Aware Of It...

 

I've seen pieces for a while about how healthcare professionals are worried about people experiencing developments during the pandemic.  Many people are not used to isolation or restrictions.  For the introverts, that may not be a problem.  But, most people aren't hermits. 

The pandemic has caused many to lose direct access healthcare professionals.  Others have had no or limited social contact/support.  This can be very damaging for some.  People are mostly social creatures.   For  those  already restricted, this  added level of isolation can be devastating. 

The levels of substance abuse, overeating, other  indulgences & mental disorders have risen.  Some  face depression, worsening  mental conditions, suicidal ideation, etc...  Others dove into substance  abuse  or overindulgence. 

The professionals say they're  aware  of his.   Yet they act surprised.  The actions & reactions these people are taking are direct responses to the trauma & uncertainty they're facing.  Many lacked coping strategies or if they had them, they weren't possible or practical during COVID.  Why the surprise?  This seemed pretty much expected.

We're going to come out of this with fewer people.  There will be heavier people.  There will be depressed, anxious, suicidal people.  That's what happens during & after a crisis.  The best we can do is to mitigate the numbers & help those who come out the other side.

That's all for now, take care.

November's Here...

According to this article, HIV, even when treated, affects the brains of children.  Even though their viral numbers may be suppressed, research is finding cognitive impairments among their cohort.  More research is necessary to determine if the causal agent is the virus, the medications, both or something else.  The findings listed cognitive issues such as education, reaction ability,  adaptation, emotional/psychological well being, among others.

This isn't news anyone wanted to hear, but there it is.  There will have to be considerable more study to determine more.  Another way in which HIV is still impacting the world.

On to other topics.  

Hello November.  Hope this will be a good month for all included.  The holiday season has begun.  Until next year Halloween.  Hey there turkeys & fat man in red suits. 

Cya...

Mental State...

I'm not going to point to any specific article today.  There's been a recent influx of reports regarding the mental health of gay men & their likelihood of contracting HIV.  These  mental health issues ranged from depression to addiction.  There is agreement in these articles these conditions increase the likelihood of a gay man becoming +.  I just 1 thing to say to that...

DUH!

Of course these things contribute to becoming +.   I would be surprised if the same didn't hold out for every sampling population, not just gay men.   Mental illness is just another factor affecting decision making ability.  It also further isolates us, therefore marginalizes the person suffering from the condition. 

I've talked repeatedly about how marginalizing & isolating a person put them at risk for HIV & just about every other bad thing out there.  Whether its being clinically depressed, schizophrenic, or  an addict, it all impairs your reasoning & contributes to risky behavior taking.  

There's nothing new being said here.  If this is news to these researchers, then we've got serious problems.  It is almost certainly not only applicable to the gay community either.  Anything that marginalizes a person puts them at risk for a host of issues & 1 of those is  HIV.

No news here.

Cya...

Fringe Life & Mental Health...

This article talks about how mental health issues fuel the spread of HIV in men.  It goes on to further discuss the effects of being a person living on the fringe.  I've blogged before about disenfranchised people being more apt to experience stigma & stress.  These factors affect these men's mental health.  Their impaired mental health impacts these men's ability to make good choices in regards to many factors that can lead to them becoming HIV + or further spreading the virus.

All these factors; economic instability, being foreign born, ethnic, non-mainstream religion, being gay, etc... have notable affects on these people's lives.  These factors stack as well.  The more you have, the higher the stress levels.  Each time the resulting stress impairs these men's health, mental health & decision making ability.

I truly feel, to really fight AIDS, we're going to have to get to a point where our society promotes inclusion of all people.  Until these people feel more franchised with society they will continue to live on the fringe & experience all the effects of doing so. As horrible as this virus can be, as bad as the lack of meds & $ for treatment are, these things are nothing compared to the terrible nature of  the stigma that goes with all these things that force people to the very edges of our lives.

Cya...