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Connecting with Others; The Scoop on Cryptosporidiosis; Raising Awareness on Mental Illness; Keeping the Lungs Healthy
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October/November 2012
Visit us online at www.patientedu.org/hiv
C ryptosporidiosis is an opportunistic infection that is seen more frequently in patients living with AIDS, particularly those with advanced disease. Although cryptosporidiosis can
be acquired at any time during the course of HIV infection, most problems with this infection tend to occur in patients with CD4 counts below 180. When cryptosporidiosis strikes, people with HIV typically have non-bloody, watery diarrhea without fever that lasts 5 to 14 days.
Also in this issue:
The Scoop on Cryptosporidiosis
Raising Awareness on Mental Illness
Keeping the Lungs Healthy
Feature:
Connecting with Others
P eople with HIV are more likely to smoke than people without it. Smoking can in-
terfere with normal lung function and can cause lung cancer. In people with
HIV, smoking can make it more diffi-cult to fight off serious infections because
it weakens the immune system, especially for infections related to the lungs.
How Do I Quit?It’s very difficult to stop smoking. There is no one way to quit smoking. Different methods of quitting work better for different people. You and your doctor can develop a combination of approaches that works best for you.
PEC-HL-OCT-041
The editorial content for this brochure was developed and created solely by the Patient Education Center. The content does not necessarily
represent the opinions and/or views of our advertisers.
Healthy Living With HIV is published by the Patient Education Center. Offices: 5 Commerce Way, Suite 202, Hamilton, NJ 08691; and 180 Mount Airy Road, Suite 102, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.
Publication of an advertisement or other product mention in Healthy Living With HIV should not be construed as an endorsement of the product or the manufacturer’s claims. Such advertising or product mentions should similarly not be construed as either influencing or controlling the editorial content of Healthy Living With HIV. The appearance of or reference to any person or entity in the editorial material (including photographs) in this brochure does not constitute an expressed or implied endorsement of the product advertised. Readers are encouraged to contact the product manufacturer with any questions about the features and/or limitations of any product mentioned. The reader also is advised to consult appropriate medical literature and the product information currently provided by the manufacturer of each drug to verify indications, dosage, method, duration of administration, and contraindications.
Copyright 2012, Patient Education Center
The Scoop on
CryptosporidiosisRaising Awareness on
Mental Illness
November is National Lung Month. Every November, the American Lung Association coordinates National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, an effort designed to encourage all Americans to take time to learn about the deadliest of cancers and join the fight for the cure.
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States. National Lung Cancer Awareness Month strives to provide comprehensive infor mation and education about the disease, including treatment options, to patients and their families. The initiative promotes smoking cessation programs that have helped millions of smokers quit in the past. Other initiatives help people who have tried to quit before see each attempt as a step to success, not a failure. For more information, go to www.lung.org.
Keeping the
Lungs Healthy
Cryptosporidiosis usually resolves within 2 weeks when CD4 counts are above 200, but treatment may be needed for people with lower CD4 counts. Several effective treatments are available, so talk with your healthcare provider about these options. To protect yourself from becoming infected:
• Don’t drink directly from lakes or rivers.
• Don’t use public swimming pools.
• Think about boiling tap water or filtering it, or use only bottled water.
Source: TheBody.com (www.thebody.com/content/art12553.html).
A long with physical illnesses that accompany HIV are mental health problems that may come up. It’s normal to have emo-tional reactions when first learning that you’re HIV positive,
but these feelings shouldn’t last forever. Here are a few ideas on what you can do to address your emotional needs:
• Talk about your feelings with your doctor, friends, family members, or other supportive people.
• Find activities that relieve your stress (eg, exercise).
• Get enough sleep each night so you feel rested.
• Learn relaxation methods (eg, meditation or yoga).
• Limit intake of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
• Eat small, healthy meals throughout the day.
• Join support groups.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness is running Mental Illness Awareness Week from October 3 to 9 to raise mental illness awareness
through outreach, education, and advocacy. To get involved, go to www.nami.org.
Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org/template.cfm? section=mental_illness_
awareness_week).
Some people just stop smoking, while others need some kind of support. This can come from medications that manage the physical symptoms of withdrawal. Or, other therapies may be used to deal with the psychological addiction to smoking.
Some people also get help in quitting smoking by:
• Changing the routines that encourage smoking.
