrounds and preferences (number includes members of BAF’s original Yahoo Group, which is being phased out). Bay Area Friends has been around since 1998.
Bay Area Friends (BAF) Public Website – San Francisco Bay Area – Information site only.
San Diego H Friends on Meetup – San Diego group, over 500 members
San Diego HELP Support Group – San Diego
LA HELP public website – Los Angeles – is now combined with OC HELP.
LA HELP Support Group on Meetup – is now combined with OC HELP on Meetup
Orange County HELP Support Group – Orange County – is now part of LA HELP.
Socials All Over Southern CA Meetup Group – All Southern California
Happy Social and Vibrant Socials in SoCal Meetup Group
Central Cali H Friends – Stockton-Fresno-Bakersfield – members often carpool to H events in the SF Bay Area or Los Angeles, etc.
Fresno H Friends on Meetup – Fresno and Central Valley, CA
If you are GAY or LGBTQ with Herpes, your local herpes social and support group is a great way to meet other LGBTQ members who live close to you. There are also *secret* LGBTQ Facebook groups people with herpes! Please join National HELP for more info.
NorCalFriends secret Facebook Group – Lots of Sacramento members but open to anyone in Northern California. Please join one of the Bay Area groups or National HELP for more information
San Francisco Friends secret Facebook Group. Not as active as the Bay Area Friends Meetup Group, but there for those who use Facebook. Please join Bay Area Friends or National HELP for more information.
There are also a few other *secret* Facebook groups in California. Please join one of the Bay Area or So Cal groups for more information first. Please join the National HELP secret FB support group for more info.
Colorado Herpes Groups
There is a *secret* Facebook group in this state. Join Colorado H Friends or National HELP and ask to be added to your local FB group.
Connecticut Herpes Groups
There is a *secret* Facebook group in this state. Join National HELP (see top listing) and ask to be added to your local group.
Manchester HELP – (860) 666-0075 (Susan) or 860-810-6617 (Jenny) or Email: hsv2secret (at) sbcglobal.net
Delaware Herpes Groups
There is a *secret* Facebook group in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Join National HELP (see top listing) and ask to be added to your local group.
Florida Herpes Groups
Northern Florida H Friends Yahoo Group – not very active
Central Florida H2O Group – Social and Support Group for Orlando, Tampa, Daytona and surrounding areas
Florida has a secret Facebook group – join any other Florida group or National HELP for more information.
Georgia Herpes Groups
Atlanta H Club Yahoo Group – Not sure what is happening with this group. We think it has mostly moved to Facebook as a *secret* Facebook group. See below.
There is a *secret* Facebook group in this state. Please join Atlanta H Club or National HELP for more info.
Hawaii Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook group for Hawaii. Please contact National HELP for more info.
Idaho Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook Group for Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Please join National HELP for more info.
Illinois Herpes Groups
CHicago Friends – “H” Social Group on Meetup
Central Illinois Prairie Friends Yahoo Group
Secret Facebook Groups exist for Chicago and Illinois. Join any of the other local groups or National HELP for more info.
Indiana Herpes Groups
Indianapolis HELP Support Group
People of Color (POC) Ohio/Indy – An African-American oriented group
Indiana Secret Facebook Groups – for local residents only – join any Indiana group or National HELP for more info.
Iowa Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook group for people with herpes who live in Iowa. Contact National HELP for more info.
Kentucky Herpes Groups
Louisville H Friends Yahoo Group
There are secret Facebook groups for Louisville and Lexington. Join Louisville H Friends on Yahoo or contact National HELP for more info.
Louisiana Herpes Groups
Louisiana H Friends – Yahoo Group – HSV and HPV Support for New Orleans and Louisiana.
There is also a secret Facebook group for Louisiana. Join Louisiana H Friends or National HELP for more info.
Maine Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook group for Maine and New England. Please join National HELP for more info.
Maryland Herpes Groups
DC-H2O Social Group – for Washington, DC, Baltimore, and surrounding areas.
