Charlie Sheen announced in an interview with Matt Lauer on TODAY that he is HIV positive. The 50 year-old-actor revealed this to the public on Tuesday, November 17th. Although it was hard for him, he said he did it in order to stop the rumors that were surfacing about himself. Sheen was diagnosed four years ago, and has constantly struggled to keep it a secret from the public since then. The symptoms started with severe migraines, which led him to believe he had a brain tumor. HIV is the virus that leads to AIDS but at this point in time, Sheen does not have AIDS.

Charlie Sheen started off his career in multiple movies such as Plantoon (1986), Walltreet (1987), and Young Guns (1998). In later years, his stardom on television spiked. Most recently, Sheen was known for his dominant role as Charlie in Two and a Half Men. His personal life became a topic of conversation when his drug and alcohol abuse began to affect his work life. As a result of these actions, the actor was fired from Two and a Half Men in March 2011.

In the past, contracting HIV would be looked upon as a death sentence, but with modern medical technologies the virus is much more manageable. HIV is not curable, but the steps taken to manage it are time consuming. Sheen told TODAY that he must take four pills daily to maintain health. The largest issue that has surfaced after being diagnosed is the depression he faced and a recurring substance abuse problem.

By making his journey with HIV public, Sheen has hopes to eliminate the negative connotation that is connected to the virus. For years, he has spent up to $10 million in paying off those who knew about his HIV to keep quiet. Spending this amount of money has greatly impacted his bank account. Now, he is ready to raise awareness for the virus and make his health his first priority.