• Getting support to reduce outside factors like stress that encourage them to smoke.
• Participating in motivational groups or counseling.
Source: American Lung Association (www.lungusa.org/aboutus/ ourimpact/topstories/novemberisnationallung1.html).
October/November 2012
Visit us online at www.patientedu.org/hiv
C ryptosporidiosis is an opportunistic infection that is seen more frequently in patients living with AIDS, particularly those with advanced disease. Although cryptosporidiosis can
be acquired at any time during the course of HIV infection, most problems with this infection tend to occur in patients with CD4 counts below 180. When cryptosporidiosis strikes, people with HIV typically have non-bloody, watery diarrhea without fever that lasts 5 to 14 days.
Also in this issue:
The Scoop on Cryptosporidiosis
Raising Awareness on Mental Illness
Keeping the Lungs Healthy
Feature:
Connecting with Others
P eople with HIV are more likely to smoke than people without it. Smoking can in-
terfere with normal lung function and can cause lung cancer. In people with
HIV, smoking can make it more diffi-cult to fight off serious infections because
it weakens the immune system, especially for infections related to the lungs.
How Do I Quit?It’s very difficult to stop smoking. There is no one way to quit smoking. Different methods of quitting work better for different people. You and your doctor can develop a combination of approaches that works best for you.
PEC-HL-OCT-041
The editorial content for this brochure was developed and created solely by the Patient Education Center. The content does not necessarily
represent the opinions and/or views of our advertisers.
Healthy Living With HIV is published by the Patient Education Center. Offices: 5 Commerce Way, Suite 202, Hamilton, NJ 08691; and 180 Mount Airy Road, Suite 102, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.
Publication of an advertisement or other product mention in Healthy Living With HIV should not be construed as an endorsement of the product or the manufacturer’s claims. Such advertising or product mentions should similarly not be construed as either influencing or controlling the editorial content of Healthy Living With HIV. The appearance of or reference to any person or entity in the editorial material (including photographs) in this brochure does not constitute an expressed or implied endorsement of the product advertised. Readers are encouraged to contact the product manufacturer with any questions about the features and/or limitations of any product mentioned. The reader also is advised to consult appropriate medical literature and the product information currently provided by the manufacturer of each drug to verify indications, dosage, method, duration of administration, and contraindications.
Copyright 2012, Patient Education Center
The Scoop on
CryptosporidiosisRaising Awareness on
Mental Illness
November is National Lung Month. Every November, the American Lung Association coordinates National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, an effort designed to encourage all Americans to take time to learn about the deadliest of cancers and join the fight for the cure.
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States. National Lung Cancer Awareness Month strives to provide comprehensive infor mation and education about the disease, including treatment options, to patients and their families. The initiative promotes smoking cessation programs that have helped millions of smokers quit in the past. Other initiatives help people who have tried to quit before see each attempt as a step to success, not a failure. For more information, go to www.lung.org.
Keeping the
Lungs Healthy
Cryptosporidiosis usually resolves within 2 weeks when CD4 counts are above 200, but treatment may be needed for people with lower CD4 counts. Several effective treatments are available, so talk with your healthcare provider about these options. To protect yourself from becoming infected:
• Don’t drink directly from lakes or rivers.
• Don’t use public swimming pools.
• Think about boiling tap water or filtering it, or use only bottled water.
Source: TheBody.com (www.thebody.com/content/art12553.html).
A long with physical illnesses that accompany HIV are mental health problems that may come up. It’s normal to have emo-tional reactions when first learning that you’re HIV positive,
but these feelings shouldn’t last forever. Here are a few ideas on what you can do to address your emotional needs:
• Talk about your feelings with your doctor, friends, family members, or other supportive people.
• Find activities that relieve your stress (eg, exercise).
• Get enough sleep each night so you feel rested.
• Learn relaxation methods (eg, meditation or yoga).
• Limit intake of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
• Eat small, healthy meals throughout the day.
• Join support groups.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness is running Mental Illness Awareness Week from October 3 to 9 to raise mental illness awareness
through outreach, education, and advocacy. To get involved, go to www.nami.org.
Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org/template.cfm? section=mental_illness_
awareness_week).
Some people just stop smoking, while others need some kind of support. This can come from medications that manage the physical symptoms of withdrawal. Or, other therapies may be used to deal with the psychological addiction to smoking.
