Can HIV infection lead to PTSD?
HIV infection entails not only negative somatic consequences but also numerous problems of psychological and social nature. Addictions, depression and anxiety disorders are mentioned among the most frequent ones. However, increasingly often psychiatrists diagnose posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in such patients. PTSD develops as a result of experiencing traumatic events which constitute an immediate threat to health and life. Typical symptoms of PTSD include: recurring sudden involuntary memories of the traumatic event (flashbacks), avoidance of situations associated with the experienced trauma, and a sense of psychophysical arousal.
PTSD was for a long time associated only with experience of events that go beyond the scope of ordinary human experience, such as war, natural disasters or catastrophes. However, as early as in 1994 American psychiatrists noted that diagnosis and life with a potentially fatal somatic disease might also be a very powerful stressor leading to PTSD. Scientists linked PTSD to, among others, cancer, cardiologic diseases and HIV infection.
In the case of persons with HIV, trauma is of complex and multifaceted nature. The awareness of a potential life threat, the need for life-long compliance with the treatment rigour, dealing with side effects of the treatment, as well as the still strong stigmatisation of persons with HIV are powerful stressors, which may cause symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Research shows that from 30% up to 65% of persons with HIV meet PTSD diagnostic criteria.
More information
Would you like to learn more about post-traumatic stress and whether a HIV diagnosis may lead to trauma? Read our papers in this area and see related research materials.
Yout help to improve the well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS
Would you like to explore your own psychological well-being and you are a person living with HIV/AIDS? Get in touch with us and contribute to raising reliable knowledge about the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS by completing a confidential questionnaire.
Join the project whose results will help to enhance the well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS, inspire specialists to develop effective methods of psychological support and contribute to better planning of assistance programmes. Start by CLICKING HERE.
Also read
40 years of AIDS: Did the social reception of HIV/AIDS change?
In June 2021, exactly 40 years had passed since the first cases of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were officially detected and described in scientific literature. Do these changes translate into the independence of one's well-being from an HIV diagnosis? We tried to answer this question in our meta-analysis.
Emotional inertia and well-being of people living with HIV
Emotional inertia means that an emotional state persists over time and does not change dynamically in response to the situational context.
Psychological well-being, or me and my life
Psychological well-being is defined in a variety of ways, however, it can be agreed that this term refers to individually perceived happiness and satisfaction with life.
