SOUTH AFRICA: HIV and depression - something to talk about
Temba* had watched a string of friends and family die from AIDS-related illnesses before he himself tested positive for HIV in 2004. Convinced he was next, he kept his status to himself and lay awake at night contemplating suicide.
“I thought about shooting myself,” he told IRIN/PlusNews.
A nurse referred Temba to Ekupholeni Mental Health Centre, a non-profit project housed on the grounds of Natalspruit Hospital in Katorus, a township southeast of Johannesburg, South Africa. “I saw a counsellor here and told her everything,” said Temba. “She told me I wasn't alone in this and told me about the support group.”
A number of studies have found that people living with HIV are more likely to experience depression and anxiety as they struggle to deal with their diagnosis and adjust to life with a chronic, life-threatening and highly-stigmatised illness. Those, like Temba, who shoulder the burden alone because they're afraid to disclose are especially vulnerable.
epression can have serious health impacts for someone living with the virus. There is increasing evidence that depression or stress accelerates HIV disease progression. It has also been associated with a lack of motivation to seek health care in the first place and problems adhering to antiretroviral (ARV) treatment which can lead to the development of drug resistance and limit future treatment options.
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