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Persons with HIV or AIDS
Research studies have shown that addiction treatment for persons with HIV or AIDS needs to be focused on helping these people overcome their substance use disorders as well as manage their diagnosis. This form of treatment is often highly specialized and individualized to meet the particular needs that this population has.
About Addiction Treatment for Persons with HIV or AIDS
Drug use and HIV7/AIDS are some of the major public health concerns in the United States. Research studies have also shown that a lack of proper diagnosis and treatment often leads to an increase in the rates of new infections of HIV.
That said, these rates to be higher in metropolitan areas than in the rest of the county. With growing intravenous substance abuse, the rates of new infections have also been growing by the day. Other figures report:
- 24 percent of all persons with HIV or AIDS needed addiction treatment services
- 33 percent of persons with HIV or AIDS have either engaged in binge alcohol drinking or used drugs in the past
- Intravenous drug use is responsible for 16 percent of a new cases of HIV or AIDS
- Unprotected sexual intercourse is responsible for 84 percent of HIV transmission
That said, people who use drugs have a higher risk of contracting this infection. This is because substance abuse significantly impairs judgment. Further, drug users often share infected needles and/or engage in unsafe sexual practices.
In many cases, ongoing substance abuse can mask the symptoms of HIV. This is why people might not realize that they are ill during the early stages of the development of the disease. As a result, many of them do not seek initial treatment.
Although there is no known cure for HIV/AIDS, early treatment and intervention can slow down the rate at which the illness progresses. It can also prevent you from contracting AIDS, which develops later on.
Drug Use and HIV Infection
Ongoing substance abuse can worsen the spread of this condition in a number of ways. If you are addicted to drugs and alcohol, you might not even know that you have been infected. Further, your use of these substances could mask the symptoms of HIV while also weakening the immune system and causing the disease to worsen.
Since you might not realize that you have been infected, if you continue using drugs they might make it easier for the virus to get into your brain - where it would cause significant damage and nerve cell injury.
In the long run, this could lead to problems with decision making and memory, as well as impair your cognitive function. Alcohol and drug abuse could also damage your liver and make it difficult for you to fight off cancer and liver infections. In the same way, you might spread the condition to sexual partners and people you share needles and other contaminated drug using equipment and tools with.
Getting Help
Excessive drug use and chronic drinking might harm various systems in your body, including but not limited to your immune system. This is why it is recommended that you seek help from an addiction treatment program for persons with HIV or AIDS.
Questions? Need help?
If you or a loved one needs help for substance abuse or addiction, fill out the form below and a counselor will respond shortly.
