In many cases of a brain disorder diagnosis such as Bipolar, an individual may also be diagnosed with another (physical or) mental illness. When this occurs, this creates a situation of two diagnoses. There are two serious health conditions needing to be treated.
As I read about the alarming rate of AIDS/HIV in Washington, DC being at a high of 40 percent, I am thinking about the mental status of those individuals who are aware that they are infected with the disease. It is disheartening to learn of this when the information is available to safeguard against the spread of the AIDS/HIV, but looking beyond that, another health situation is created as these individuals face the news. Considering that brain disorders can be caused by drugs and alcohol abuse or stressful and disturbing events, individuals diagnosed with AIDS/HIV may experience severe symptoms of depression that could trigger a Bipolar condition.
I cannot imagine the fear and devastation that individuals who have acquired the disease must initially experience, but I do know that as family and friends of those indiviudals, we must and should be present in their lives as a means of strength and support. We should not abandon them or be judgmental.
The fact that an individual has a disease that has an ugly stigma makes it harder for sufferers to reach out for help and support as they wrestle with depression or other symptoms associated with mental illness. I know this because of my Bipolar diagnosis which has a very ugly stigma, too. Chronic depression is the pro-longed feeling of sadness and hopelessness. It will last longer than two weeks and it must be treated. It should not be over-looked by persons with AIDS/HIV simply because the AIDS/HIV infection exists. Each of us have a purpose to fulfill regardless of health conditions and we should strive to help others and ourselves to fulfill them the best way possible.
Therefore, individuals with AIDS/HIV should be involved with a counselor to cope and manage depression and anxieties. As a family member or friend, we should participate in the process as well. It is comforting to the person fighting the disease. It is educational as well because it will be necessary to know how symptoms might be hidden. For example, a severe loss in appetite might result because of the AIDS/HIV disease (or medication side affects), but it could also be an indication of chronic depression. If the individual is receiving treatment for chronic depression, the appetite may return to normal which gives the indiviudal strength to fight the AIDS/HIV disease. In either case, symptoms should not be ignored or tolerated.
Some signs of chronic depression to look out for include:
1) very poor appetite,
2) trouble sleeping or too much sleep,
3) nervousness/worry,
4) lack of energy,
5) low self-esteem,
6) unrelenting guilt,
7) increased risk-taking behaviors such as reckless drug use or s*xual promiscuity, and/or
8) suicidal thoughts
I am not at all suggesting that because an individual has AIDS/HIV, he or she will experience any one of these, but that we should be aware of the symptoms of Chronic Depression and help these individuals cope and manage these symptoms. This would also apply to an individual who has been diagnosed with perhaps cancer or other terminal illnesses, but because I am reading a lot of information about AIDS/HIV lately during AIDS/HIV Awareness Month, I had to speak about it.
The American Association of Pastoral Counselors is available to individuals and family members to discuss ways to cope and manage a brain disorder (Chronic Depression) regardless of its origin at
www.aapc.org. The National Alliance on Mental Illness is also available to assist with supports and services at
www.nami.org. Remember, these organizations can assist in conjunction with any AIDS/HIV organization for family and individuals and not in place of any AIDS/HIV organization for supports and services.
While Bipolar can be a part of a two-part illness, it can be managed to enable an individual to live their life with purpose despite another diagnosis.
Visit the American Association of Pastoral Counselors at
www.aapc.org Visit the African American Planning Commission (on AIDS) at
www.AAPCI.org Visit Children Affected by AIDS Foundation at
www.caaf4kids.org Locate a HIV testing site in your area at
www.hivtest.org Visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness at
www.nami.org Visit Suicide Prevention at
www.speakforthem.org Visit Center for Loss (grieving) at
www.centerforloss.com Agnes B. Levine
Founder/President, Levine-Oliver Publisher
www.levineoliverpublisher.com, Author of: "Cooling Well Water: A Collection of Work By An
African-American Bipolar Woman" ISBN 13 978-0-9754612-0-4
Available NOW at
www.levineoliverpublisher.com or Amazon.com
Posted By: agnes levine
Monday, March 23rd 2009 at 6:14AM
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