Talking to friends is by far the easier of the two. I am surrounded by close friends who are all HIV positive. In addition, my HIV customers at the pharmacy are also an incredible source of strength and support. I have a lot more empathy for my customers because of this, and they appreciate that as well.
Family is an entirely different matter.
I became positive about five years ago. My partner of seven years is a hemophiliac who has lived with HIV for at least 18 years. I was negative when we started our relationship and sero-converted after we had been together for two years. I have avoided discussing my sero-conversion with my family because of concerns they would blame my lover. I certainly do not recommend hiding your status, but every family has its own dynamic and no one person can say what is right or wrong for another person's situation.