Some people also get help in quitting smoking by:
• Changing the routines that encourage smoking.
• Getting support to reduce outside factors like stress that encourage them to smoke.
• Participating in motivational groups or counseling.
Source: American Lung Association (www.lungusa.org/aboutus/ ourimpact/topstories/novemberisnationallung1.html).
October/November 2012
Visit us online at www.patientedu.org/hiv
C ryptosporidiosis is an opportunistic infection that is seen more frequently in patients living with AIDS, particularly those with advanced disease. Although cryptosporidiosis can
be acquired at any time during the course of HIV infection, most problems with this infection tend to occur in patients with CD4 counts below 180. When cryptosporidiosis strikes, people with HIV typically have non-bloody, watery diarrhea without fever that lasts 5 to 14 days.
Also in this issue:
The Scoop on Cryptosporidiosis
Raising Awareness on Mental Illness
Keeping the Lungs Healthy
Feature:
Connecting with Others
P eople with HIV are more likely to smoke than people without it. Smoking can in-
terfere with normal lung function and can cause lung cancer. In people with
HIV, smoking can make it more diffi-cult to fight off serious infections because
it weakens the immune system, especially for infections related to the lungs.
How Do I Quit?It’s very difficult to stop smoking. There is no one way to quit smoking. Different methods of quitting work better for different people. You and your doctor can develop a combination of approaches that works best for you.
PEC-HL-OCT-041
The editorial content for this brochure was developed and created solely by the Patient Education Center. The content does not necessarily
represent the opinions and/or views of our advertisers.
Healthy Living With HIV is published by the Patient Education Center. Offices: 5 Commerce Way, Suite 202, Hamilton, NJ 08691; and 180 Mount Airy Road, Suite 102, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.
Publication of an advertisement or other product mention in Healthy Living With HIV should not be construed as an endorsement of the product or the manufacturer’s claims. Such advertising or product mentions should similarly not be construed as either influencing or controlling the editorial content of Healthy Living With HIV. The appearance of or reference to any person or entity in the editorial material (including photographs) in this brochure does not constitute an expressed or implied endorsement of the product advertised. Readers are encouraged to contact the product manufacturer with any questions about the features and/or limitations of any product mentioned. The reader also is advised to consult appropriate medical literature and the product information currently provided by the manufacturer of each drug to verify indications, dosage, method, duration of administration, and contraindications.
Copyright 2012, Patient Education Center
The Scoop on
CryptosporidiosisRaising Awareness on
Mental Illness
November is National Lung Month. Every November, the American Lung Association coordinates National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, an effort designed to encourage all Americans to take time to learn about the deadliest of cancers and join the fight for the cure.
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States. National Lung Cancer Awareness Month strives to provide comprehensive infor mation and education about the disease, including treatment options, to patients and their families. The initiative promotes smoking cessation programs that have helped millions of smokers quit in the past. Other initiatives help people who have tried to quit before see each attempt as a step to success, not a failure. For more information, go to www.lung.org.
Keeping the
Lungs Healthy
Cryptosporidiosis usually resolves within 2 weeks when CD4 counts are above 200, but treatment may be needed for people with lower CD4 counts. Several effective treatments are available, so talk with your healthcare provider about these options. To protect yourself from becoming infected:
• Don’t drink directly from lakes or rivers.
• Don’t use public swimming pools.
• Think about boiling tap water or filtering it, or use only bottled water.
Source: TheBody.com (www.thebody.com/content/art12553.html).
A long with physical illnesses that accompany HIV are mental health problems that may come up. It’s normal to have emo-tional reactions when first learning that you’re HIV positive,
but these feelings shouldn’t last forever. Here are a few ideas on what you can do to address your emotional needs:
• Talk about your feelings with your doctor, friends, family members, or other supportive people.
• Find activities that relieve your stress (eg, exercise).
• Get enough sleep each night so you feel rested.
• Learn relaxation methods (eg, meditation or yoga).
• Limit intake of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
• Eat small, healthy meals throughout the day.
• Join support groups.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness is running Mental Illness Awareness Week from October 3 to 9 to raise mental illness awareness
through outreach, education, and advocacy. To get involved, go to www.nami.org.
Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org/template.cfm? section=mental_illness_
awareness_week).
