The Physical and Psychological Effects of AIDS essays

The Physical and Psychological Effects of AIDS essays The reality of AIDS has insinuated itself into everyday life and language over the past decade. Though looked at as a foreigner, AIDS is in our entire society; employment, homes, and our intimate relationships. People with the AIDS virus feel trapped and have a desire to break away from the bondage that this horrible disease has with the person. However, running from the issue at hand only makes the problem worse. With ones own strength and the loving support of others a positive result can be attained. Ignorance is the main problem with AIDS today. Too many people are judgmental about the disease without having any knowledge of its nature. AIDS is a disease caused by the human immune deficiency virus, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which destroys ones natural ability to fight illnesses (Rodger et al. 498). HIV is the generally accepted name for the virus, however, other types have been discovered, the most common being HIV-1. HIV related illnesses include the direct effects of the virus and the effects of opportunistic infections. When a person becomes infected with the HIV virus, it causes a breakdown of the bodys immune system. This breakdown lowers the immune system significantly causing the HIV virus to develop into full-blown AIDS and other harmful illnesses such as pneumonia and cancers, ultimately causing death (Rodger et al. 499). The transmission of the AIDS virus can occur in variety of ways, the most common is through unprotected sexual activity. This allows the exchange of bodily fluids between an infected and uninfected person, heterosexual or homosexual. Infected intravenous drug users also transmit the virus through the blood of a shared syringe or other drug paraphernalia. The virus can also be transmitted during a blood transfusion with contaminated blood. The final way of transmission is from mother to child, an infected mother can infect her child through her breast milk (...