Finding out that you are infected with HIV can be frightening. If you've been told you have HIV, give yourself permission to be afraid.

It's OK. But don't let this fear keep you from doing all you can to help yourself.  One way to fight your fear is to learn as much as you can about the disease. Knowing about HIV and AIDS will also help you take the best care of yourself. Besides, remember that you are not alone; millions of people are already HIV positive and many of them have developed full-blown AIDS.

The great thing and the challenge that you have to face is to lead a healthy life and engage in activities that will boost your immune system. This is because the HIV virus attacks the immune system. You will be counselled before the test and after the test. Listen to it very well because it is important. Know that there are some people that have lived healthy for up to 20 years with the virus – so being told you have HIV/AIDS isn’t a death sentence or the end of the world.

We live with a multitude of varied harmless and harmful pathogens in our bodies. It is estimated that we breathe in 14 billion pathogens in the space of an hour! But our immune system neutralizes these pathogens every second of the day. It is this same immune system that has to be revitalised to fight off the ravages of HIV/AIDS.

The only and best medicine HIV/AIDS patients need is their own powerful immune system. Give back to patients the powerful immune system they lost and the patients will be on the road to recovery. Suppress an already debilitated immune system and they go nowhere except for maybe wait for an opportunistic infection to mercifully end their life.

Taking care of yourself - advice for the person with hiv/aids
(1)  Be positive:  Life is full of surprises, so we should be ready to accept results of anything, good or bad. The best way to survive is to be in control of your emotions. Instead of giving up, use your emotion to boost your self-esteem. No doubt you will face stigmatization in one way or the other, but what determines who you are is how you go about it. Be kind to yourself. Try to keep a positive attitude. Feeling good is part of being healthy.

(2) Good nutrition: When infected with the HIV virus, the body's defence system - the immune system - works harder to fight infection. This increases energy and nutrient requirements. Once people are infected with HIV they have to eat more to meet these extra energy and nutrient needs. A healthy and balanced diet, early treatment of infection and proper nutritional recovery after infection can reduce weight loss and reduce the impact of future infection. Also good nutrition will reinforce the effect of the drugs taken. Good nutritional care and support promote well-being, quality of life, self-esteem and a positive attitude to life for people and their families living with HIV/AIDS.

An effective programme of nutritional care and support will improve the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS by:
(1) maintaining body weight and strength; (b) replacing lost vitamins and minerals;
(3) improving the function of the immune system and the body's ability to fight infection; 
(4) extending the period from infection to the development of the AIDS disease;
(5) improving response to treatment; reducing time and money spent on health care; 
(6) keeping HIV-infected people active, allowing them to take care of themselves, their family and children.

(3) Keep active and stay fit - It improves well-being. Regular exercise (not vigorous) makes a person feel more alert, helps to relieve stress and stimulates the appetite. Exercise is the only way to maintain health and strengthen and build up muscles. Walking, running, swimming or dancing are all suitable. People living with HIV/AIDS need to make an effort to find the exercise that they enjoy and that suits their situation.

(4)  Hygiene: Personal hygiene – Take your bath regularly, brush your teeth, avoid injuries, always wash hands with clean water and soap before, during and after preparing food or eating, and after visiting the toilet. Cover all wounds to prevent contamination of food during preparation and handling. Use safe clean water from protected sources. This is because HIV affects the immune system therefore such people are more vulnerable to germs and should take extra hygienic care. If they get food poisoning, they will lose weight and become even weaker, which will lower the body's resistance to future infection.

(5) Here are other things you can do:
(a)  Get medical check-ups including dental check-ups at regular intervals even if you're feeling well. Ask your doctor how often you should have a check-up.
(b) Don't share needles for drugs, steroids, piercing or tattooing.
(c) The body needs extra rest. Try to sleep for eight hours every night. Rest whenever you are tired.
(d) Try not to worry too much. Stress can harm the immune system. Relax more. Relax with people you love, your family, your children and your friends. Do things you enjoy, e.g. listen to music or read a newspaper or a book.
(e)  Find support and get good advice. Ask for advice from health workers. Many medical problems can be treated. Be respectful.
(f) If you must have sex, then PLEASE use condoms and ensure to use them properly. Don’t infect others.
(g) Ask for help and accept help when it is offered.
(h) Stop smoking. It damages the lungs and many other parts of the body and makes it easier for infections to attack your body.
(i) Alcohol is harmful to the body, especially the liver. It increases vulnerability to infection and destroys vitamins in the body; under the influence of alcohol you may forget to practise safe sex. (j) Avoid unnecessary medicines. They often have unwanted side effects and can interfere with food and nutrition. If you do take medicines, read the instructions carefully.
(k) Volunteer to work for an AIDS organization. Facing your fears directly can be a good way to cope with them.