Some people just stop smoking, while others need some kind of support. This can come from medications that manage the physical symptoms of withdrawal. Or, other therapies may be used to deal with the psychological addiction to smoking.
Some people also get help in quitting smoking by:
• Changing the routines that encourage smoking.
• Getting support to reduce outside factors like stress that encourage them to smoke.
• Participating in motivational groups or counseling.
Source: American Lung Association (www.lungusa.org/aboutus/ ourimpact/topstories/novemberisnationallung1.html).
Finding social support is important to ensuring that you live a long, healthy life with HIV.
ConnectingWith Others
N obody needs to face an HIV diag nosis all by themselves. It’s important to connect with others so that you have the support you need to go through the challenges that face everyone with
HIV. Fortunately, the number of resources to help people in their jour-ney has increased. Personal and online support can help you manage both the emotional and practical problems of living with HIV.
Finding Support in PersonIn the United States, every state has a number of local HIV/AIDS organizations that have been developed to help you find social support. An HIV/AIDS organization can be a true lifeline in many ways. Most organizations offer these critical services:
Support groups. With support groups, you regularly meet and talk with other people with HIV who live in the area. Some organizations even offer specific support groups for drug users, gay men, women, and recently diagnosed people.
Counseling. This can be for mental health issues and/or substance abuse.
Case managers. These individuals are trained to help coordinate the mental and physical care you need. They can also get you connected with government assistance programs, such as Medicaid, disability in-surance, and help paying for medications.
Classes or workshops. These educational sessions can cover a variety of topics, including learning more about HIV, how to take your HIV
drugs properly, nutrition, fitness, and other im-portant health issues.
HIV prevention counseling. Yes, you already have HIV, but it’s also important to learn about how to protect yourself from other sexually trans-mitted diseases. This counseling is also important to ensuring that you don’t pass HIV to others.
Another way of finding support in person is to go on a retreat to connect with other HIV-positive people. There is an assortment of retreats available, and some are even free or inexpensive. The retreats range from carefree holidays to educational weekends. They can happen at the beachside, in the mountains, and in the middle of the biggest U.S. cities. These retreats are geared for newly-positive patients with HIV as well as those who have long ago processed their diagnosis and are just looking for a chance to unwind. They can be especially helpful if you live in remote areas or work full time.
Finding Support OnlineTheBody.com is one of several online tools that provide great ways for you to connect with others. The website offers an online AIDS Service Organization finder (available at www.asofinder.com) that can assist you in finding HIV/AIDS organizations near you. Some of the features on TheBody.com include:
Bulletin Boards/Blogs: These online support tools give you a way to
join in conversations with HIV-positive people from around the world. There are plenty of boards to choose from (see Table).
Expert Advice: HIV experts are accessible and at your disposal on many websites. These experts can answer your questions about everything from HIV treatment and side effects to mental health and insurance issues.
Testimonials: HIV-positive people from all walks of life share their stories on many websites. Videos and podcasts are also available on some sites in addition to written articles and interviews.
You Are NOT AloneThe most important thing to remember after you’ve been diagnosed with HIV is that you are NOT alone. There are support systems out there—both in person and on the internet—that can help you get through almost anything you go through as a person living with HIV.
Table | Bulletin Board Topics on the Web
Source: TheBody.com (www.thebody.com/cgibin/bbs/ubbthreads.php).
HIV Life
Recently Tested Positive: For people recently diagnosed with HIV to connect with others.
Living With HIV: For people with HIV who are looking to talk about their experiences living with HIV.
En Español: Para personas VIH positivas que buscan hablar, apoyo e información sobre el VIH/SIDA.
Gay Men: For gay men with HIV to share stories about life and love.
Women: For women with HIV to share stories about life and love.
Teens: For teens with HIV looking to talk with other teens.
African Americans: For connecting with other African Americans who are living with HIV. Also for talking about the most critical HIV/AIDS issues facing the AfricanAmerican community.
HIV Health & Treatment Issues
Treatment & Side Effects: For answers to questions about antiretrovirals, immunebased therapies, and complementary/alternative therapies.
Nutrition, Exercise, & HIV: For learning about good diets, supplements, and workout tips.
HIV Announcements
News & Research: For discussing and analyzing the latest developments in HIV.
Classifieds: For AIDS organizations and other HIV/AIDSrelated groups that are seeking new volunteers and employees.
