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Marlos Cunningham

Ms. Kenly

British Literature

March 15, 2018

At the beginning of the 20th Century it was believed by many, that there was nothing else

to invent. One of the dangers of HIV/AIDS is not only in its plague proportions but also in the

almost superstitious misunderstanding of the virus itself. HIV stands for human

immunodeficiency virus. HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, which is our body’s

natural defense against illness. AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. AIDS is

a syndrome caused by the HIV virus. Pneumonia was discovered between, 1980-1981 within

five men who were healthy. It was said to be that this type of pneumonia was not seen in healthy

adults, but seen in adults who had weakened immune systems. Within this research paper it will

talk about what is HIV/AIDS, who this disease is more common to, how is practicing safe sex

being taught and how it is effecting people.

In the general HIV/AIDS research, statistics are used to present findings.

Statistics do not actually explain critical matters of concern such as the psychological effects of

HIV/AIDS. This is of concern because the research done then becomes a matter of statistics and

the other personal issues that are important and are not thoroughly discussed. It is in this light

that the objective of this paper is to emphasize the importance of awareness of the effects of

HIV/AIDS, such as: fear, loss, grief, guilt, denial, anger, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression,

suicidal behavior and thinking, and social-economic issues.


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It is a virus that attacks the immune system, which is our body’s natural defense against

illness. The first case was reported in 1981, and today the CDC estimates that 1,039,000 to

1,185,000 people in the country are living with HIV or full-blown AIDS (Beck-Sague). Within

the first months of their investigation towards the disease, the researchers determined the word

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). This term had gotten the name “gay-related

immunodeficiency” (Beck-Sague). There were risk factors that came with the discovering the

disease. It was said that the people had shared common characteristics, most likely they

homosexuals had to been had syphilis in the past, than the ones who did not have AIDS. Those

people were grouped into groups that they called risk groups and consisted of people who were

homosexuals, hemophiliacs and people who were injection drug users. The researches then

clarified that it takes “years” for full blown AIDS to develop following the HIV virus. In the

1980’s a doctor named Dr. Ward Cates had a quote that stated “Anyone who has the least ability

to look into the future can already see the potential for this disease being much worse than

anything mankind has seen before”. Within this time period scientist had started to open places

so that people could go and get tested for the disease, and some who were tested had signs of that

disease did not actually have the disease. That was how scientist was able to determine the way

that the disease was being spread between individuals, and that way was sexual intercourse or

blood contact with others. To reduce the risk of getting the HIV infection, use condoms correctly

and consistently during sex, limit your number of sexual partners, and never share drug injection

equipment. Infected people are normally in fear because they have to adjust to a new lifestyle. It

is not easy to accept that one is infected and they are in shock and disbelief, leading to denial,

which is a frequent initial response.


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with HIV/AIDS. Infected persons may be confronted with having to reexamine their sexual

identity and the behavioral choices they have made in support of that identity. When one

associates HIV/AIDS with what society has traditionally considered immoral, the infected person

then has to work through his/her feelings in order for his/her sexual identity to be reaffirmed in a

way that will allow for feeling good about oneself.

Since this disease is wide spread I’m pretty sure that the people in society would like to

know within every ethnicity, who is it most common to. Well this occurs in both gay and straight

people and people of all races that get the infection. It is said that the disease mostly affects men

who sleep with other men and African Americans who have unprotected sex. To be more

specific the males who have sexual intercourse together usually do not use protection so that puts

them at greater risk of having the disease than some others. African Americans also get the

disease for the same reason which is not protecting themselves. For the Africans in Africa, they

are at greater risk because of their way of living. These people are not able to get the treatment

that they need to so that they can fight this disease. Some reasons of why is because its either

they do not have the money, no transportation and/or is too far to get to. Even though the

treatment is free, we live in two different continents so their way of living may be way different

from ours. Adolescence are also common with getting this disease,​ ​older children and

adolescents now make up the largest percentage of HIV infected children cared for at pediatric

HIV clinics in the United States (aids 2016). Among youth living with HIV infection in 2010,

CDC estimates that almost 60% had undiagnosed infections and were unaware they were HIV

infected (aids 2016). Usually that is the case with dealing with these things, people do not know

that they are affected and are not aware of the symptoms that they have. Pregnant women and
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their babies are at risk as well. The spread of HIV from an HIV-infected woman to her child

during

With these diseases within adolescence, young adults and adults, is that they are not and

was not taught from the beginning about how to practice safe sex. Now in days schools are trying

to push the issue of having these classes so that they can get informed. These classes will teach

the students about all the diseases that they are/were unaware of and how they can protect their

selves when being sexually active. Schools in America have a better advantage than the ones in

Africa. Education is a crucial part of efforts to prevent AIDS among young people, and improve

care for those living with HIV and AIDS (Efareport 2013). Adolescents who know more about

HIV/AIDS are more likely to get tested. Education also reduces the discrimination against HIV

positive children and adolescents that can lead them to drop out of school (Efareport 2013). This

is because the schools in Africa have to be either paid for or either they do not have any. Even if

these children do have school, 9 times out of 10 they are not learning about these diseases and

how to protect themselves. With all that together they also do not have the proper medication to

get treated for this and so that it is not spread as rapidly. Ensuring all children have access to

school is essential, as young people who have stayed in school longer are more aware of HIV

and AIDS (Efareport 2013).