Know that you have your rights and should be respected or protected, ie
(1) non-discrimination and equality before the law
(2) right not to be mistreated on the basis of health status, i.e. HIV status
(3) right to education and work
(4) right to social security, assistance and welfare and
(5) right to freedom of movement.

Who should know you have HIV?
If you have tested positive for HIV, you should tell your past and present sexual partners. They should get tested too. You should also tell any future sexual partners that you have tested positive for HIV. If you are now in a relationship, you may wish to ask your doctor about how to explain your positive test results to your partner. Let your doctor and dentist know that you have HIV. This will help them give you the care you need. Your privacy will be respected.

Caring  for  HIV/AIDS Patients
There are many things you can do and should know if you have a friend or relative who is stricken with AIDS. First and most important: know the facts; many misconceptions exist about this disease. It is important to establish a network of professional friends, and relatives who can provide help and support.

Recommendations for carers
* Be encouraging and loving.
* Spend time with the person living with HIV/AIDS. Discuss the foods they need to maintain and gain weight and manage their illness. Get to know what kind of foods they like and do not like.

Involve them in planning their meals. They may suddenly stop liking a food, refuse what has been prepared and want something different. They are not trying to be difficult. These sudden changes in taste are a result of their illness.  

* Be firm about the importance of eating, and encourage them to eat frequently, but do not force them to eat. Giving them too much food at one time may cause them to refuse.
* Keep an eye on their weight. If possible, weigh them regularly and keep a record. Look out for any unexpected weight loss and take action.
* Check the medicines they are taking. Read the instructions to find out when they need to be taken, what foods are to be avoided and any side effects.
* If they are too sick to leave their beds, make sure that they have something to drink and a snack nearby.
* Keep a watchful eye. Look around to see if the house is clean, that there are no hygiene problems and that there is enough food.
Carers will have their own concerns and worries, fears for the future, for their families and for their own health. It is important that they take care of themselves, get enough rest and have the appropriate information and support to carry out such a task. PLEASE don’t neglect such people.

NB: You cannot contract AIDS by coming into casual contact with a patient, but do avoid direct unprotected contact with the individual’s blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or other secretions that contain blood because these are infectious. Do not share razors, toothbrushes, or other items that may carry blood. Clothing, sheets and towels that carry bodily secretions, vomit, or diarrhoea should be removed and washed separately in hot, soapy water. If secretions spill on to a hard surface, wash them off with a 1:10 solution of household bleach to kill the virus.

The effects of stigma
AIDS-related stigma and discrimination refer to prejudice, negative attitudes, abuse and maltreatment directed at people living with HIV and AIDS. They can result in psychological damage. The stigma surrounding AIDS makes it a more difficult disease to live with for people with HIV/AIDS and for their families. Loneliness, anxiety and depression make people sicker and more vulnerable when their immune systems are weak. Families cannot support and care for someone who is ill if they themselves are depressed and scared.

HIV-related stigma and discrimination severely hamper efforts to effectively fight the HIV and AIDS epidemic. It helps make AIDS the silent killer. It complicates decisions about testing, disclosure of status, and ability to negotiate prevention behaviour, including use of family planning services. Denial goes hand in hand with discrimination, with many people continuing to deny that HIV exists in their communities. Today, HIV/AIDS threatens the welfare and well-being of people throughout the world. An unwillingness to take an HIV test means that more people are diagnosed late, when the virus has already progressed to AIDS, making treatment less effective and causing early death.
 
Treatment  response
Your response to any treatment is measured by viral load. Viral load should be tested at the start of treatment and then every three to four months while you're undergoing therapy. In some cases, you may be tested even more often. Some of the medications prescribed for the person with AIDS are intended to control the opportunistic infections associated with the disease.

Conclusion
People with HIV/AIDS can live healthy lives for a longer time if proper care and support is provided. Your immune system can be strengthened by medical treatment, food, rest and exercise (i.e. more healthy living). You can cope much better if you are happy and feel productive. Emotional support and a positive attitude will help you delay the disease. Lets avoid stigmatization; it only spreads the disease. Instead let’s love, support and encourage victims to keep themselves as healthy as possible.

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