Family & Friends
My Loved One Has HIV/AIDS: For family members and friends who know someone who has been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS Memorial: For remembering those who have passed away from HIV. Users can register to the bulletin boards or post anonymously.
Finding social support is important to ensuring that you live a long, healthy life with HIV.
ConnectingWith Others
N obody needs to face an HIV diag nosis all by themselves. It’s important to connect with others so that you have the support you need to go through the challenges that face everyone with
HIV. Fortunately, the number of resources to help people in their jour-ney has increased. Personal and online support can help you manage both the emotional and practical problems of living with HIV.
Finding Support in PersonIn the United States, every state has a number of local HIV/AIDS organizations that have been developed to help you find social support. An HIV/AIDS organization can be a true lifeline in many ways. Most organizations offer these critical services:
Support groups. With support groups, you regularly meet and talk with other people with HIV who live in the area. Some organizations even offer specific support groups for drug users, gay men, women, and recently diagnosed people.
Counseling. This can be for mental health issues and/or substance abuse.
Case managers. These individuals are trained to help coordinate the mental and physical care you need. They can also get you connected with government assistance programs, such as Medicaid, disability in-surance, and help paying for medications.
Classes or workshops. These educational sessions can cover a variety of topics, including learning more about HIV, how to take your HIV
drugs properly, nutrition, fitness, and other im-portant health issues.
HIV prevention counseling. Yes, you already have HIV, but it’s also important to learn about how to protect yourself from other sexually trans-mitted diseases. This counseling is also important to ensuring that you don’t pass HIV to others.
Another way of finding support in person is to go on a retreat to connect with other HIV-positive people. There is an assortment of retreats available, and some are even free or inexpensive. The retreats range from carefree holidays to educational weekends. They can happen at the beachside, in the mountains, and in the middle of the biggest U.S. cities. These retreats are geared for newly-positive patients with HIV as well as those who have long ago processed their diagnosis and are just looking for a chance to unwind. They can be especially helpful if you live in remote areas or work full time.
Finding Support OnlineTheBody.com is one of several online tools that provide great ways for you to connect with others. The website offers an online AIDS Service Organization finder (available at www.asofinder.com) that can assist you in finding HIV/AIDS organizations near you. Some of the features on TheBody.com include:
Bulletin Boards/Blogs: These online support tools give you a way to
join in conversations with HIV-positive people from around the world. There are plenty of boards to choose from (see Table).
Expert Advice: HIV experts are accessible and at your disposal on many websites. These experts can answer your questions about everything from HIV treatment and side effects to mental health and insurance issues.
Testimonials: HIV-positive people from all walks of life share their stories on many websites. Videos and podcasts are also available on some sites in addition to written articles and interviews.
You Are NOT AloneThe most important thing to remember after you’ve been diagnosed with HIV is that you are NOT alone. There are support systems out there—both in person and on the internet—that can help you get through almost anything you go through as a person living with HIV.
Table | Bulletin Board Topics on the Web
Source: TheBody.com (www.thebody.com/cgibin/bbs/ubbthreads.php).
HIV Life
Recently Tested Positive: For people recently diagnosed with HIV to connect with others.
Living With HIV: For people with HIV who are looking to talk about their experiences living with HIV.
En Español: Para personas VIH positivas que buscan hablar, apoyo e información sobre el VIH/SIDA.
Gay Men: For gay men with HIV to share stories about life and love.
Women: For women with HIV to share stories about life and love.
Teens: For teens with HIV looking to talk with other teens.
African Americans: For connecting with other African Americans who are living with HIV. Also for talking about the most critical HIV/AIDS issues facing the AfricanAmerican community.
HIV Health & Treatment Issues
Treatment & Side Effects: For answers to questions about antiretrovirals, immunebased therapies, and complementary/alternative therapies.
Nutrition, Exercise, & HIV: For learning about good diets, supplements, and workout tips.
HIV Announcements
News & Research: For discussing and analyzing the latest developments in HIV.
Classifieds: For AIDS organizations and other HIV/AIDSrelated groups that are seeking new volunteers and employees.
Family & Friends
My Loved One Has HIV/AIDS: For family members and friends who know someone who has been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS Memorial: For remembering those who have passed away from HIV. Users can register to the bulletin boards or post anonymously.