With this disease being spread scientist has been working trying to find a cure for this

disease. As of now all we know is that they have not found one for the disease, all of the others

have a vaccine that they can take to clear up what they have. So, these people who are living

with this disease are living but are losing their t cells. The medication that these people are taking

and are prescribed is doing nothing but keeping them alive. Their prescriptions/medications are
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prescribed in combinations are prescribed in combinations of twos or threes. The doctors think

they should begin their drug therapy when their CD4 drops around 350 “Lori Dittmer 30”. These

prescriptions do not cure but it fights the HIV allowing the CD4 cells to grow “Lori Dittmer 30”.

They have a hard time fighting off infections and viruses like colds and things because of this

disease; sometimes it can end in tragedy if not taken care of earlier. It is said that the drugs have

brought people back from near death and they call that the “Lazarus Effect.” The Lazarus affect

is a religious belief that has to do with Jesus and the bible. Testing for HIV is quick, easy,

painless, confidential and almost always free. It is best that you test regularly for HIV, and after

every time you put yourself at risk, you can keep yourself healthy.

The younger generation will eventually find out what puberty is. It’s when your body

starts to develop and change, showing that you are starting to become an adult. These changes

are very normal, and you may start to have sexual feelings and notice your moods and emotions

changing. .As you start to become an adult, your body goes through lots of changes and notice

that your moods and behavior change as well. From starting your periods to growing body hair,

find out what to expect when you go through puberty. There is no set age for puberty, for girls,

puberty often happens between 10 and 16, and for boys between 10 and 18. Everyone’s body is

different so some people develop very quickly and others more slowly. One of the main physical

changes of puberty is the growth and development of the sex organs. These are used to have sex

and make babies. During puberty your vagina changes and starts to produce a clear or milky

liquid called discharge. It may seem strange at first but it is a positive sign as it helps to keep

your vagina healthy. As a boy goes through puberty his penis grows bigger and longer, and his

testicles move lower down his scrotum. It is usual to get more erections at odd times, often when
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you aren’t thinking about sex. You might also have 'wet dreams’; this is when you ejaculate in

your sleep. Whether you’re a virgin or you’ve had sex before, it’s perfectly natural to ask

yourself the question ‘should I have sex?’ There are no set rules, but there are some things you

can think about to help you decide. Deciding when to have sex is a very personal thing. It needs

to feel right for you and for the person you’re with. This is known as sexual consent, even if you

have consented to sex before with a previous partner or your current one, it doesn’t mean you

automatically want to do it again. Consent applies to any type of sexual activity, not just

intercourse.

Many people are ashamed to admit to family and, loved ones that they are infected or

may be infected. There have been inclines in the number of AIDS case by year. From 1998 the

total infected number of people in the U.S was 288,194 and in 2002 the number of infected

Americans climbed up to 384,323. That is a large climb for only a time period of four years.

Large inclines can be explained because of an increase in drug use. The incline is also because of

people not knowing that they are infected. Those not knowing they are infected and infecting

others.

Protease Inhibitors, another class of drugs inhibits HIV protease, which prevents the

maturation of the infectious virus. This is used in combination with nucleoside analogues. Side

effects are; pain, rash, diarrhea, buccal mucosa ulceration, abdominal pain, nausea and headache.

This drug should not be used in children and pregnancy with caution in patients with liver

disease. The patients must understand that the drug regimens are extremely important since it can

lead to drug resistance and ultimately drug failure. There is little question that early detection is

essential to optimum management. An obvious benefit of early detection would be corrective


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treatment of other sexually transmitted diseases, immunization against the onset of the viruses.

Lastly, it must be recognized that often life style issues and high-risk behaviors have seriously

damaged and weakened the AIDS patient's immune system and health prior to onset of AIDS.

Therefore, along with medication life style adjustment is an intricate part of AIDS treatment.

Risky behavior, abstinence from alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs is essential aspects of the

treatment program. Additionally, it is believed that an approach incorporating acupuncture,

massage therapy and other nontraditional remedies may be useful if only in raising the mental

attitude of the patient. Interestingly AIDS may be the vehicle for western medicine to entertain

more seriously the various treatments of non-traditional therapies, if only to underscores the

relationship between health and a positive attitude.

