There's one thing every single human being on this earth does not want to experience. That is losing ones sanity. The mind is a beautiful and important organ.
I always say HIV is a disease of the mind. When you are in the right state of mind, then half the battle is won. The first step after being diagnosed is going through all the emotions. Denial, anger, depression, sadness, worthlessness, self blame, misery, embarrassment, frustration, emptiness, confusion, these are some of those emotions and they are all in the mind. A person has to go through and experience the bad emotions in order to experience the good ones. It's a long way before a person starts to feel like a human being again. Before a person can finally accept that life as we know it will never be the same again. Before a person can accept that HIV is not a death sentence. Before a person can get closure. The mind is a powerful tool, it can make or break a person.
Taking good care of ones self is just as important. One should follow a proper eating plan. Always practice good hygiene. Treat every ailment as it comes and making sure the viral load is as low as possible and the CD4 count high. When a persons viral load reaches a certain number, a person is required to start ART's. This is a major and difficult stage in ones battle against HIV/AIDS. These pills are supposed to make a person better and improve quality of life or help in prolonging ones life. Unfortunately the first two weeks are the worst. There are side effects ranging from, nausea, diarrhea, cramps, horrid dreams to name a few. This also affects the mind. A person will have to adjust and manage their time in order to take the medication at the same time twice a day without fail. One will have to change their lifestyle by cutting out alcohol, recreational drugs, junk food and so forth. These changes do affect a person mind as one has to adjust the mind in order to adjust to this new way of life.
I've seen people lose their minds as their bodies deteriorate and ultimately lose their lives. A colleague of mine got very sick after being diagnosed with HIV, she lost weight, her hair thinned and started she started to lose touch with reality. She started forgetting friends and people she knew. Having a conversation with her was starting to become a challenge. She eventually got better and regained her sanity.
My question is, is dementia a result of HIV? Does it come when a person has full blown AIDS? Why is it that those who are infected become demented at some point? I think of all the opportunistic diseases that come with HIV dementia is the worst. A person can regain weight, diarrhea can be stopped, nausea can be treated, warts can be treated, TB can be cured. What can be done to treat dementia, can it be treated? What makes a person go over the edge to a point of madness? What causes a person to reach breaking point?
Does therapy help when it comes to dementia? This virus affects everyone psychologically. Does dementia attack those who don't take good care of themselves? I want to understand how HIV affects the mind resulting in dementia? How are the two related? Does the virus eat away at brain cells? Do people get demented because they haven't dealt with this virus psychologically?
Losing the mind has to be worst experience ever. I can't imagine how difficult it is taking care of a very sick person who is also demented. Dementia is definitely unpleasant.
I always say HIV is a disease of the mind. When you are in the right state of mind, then half the battle is won. The first step after being diagnosed is going through all the emotions. Denial, anger, depression, sadness, worthlessness, self blame, misery, embarrassment, frustration, emptiness, confusion, these are some of those emotions and they are all in the mind. A person has to go through and experience the bad emotions in order to experience the good ones. It's a long way before a person starts to feel like a human being again. Before a person can finally accept that life as we know it will never be the same again. Before a person can accept that HIV is not a death sentence. Before a person can get closure. The mind is a powerful tool, it can make or break a person.
Taking good care of ones self is just as important. One should follow a proper eating plan. Always practice good hygiene. Treat every ailment as it comes and making sure the viral load is as low as possible and the CD4 count high. When a persons viral load reaches a certain number, a person is required to start ART's. This is a major and difficult stage in ones battle against HIV/AIDS. These pills are supposed to make a person better and improve quality of life or help in prolonging ones life. Unfortunately the first two weeks are the worst. There are side effects ranging from, nausea, diarrhea, cramps, horrid dreams to name a few. This also affects the mind. A person will have to adjust and manage their time in order to take the medication at the same time twice a day without fail. One will have to change their lifestyle by cutting out alcohol, recreational drugs, junk food and so forth. These changes do affect a person mind as one has to adjust the mind in order to adjust to this new way of life.
I've seen people lose their minds as their bodies deteriorate and ultimately lose their lives. A colleague of mine got very sick after being diagnosed with HIV, she lost weight, her hair thinned and started she started to lose touch with reality. She started forgetting friends and people she knew. Having a conversation with her was starting to become a challenge. She eventually got better and regained her sanity.
My question is, is dementia a result of HIV? Does it come when a person has full blown AIDS? Why is it that those who are infected become demented at some point? I think of all the opportunistic diseases that come with HIV dementia is the worst. A person can regain weight, diarrhea can be stopped, nausea can be treated, warts can be treated, TB can be cured. What can be done to treat dementia, can it be treated? What makes a person go over the edge to a point of madness? What causes a person to reach breaking point?
Does therapy help when it comes to dementia? This virus affects everyone psychologically. Does dementia attack those who don't take good care of themselves? I want to understand how HIV affects the mind resulting in dementia? How are the two related? Does the virus eat away at brain cells? Do people get demented because they haven't dealt with this virus psychologically?
Losing the mind has to be worst experience ever. I can't imagine how difficult it is taking care of a very sick person who is also demented. Dementia is definitely unpleasant.