October/November 2012
Visit us online at www.patientedu.org/hiv
C ryptosporidiosis is an opportunistic infection that is seen more frequently in patients living with AIDS, particularly those with advanced disease. Although cryptosporidiosis can
be acquired at any time during the course of HIV infection, most problems with this infection tend to occur in patients with CD4 counts below 180. When cryptosporidiosis strikes, people with HIV typically have non-bloody, watery diarrhea without fever that lasts 5 to 14 days.
Also in this issue:
The Scoop on Cryptosporidiosis
Raising Awareness on Mental Illness
Keeping the Lungs Healthy
Feature:
Connecting with Others
P eople with HIV are more likely to smoke than people without it. Smoking can in-
terfere with normal lung function and can cause lung cancer. In people with
HIV, smoking can make it more diffi-cult to fight off serious infections because
it weakens the immune system, especially for infections related to the lungs.
How Do I Quit?It’s very difficult to stop smoking. There is no one way to quit smoking. Different methods of quitting work better for different people. You and your doctor can develop a combination of approaches that works best for you.
PEC-HL-OCT-041
The editorial content for this brochure was developed and created solely by the Patient Education Center. The content does not necessarily
represent the opinions and/or views of our advertisers.
Healthy Living With HIV is published by the Patient Education Center. Offices: 5 Commerce Way, Suite 202, Hamilton, NJ 08691; and 180 Mount Airy Road, Suite 102, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.
Publication of an advertisement or other product mention in Healthy Living With HIV should not be construed as an endorsement of the product or the manufacturer’s claims. Such advertising or product mentions should similarly not be construed as either influencing or controlling the editorial content of Healthy Living With HIV. The appearance of or reference to any person or entity in the editorial material (including photographs) in this brochure does not constitute an expressed or implied endorsement of the product advertised. Readers are encouraged to contact the product manufacturer with any questions about the features and/or limitations of any product mentioned. The reader also is advised to consult appropriate medical literature and the product information currently provided by the manufacturer of each drug to verify indications, dosage, method, duration of administration, and contraindications.
Copyright 2012, Patient Education Center
The Scoop on
CryptosporidiosisRaising Awareness on
Mental Illness
November is National Lung Month. Every November, the American Lung Association coordinates National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, an effort designed to encourage all Americans to take time to learn about the deadliest of cancers and join the fight for the cure.
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States. National Lung Cancer Awareness Month strives to provide comprehensive infor mation and education about the disease, including treatment options, to patients and their families. The initiative promotes smoking cessation programs that have helped millions of smokers quit in the past. Other initiatives help people who have tried to quit before see each attempt as a step to success, not a failure. For more information, go to www.lung.org.
Keeping the
Lungs Healthy
Cryptosporidiosis usually resolves within 2 weeks when CD4 counts are above 200, but treatment may be needed for people with lower CD4 counts. Several effective treatments are available, so talk with your healthcare provider about these options. To protect yourself from becoming infected:
• Don’t drink directly from lakes or rivers.
• Don’t use public swimming pools.
• Think about boiling tap water or filtering it, or use only bottled water.
Source: TheBody.com (www.thebody.com/content/art12553.html).
A long with physical illnesses that accompany HIV are mental health problems that may come up. It’s normal to have emo-tional reactions when first learning that you’re HIV positive,
but these feelings shouldn’t last forever. Here are a few ideas on what you can do to address your emotional needs:
• Talk about your feelings with your doctor, friends, family members, or other supportive people.
• Find activities that relieve your stress (eg, exercise).
• Get enough sleep each night so you feel rested.
• Learn relaxation methods (eg, meditation or yoga).
• Limit intake of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
• Eat small, healthy meals throughout the day.
• Join support groups.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness is running Mental Illness Awareness Week from October 3 to 9 to raise mental illness awareness
through outreach, education, and advocacy. To get involved, go to www.nami.org.
Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org/template.cfm? section=mental_illness_
awareness_week).
Some people just stop smoking, while others need some kind of support. This can come from medications that manage the physical symptoms of withdrawal. Or, other therapies may be used to deal with the psychological addiction to smoking.
Some people also get help in quitting smoking by:
• Changing the routines that encourage smoking.
• Getting support to reduce outside factors like stress that encourage them to smoke.
• Participating in motivational groups or counseling.
Source: American Lung Association (www.lungusa.org/aboutus/ ourimpact/topstories/novemberisnationallung1.html).
