Learn More About HIV Anxiety - Finally Understand What it Means

HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is one of the most dreaded viruses in the world because its development leads to the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or more popularly known as AIDS. Since its discovery in the 1980s, AIDS has become one of the most fatal diseases in the world. It has already taken the lives of millions of people all over the world. This can be attributed to the fact that there is no cure for AIDS.

HIV is transmitted to different means. The most common means of HIV transmission is through sexual contact. It can also be transmitted through blood transfusion or childbirth. Various symptoms can be attributed to HIV. The most common symptoms are rapid weight loss, swollen lymph glands in the groin, armpits, or neck, unexplained fatigue, recurring fever or night sweats, and diarrhea that lasts for more than a week.

Since sexual contact is the most common means of transmission of HIV, people who had unprotected sexual relations with multiple partners or with sexual workers experience HIV anxiety. This means that they experience excessive worrying about having HIV. They regularly check for any symptoms of HIV that they may have. As a result of this excessive worrying, they lose sleep and experience depression.

HIV anxiety deprives people the chance to live a normal life. It interferes with their personal as well as professional life. Due to this anxiety, people cannot perform their ordinary or normal functions properly because of incessant worrying about having HIV. What is worse is when they develop some of the symptoms related to HIV. This will lead to more worrying and to the exacerbation of their depression.

The best way to deal with it is to get tested. One has to subject oneself to an HIV test. However, having subjected oneself to an HIV test does not always result to the termination of HIV anxiety. In fact, there are cases where people who have been tested negative for HIV still continue to worry about having it. The continuous existence of some HIV related symptoms might be attributed to this.

In cases where there is still continuous anxiety of having HIV despite a negative test result in the HIV test, therapy sessions are recommended by professionals. This continuous anxiety of having AIDS may be triggered by stress or chemical imbalances in the body. Hence, it is important to seek professional advice on this matter to know if one is required to take medication. One also has to do ones part in coping with this anxiety such as having a well-balanced meal, lessening caffeine, and performing relaxing methods such as meditation or yoga.

HIV anxiety might be difficult to deal with especially if it interferes too much in ones personal and professional life. However, it can be treated and its adverse effects can be alleviated or stopped. It must also be remembered that prevention is better than cure. Hence, always practice safe sex if one is unsure that ones sexual partner is HIV free.