HELP of Washington (DC) Support Group – Also called Metro DC Help
There are secret Facebook groups for Maryland and Washington, DC. Please join DC-H2O or National HELP for more info.
Massachusetts Herpes Groups
Boston Herpes Social and Support Group – Includes links to Beantown Friends and Boston HELP (support group)
There are secret Facebook groups for Massachusetts. Please contact Boston Herpes above or National HELP for more info.
Michigan Herpes Groups
Detroit – Metro Detroit HELP Support Group
Motor City Friends Secret Facebook Group – for local residents only – join National HELP for more info.
People of Color – Michigan – African-American oriented social group
Rochester HELP
Washtenaw County HELP (@ Ann Arbor)
There may be other secret Facebook groups for Michigan. Join National HELP for more info.
Minnesota Herpes Groups
Twin Cities H Social Meetup Group
Family Planning and STD Hotline: http://sexualhealthmn.org/
There is a secret Facebook group for Minnesota. Contact National HELP for more info.
Mississippi Herpes Groups
There is secret Facebook group for Mississippi and Southern States. Contact National HELP for more info.
Missouri Herpes Groups
People of Color (POC) Social Networking Missouri – Yahoo Group says that the group is not longer on Yahoo. “However, there is an active POC group on Facebook that you are welcome to join, where you may mingle and meet others for support. Send an email to [email protected] and you will receive and invite to join this private FB Group.”
There are secret Facebook groups for St. Louis and Missouri. Contact National HELP for more info.
Montana Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook Group for Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Please join National HELP for more info.
Nebraska Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook group for Nebraska. Contact National HELP for more info or email [email protected].
Nevada Herpes Groups
Las Vegas Area Friends on Meetup
Northern Nevada Friends Yahoo Group
There is a secret Facebook group for Nevada. Contact National HELP for more info.
New Hampshire Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook group for people who live in the New England area. Contact National HELP for more info.
New Jersey Herpes Groups
New Jersey Friends on Yahoo Groups
There are secret Facebook groups for NJ and Philly. Please contact National HELP for more info.
New Mexico Herpes Groups
Albuquerque Friends HSV Meetup
There may be a secret Facebook Group for New Mexico. Join National HELP for more info.
New York Herpes Groups
Herpes New York Secret Facebook Group – email herpny (at) yahoo dotcom
Herpes Dating New York City Meetup Group
People of Color New York – African-American oriented social group
Buffalo and Western New York H Friends Yahoo Group – uses 437737 in name.
Upstate NY Friends Yahoo Group
Hudson Valley Friends Yahoo Group
There are secret Facebook groups in New York state. Contact any local group or National HELP for more info.
North Carolina Herpes Groups
Raleigh Triangle H Club Herpes Meetup Group
People of Color – North Carolina Yahoo Group – African-American oriented social group.
Upstate SC and Western NC H Group on Yahoo
There are secret Facebook groups for North Carolina. Please join any local group here or contact National HELP for more info.
North Dakota Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook Group for Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Please join National HELP for more info.
Ohio Herpes Groups
Cleveland – See Ohio Friends
Living With HSV in the 419 – Toledo
Ohio Friends – For Cleveland, Columbus, and all of Ohio
Club 437737 Meetup Group – Columbus
People of Color (POC) Ohio/Indy – An African-American oriented social group
There are secret Facebook groups for Ohio. Join any local group here or contact National HELP for more info.
Oklahoma Herpes Groups
Oklahoma Secret Facebook Group – for local residents only – join Oklahoma H Club or contact National HELP for more info.
Oregon Herpes Groups
ClubPDX.com – If you live in Portland, OR, this is the best group to join.
Portland Area Friends on Yahoo
There is a *secret* Facebook Group for Portland, OR and surrounding areas. Join Portland Area Friends or contact National HELP for more info.