There are a number of psychological impacts affecting children of HIV/AIDS parents. A

parent who is HIV infected may show less interest in the child due to the dramatic mood swings

associated with the pressure of being infected. The child usually does not know what the problem

is, but that it is not his or her fault, and does not understand why the parent seems moody. The

child is likely to react with fear and anxiety and sometimes will blame themselves “(Catholic

Aids Action, 2002). Children don’t like to see their parents sick, and so the pressure begins in a

child when he or she realizes that the parent is always sick. The child’s world goes through many

changes as the family structure and way of doing things also changes, especially as the sick

parent is unable to perform the normal household chores and routines. The older children are

expected to take up responsibilities which are much beyond their capabilities and can be

overwhelming. This is especially true in rural settlements where the family responsibilities and

needs are greater.


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Anger and neglect are other concerns. The psychosocial impacts of stress, grief,

avoidance and teasing by other children, social isolation and discrimination can lead to

behavioral disturbances, fatalism, self-stigmatization, and increased opportunities for abuse

“(Tjikuua, 2002). Children tend to worry all the time and are also afraid that one day they will

find their parents dead when they come home from school. They also worry about who is going

to take care of them. This fear results in children often choosing to not attend school, or end up

being hyperactive and inattentive while in school.

Some of the children may suffer from the economic constraints as the household provider

becomes sick, can’t work, and loses their job. The responsibility of earning money and providing

food is left to the children. They often go hungry, become malnourished, and become unable to

concentrate. Other economic impacts include no money for school fees, uniforms, materials,

clothing and other necessities. Hunger is a common cause of poor school performance and

dropout.

Researchers have observed symptoms associated with trauma, depression and lack of

bonding and attachment in very young children. This may lead to children feeling deprived of

their childhood, causing misery and sometimes thoughts of suicide. Access to experiences which

address psychosocial needs such as consistency of care appeared to be unmet for many children

“(Haihambo, 2004).

When the children are also infected with the virus, as a result of prenatal transmission or

through sexual abuse, these children experience almost a complete loss of childhood since they

are continuously sick and cannot engage in the normal childhood activities. Other children are
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also warned by their parents not to play with the infected ones for fear of contracting the disease.

For an infected child, the fear of dying is constantly prevalent. This of course impairs normal

emotional and psychological functioning.

All diseases have psychological effects on people; those infected and those affected. It is

most important to create a positive mind-set in those people who are living with the disease. The

thing about dying can be minimized so that people can realize than they can continue to live

productive lives. Going around and advertising and campaigning should be done in order for this

to actually occur. Through this, more people will feel comfortable about getting tested.

Psychotherapy and education are the keys.

Culture, values and norms are lost as a result of so many HIV/AIDS deaths. Elders can

help by volunteering to teach the young moral responsibilities and self-worth. The awareness of

HIV/AIDS and all issues relating to it, such as the psychological impacts should be made

compulsory core modules within the education curriculum. The education about this should

begin at primary school.

Some people in society today continue to be ignorant about the fact that AIDS is a cause

of death. People must be educated to understand that HIV/AIDS weakens the immune system

and that secondary infection, such as pneumonia, tuberculosis causes death. This is important

because people often blame the death of people who have the HIV/AIDS virus on these other

diseases and don’t accept that the person was infected. People don’t believe that HIV/AIDS can

actually lead to death. Public consciousness should be raised by openly recording AIDS deaths

as such, in order to educate people and to overcome the shame and stigmatization.
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More emphasis must be placed on the lives and stories of the people living with

HIV/AIDS, and not just on statistics. After all, the statistics are people and not just numbers. We

must create a shift in thinking about HIV/AIDS. In 1985 AIDS was viewed as an immediate

death sentence, and a horrific one at that, to the infected person. There was terror that this

epidemic could wipe out mankind. Now, although there is still no cure for AIDS, education and

other aggressive actions are stemming the spread of the disease. On an individual basis, the

length and quality of life of people living with the AIDS virus is dramatically increasing.

Medicine will ultimately start to eliminate AIDS and with the confidence of having done so,

medical practitioners will be better prepared and equipped to meet the next epidemic when and if

it comes. Our society has reason to believe that we are close to having/finding a cure or vaccine

to prevent and to kill the HIV and AIDS virus. We have come so far in the past 20 years when

the virus started to infect large numbers. Image in the next 20 years with all the technology we

have and we will have a vaccine that will prevent and cure the AIDS and HIV virus.
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16, 2016, from ​http://www.myoptumhealth.com/portal/ADAM/item/HIV+infection


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