Living with HIV is never straightforward and lots of people with HIV say it’s essential to keep a ‘positive attitude’ about life with the virus [1]A small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell.. Maintaining a sense of humour and remaining optimistic haven’t been measured in clinical trials, but most people would agree these are good skills to have for anyone with a serious illness like HIV.
Improvements in HIV treatments over the last decade have reduced the number of people dying from AIDS radically, but these treatments come with a cost in terms of side effects and toxicities. And despite the good news, lots of positive people still struggle with significant physical and mental illnesses. The challenge for all of us is to develop the life skills we need to live well with HIV.
There’s no magic pill you can take that will give you these skills, but there’s lots you can do to help develop them. Getting good social support by joining a peer group or just spending quality time with close friends. Managing the normal stresses in your life better, by eating well and getting regular exercise. Avoiding over-consumption of alcohol or drugs. Having a good relationship with your doctor. Taking up a hobby, learning a craft, or taking yourself to places that inspire you and feed your soul. Just taking time to smell the roses.
There may be no clinical [2]Pertaining to or founded on observation and treatment of participants, as distinguished from theoretical or basic science. data to show that any of these things by itself improves the health of people with HIV, but we can say that they improve the lives of people with HIV, and that’s clearly a positive step.
Links:
[1] http://www.napwa.org.au/glossary/term/125
[2] http://www.napwa.org.au/glossary/term/475