Westover Heights Clinic – a medical clinic @ Portland specializing in STDs and herpes, owned by Teri Warren, RN, a herpes expert
Pennsylvania Herpes Groups
Philadelphia Friends Yahoo Group
Pittsburgh United Friends – For HSV and HPV
Northeastern Pennsylvania Friends (NEPA Friends)
There are secret Facebook groups for Pennsylvania. Please contact any local PA group or National HELP for more info.
Rhode Island Herpes Groups
Boston Herpes Social and Support Group – Includes links to Beantown Friends and Boston HELP (support group)
There is also a secret Facebook group for New Englanders. Contact the link above or National HELP for more info.
South Carolina Herpes Groups
Upstate SC and Western NC H Group on Yahoo
There is a secret Facebook group for this area. Contact National HELP for more info.
South Dakota Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook Group for Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Please join National HELP for more info.
Tennessee Herpes Groups
There are secret Facebook groups for Tennessee. Contact National HELP for more info.
Texas Herpes Groups
Friends Over Texas Annual Event in May
Southern New Mexico and El Paso H Community on Meetup – includes El Paso
Houston H Friends general information site
San Antonio Friends Yahoo Group – also provides info on San Antonio HELP group
Clear Lake and Galveston County H Friends Meetup Group
Clear Lake Texas Friends Yahoo Group
Texas Secret Facebook Groups – for local residents only – join any local Texas group or National HELP for more info.
Utah Herpes Groups
There is likely to be a secret Facebook group for Utah and Salt Lake City. Contact National HELP for info.
Vermont Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook group for Vermont. Join the local group above or contact National HELP for more info.
Virginia Herpes Groups
Virginia H Friends Yahoo Group
People of Color (POC) HAMPTON ROADS/RICHMOND Yahoo Group – African-American oriented social group
DC-H2O Social Group – Washington DC and surrounding areas, including VA
There is a secret Facebook group for Virginia. Contact National HELP for more info.
Washington State Herpes Groups
There are other *secret* Facebook groups for Washington state. Join Seattle H Scene on Meetup or National HELP for more info.
Washington D.C. Herpes Groups
DC-H2O Social Group – for Washington, DC and surrounding areas
H2gether.com – Gay Men’s Support/Social Group for Gay Men with Herpes in the Washington DC Metro Area, including Virginia and Maryland.
There may be a secret Facebook group for people living in the DC area. Please join National HELP for more info.
West Virginia Herpes Groups
West Virginia residents can join a secret FB group for the Mid-Atlantic region. Please join National HELP for more info.
Wisconsin Herpes Groups
S-W-A-G Herpes Yahoo Group for Madison and Milwaukee, WI
There is a secret Facebook Group for Wisconsin. Join the local group or join National HELP for more info.
Wyoming Herpes Groups
There is a secret Facebook Group for Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Please join National HELP for more info.
INTERNATIONAL HERPES GROUPS
AUSTRALIA HERPES GROUPS
Living Sphere – NOTE: something appears to be wrong with their site, please let us know if you find a good website for them.
There are secret Facebook groups for Australia and New Zealand. Contact your local group or National HELP for more info.
CANADA HERPES GROUPS
Toronto Herpes – Toronto HELP support group for people with genital herpes
Halton Dating & Socializing with H Meetup (Hamilton, Milton and West Toronto)
Vancouver H Friends Yahoo Group – being replaced by Vancouver H Friends Meetup Group above
Vancouver HELP Support Group – active
Forest City Friends (London, Ontario)
H Support and Social Group Ottawa Meetup Group – Ottawa
Canadians with Herpes Yahoo Group – not very active
There are many secret Facebook groups for Canada including other cities. Contact any local Canadian group or National HELP for more info.
OTHER COUNTRIES
There are secret Facebook groups for other countries. Contact National HELP for more info.
SPECIAL INTEREST HERPES GROUPS
If you are GAY or LGBTQ with Herpes, there are also *secret* Facebook groups for you! Please join National HELP for more info.
People of Color Social Network (POCSN) – A group with an African-American focus, although everyone is welcome. Also contact National HELP for more info.
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National Herpes Hotline: (919) 361-8488 (Now a PAID service).
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255