Life and Love With HIV: One Man's Story of Dating With the Deadly Disease

— -- A jarring new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that half of black gay and bisexual men in the U.S. will contract HIV in their lifetime.

Bryan Johnson was just 17 when he received the devastating diagnosis.

"It took me a really long time to process," Johnson, a Washington, D.C., native, told ABC News. "I thought I was going to be alone for the rest of my life."

As a black and gay man, Johnson is all too familiar with the latest statistics -- and the many perceptions people have about the illness.

"I’m not everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone can handle my cup of tea. There’s some people that are more open and accepting about it. There are also some people who are ignorant and, you know, just want to stay within their safe zone," Johnson said.

'How Can I Build a Future With You If You're Going to Die Soon?'

For Johnson, dating has proved to be especially tricky.

"There was a guy that I met online," he said. "On paper we were perfect for each other. And then finally it came to that point that I had to disclose that I was HIV-positive. We were finally going on our date and I told him and, you know, the date went out the window."

But Johnson, who’s now 21 years old, says an HIV diagnosis is no longer a death sentence.

"It’s been a year for me being undetectable," he said. "I take Complera once a day. Actually it’s the first drug that I’ve taken, it’s the only drug that I’ve taken."

Complera is an antiretroviral medication that is taken as a single dose every day.

You can watch Johnson's full interview above, in which he opens up about life and love with the life-threatening illness.

Here are more statistics from the report that show striking differences in the rates of HIV infection for different populations: