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Mental Illness and HIV/AIDS both share a ‘
stigma’, however the ‘stigma’
associated with HIV/AIDS is more severe
than that associated with any other life-threatening
condition and extends beyond the disease itself to
providers, and even volunteers involved with the
care of people living with HIV. I believe through my
'stigmata' theory that HIV/AIDS
sufferers must also experience ‘emotional
stigmata’.
Throughout the latter stages of 2001 and early 2002
when I was extremely unwell Margie my GP referred me
to an ‘infectious diseases’ specialist in an effort
to try and make some form of diagnosis and treatment
of an illness which was exposing many and various
symptoms. I had been on numerous courses of
anti-biotics over an extended period of time and
despite this my health was progressively worsening.
Margy was not only extremely frustrated but fearful
of my worsening condition and was in hope that the
infectious diseases specialist could shed some light
on my condition.
As
time progressed and my condition worsened I believed
I had every symptom consistent in those diagnosed
with HIV/AIDS. At one point of time in a moment of
frustration and panic, and after I had been released
from hospital, I phoned the specialist and stated my
concerns that all my symptoms were consistent with
those of HIV/AIDS, and if I didn’t have that
diagnosis then AIDS as such didn’t exist!
My
outrageous claims were accompanied by a level of
rudeness which I will take the opportunity to
apologize for now, however those claims were made in
a state of pure panic and a certain level of pain.
During that panicked call I stated that all my
symptoms present at the time were also consistent
with “Yellow Fever” and I unreasonably demanded a
vaccination for this as it was readily available, I
also stated my level of disgust that this disease
was being associated and blamed on the ‘gay
community’ whom over the years I have had the
pleasure of numerous friendships.
People with AIDS have an increased risk of
developing various cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma,
cervical cancer and cancers of the immune system
known as lymphomas. I had been diagnosed with CIN2
and VIN3 in early 1998 and as part of the treatment
had 2 surgical procedures. Additionally, people with
AIDS often have systemic symptoms of infection like
fevers, sweats (particularly at night), swollen
glands, chills, weakness, and weight loss. During
the time of my illness in 01/02 I experienced all of
these symptoms, plus a few extras and my weight at
one stage went down to 47kilograms. I felt like
death and looked like it too.
At this time I also experienced symptoms consistent
with ‘Cryptococcal meningitis’, a neurological
illness associated with HIV which can cause fevers,
headache, fatigue, nausea, confusion and vomiting. I
also, believed I had Toxoplasmosis and it is
normally an illness often associated with HIV/AIDS.
I
had also during the early stage of my illness been
diagnosed by Margy with Epstein-Barr virus
(EBV).Patients with HIV infection have substantially
increased incidence of several malignant cancers.
This is primarily due to co-infection with an
oncogenic DNA virus, especially Epstein-Barr virus
(EPV), Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus
(KSHV), and human papillomavirus (HPV). The
following confer a diagnosis of AIDS when they occur
in an HIV infected person. Cervical cancer in HIV
infected women is considered AIDS-defining. AIDS
patients often develop opportunistic infections that
present with non-specific symptoms, especially
low-grade fevers and weight loss.
The 3 main transmission routes of HIV are sexual
contact, exposure to infected body fluids or tissues
and from mother to fetus or child during perinatal
period. It is possible to find HIV in the saliva,
tears, and urine of infected individuals, but due to
low concentration of virus in these biological
liquids, the risk is negligible.
Promoting condom use, however, has often proved
controversial and difficult. Many religious groups,
most noticeably the Catholic Church, have opposed
the use of condoms on religious grounds, and have
sometimes seen condom promotion as an affront to the
promotion of marriage, monogamy and sexual morality.
They also believe that the distribution and
promotion of condoms is tantamount to promoting sex
amongst the youth and sending the wrong message to
uninfected individuals. However, no evidence has
been produced that promotion of condom use increases
sexual promiscuity.
The United States government and health
organizations both endorse the
ABC
Approach
to lower the risk of acquiring AIDS during sex:
Abstinence
or delay of sexual activity, especially for youth,
Being
faithful, especially for those in committed
relationships,
Condom
use, for those who engage in risky behavior.
Condom use is an integral part of the
CNN
Approach.
This is :
Condom
use, for those who engage in risky behavior,
Needles,
use clean ones,
Negotiating
skills, negotiating safer sex with a partner and
empowering women to make smart choices.
At one stage following my marriage separation and in
an act of pure defiance, rebellion and anger I
participated in a ‘sexual rampage’ so to speak, with
the deliberate intent of ‘use em and abuse’ em, and
‘love em and leave em’. I irresponsibly and stupidly
participated in a few random acts of ‘unprotected
sex’ mostly initiated by males who were persistent
and dominant, and who through their actions
displayed a level of negligence and disrespect on my
behalf. I have since then on a couple of occasions
been subject to what could only be considered as
acts of ‘consensual rape’, also unprotected, with
the latter of the 2 accompanied by some quite
amazing coincidences.
I now enjoy living in a state of ‘abstinence’ and
keep well clear of any situations that may pose a
risk to not only my mental wellbeing but also my
sexual health and wellbeing. I have also become
extremely learned in the area of being able to say
‘no’. With the help of Margy’s (my GP) “10
commandments for reducing stress”, no 5 – ‘Thou
Shalt learn to say ‘no’, most important!”
