Learning that you are infected with HIV will change your life dramatically. You may experience a wide range of emotions - fear, loss, grief, depression, denial, anger, anxiety. No matter how reassuring the doctor, how effective the drug therapies are now and will become, how minimal the physical impact of the infection, or how intellectually prepared you you maybe, your need for cunselling and support will be great.
     The psychological issues faced by most persons with HIV infection revolve around uncertainly. Your future hopes and expectations, your relationships and your career will all require some adjustment in order for you to cope with your illness and lead a happy, productive life.

The impact on your health
     The impact to your health is likely to depend on the stage of infection you have reached when you discover you are HIV-positive, the pyschological support available to you, and your access to good medical care.
     Soon after becoming infected with the virus, some people experience a brief flu-like illness with fever, swollen lymph glands, skin rash or cough. You may then remain perfectly fit and healthy for many years despite being infected. For aproximately 50 percent of infected persons, the time between becoming infected and the appearance of the opportunistic infections that characterize AIDS is more than 10 years.
     Antiretroviral combination therapy, while expensive, has been shown to slow the onset of AIDS and prolong life expectancy. Your quality of life could also be improved by the preventive and therapeutic use of drugs that fight off common opportunistic infections and other diseases to which HIV-infected person are vulnerable, such as tuberculosis. Active TB screening and contact tracing through sputum examination are also important for families with an HIV-positive member.
     In addition to good medical care, pyschological support-from family, friends and couselling is critical. In many countries, there are support groups made up of persons living with HIV and AIDS. There are also numerous support groups and resources to be found on the internet.

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