Stress, Coping, and Social Support in HIV - Assignment Example

  Anxiety includes various emotional responses and disorders like excessive worry, insomnia, appetite changes, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, irritability, muscle and/or jaw tension, changes in libido, increased desire to use alcohol and other drugs, rapid heart rate, sweating and flushing (Lavick and Vaccaro, 2007)

Although HIV is a disease that requires medical and clinical interventions and management, the psychological status of an individual greatly impacts his/her stages of recovery.  Depression is closely associated with HIV and is mainly a consequence of social stigma caused due to isolation and beliefs associated with AIDS.  Olff’s (1999) work establishes a relationship between the psychological status of the individual and his/her immune response to medication and coping; chronic stress and depression impact the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.  Thus, the action of adrenalin and cortisol negatively impacts the immune response.  Managing depression is extremely important to prevent the faster progression of HIV.  Management of depression will help the patient to adhere to the medication schedule and avoid high-risk sexual behavior, drug use, and other risky behaviors. 

Hence, improving immune response would first require coping with stress through psychological interventions.  Treatment of stress caused due to anxiety disorders and depression includes a combination of psychotherapy, counseling, and anti-depressant medications.