I do however share a level of ‘emotional intimacy’
with my best friend, my soul mate who is ‘gay’ and
whom I love dearly. We both share a depth of love
for each other which defies and excludes any level
of physical or sexual desire.
In the treatment of AIDS anti-retroviral drugs are
expensive, and the majority of the world’s infected
individuals do not have access to medications and
treatments for HIV and AIDS.
Only
a vaccine is postulated to be able to halt the
pandemic however after over 20 years of research,
HIV-1 remains a difficult target for a vaccine. A
question I ask of the pharmaceutical companies, (who
are, mind you amongst the wealthiest in the world,)
is why are these drugs so expensive? (I also pose
this question in relation to the costs of
anti-depressant and anti-psychotic medications) and
why isn’t access to medications and treatments
available for these individuals?
It
would be really nice if someone sitting up there in
the ivory tower of pharmaceutical land, obviously
enjoying a level of comfort and luxury not normally
experienced by the mainstream, to put aside their
desires motivated by greed, cast away their ‘fancy
schmancy’ marketing and promotional tactics used to
entice and influence GP’s, and utilize these funds
(which would amount to a considerable sum) in a
serious effort to make these treatments readily
available for all individuals infected by HIV/AIDS.
At times I wish I were a doctor because I would like
to understand why a vaccine to halt the pandemic is
so difficult when medical science has been able to,
in advance, produce effective vaccines for ‘bird
flu’ in case of an epidemic, and also the recent
development of a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer
in women. I just don’t understand this at all;
UNAIDS and the WHO estimate that AIDS has killed
more than 25 million people since it was first
recognized in 1981, making it one of the most
destructive epidemics in recorded history. Globally,
between 33.4 and 46 million people currently live
with HIV. In 2005, between 3.4 and 6.2 million
people were newly infected and between 2.4 and 3.3
million people with AIDS died, an increase from 2003
and the highest number since 1981.
Why
aren’t we on a global level, working collectively to
raise charity and much needed funds not unlike that
of the dominant
‘pink ribbon’?
Not saying that breast cancer and its effects aren’t
worthy reciprocators of all of their fundraising
opportunities and efforts, but surely there is room
in the commercial realm for the ‘red
ribbon’
to stand in unison alongside the
‘pink ribbon’
with both causes benefiting. I as an individual
would like the opportunity in being able to purchase
‘red’
products knowing that a percentage of funds would
assist in the ongoing research and development of a
vaccine for HIV/AIDS and to provide much needed
funding for the individuals already affected.
So
come on some of you ‘corporate giants’ out there,
start making a concentrated effort and put your
money where your mouths are, put your hands in your
pockets and let’s see how many of you can start
distributing
‘red’
products into the marketplace. It would be a most
welcome addition and I am sure one which would be
shared by the majority of individuals on a Global
scale.
AIDS
stigma
exists globally in a variety of ways including
ostracism, rejection, discrimination and avoidance
of HIV infected people. AIDS
‘stigma’
has been further divided into three categories;
1.
Instrumental AIDS stigma
– a reflection of the fear and apprehension that are
likely to be associated with any deadly and
transmissible illness.
2.
Symbolic AIDS stigma
– the use of HIV/AIDS to express attitudes toward
the social groups or lifestyles perceived to be
associated with the disease.
3.
Courtesy AIDS stigma
–
stigmatization of people connected to the issue of
HIV/AIDS or HIV – positive people.
Often AIDS stigma is expressed in conjunction with
one or more other stigmas, particularly those
associated with homosexuality, bisexuality, and
intravenous drug use. Once again I would like to
make my claims on the theory that all of these
individuals exposed to ‘social stigma’ may also
suffer from ‘emotional stigmata’, internal non
visible wounds affecting the mind and soul, and
caused through the infliction of immense suffering.
Various forms of alternative medicine have been used
to try to treat symptoms or to affect the course of
the disease itself, although it has been reported
that none are a substitute for conventional
treatment. The definition of ‘alternative therapies’
in AIDS has changed since its introduction during
the first decade of the epidemic when no useful
conventional treatment was available. Examples of
alternative medicine that people hoped would improve
their symptoms or quality of life include massage,
herbal and flower remedies and acupuncture, when
used with conventional treatment, many now refer to
these as “complementary” approaches. None of these
treatments has been proven in controlled trials to
have any effect in treating HIV or AIDS directly.
However some may improve feelings of well-being in
people who believe in their value. Additionally,
people with AIDS, like people with other illnesses
such as cancer, sometimes use marijuana to treat
pain, combat nausea and stimulate appetite
The pain relieving derivatives found in cannabis are
substantial and effective and during the course of
my illness I wrote a letter to the AMA in the
support and acknowledgement of the drug being used
for these purposes. This subject has always been
extremely controversial however, and as such
attracts heated debate from both sides.
When confronted with this issue during the course of
writings you will have an accurate portrayal from
the perspective of ‘the sufferer’ that may enable
you to make some form of impartial judgment, and a
decision based on another perspective which you may
not in its entirety have previously considered.
AIDS
HAS CHANGED THE WORLD.........
Over
570,000 innocent children have lost their lives to
AIDS
Without CHILDREN we have no FUTURE
HIV/AIDS cripples society
HIV/AIDS cripples economy
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