Fear of AIDS is also called AIDS phobia. The patient suspects that he is infected with HIV, or is very afraid of being infected with AIDS and has obsessive symptoms such as cleanliness, which are manifested as depression, changeable mood, severe insomnia, indifference to surrounding things, weight loss, and general discomfort. Because of long-term mental stress and excessive psychological pressure, people will have autonomic nerve dysfunction, which will lead to a series of symptoms caused by autonomic nerve dysfunction. Many patients think that their physical discomfort is infected with HIV, and they repeatedly call the hotline for consultation, or repeatedly do AIDS antibody testing, and they are skeptical about the negative results. They always think that the detection is inaccurate or the existing reagents can't detect their own virus.
One of the reasons for fear of AIDS is ignorance or half-knowledge of AIDS prevention and treatment, so popularizing the basic knowledge of AIDS prevention and treatment is the fundamental measure to eliminate fear of AIDS. People who are afraid of AIDS should know more about the basic knowledge of AIDS transmission routes, consult professional doctors or experts, actively overcome their hypochondriac psychology and resume their normal work and study as soon as possible.
Symptoms of phobia
Aids phobia is a psychological obstacle that has only appeared in recent years. With the rapid spread of AIDS in the world, the number of infected people is increasing, and there is no effective cure at present, and people's concern and fear of AIDS are also increasing. In a sense, it has a positive effect on preventing AIDS. But some people's worries and fears are far beyond the normal level, which seriously affects their work and life.
Aids phobia (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome phobia), commonly known as phobia, is a strong fear of AIDS, accompanied by psychological symptoms and behavioral disorders such as anxiety, depression, compulsion and hypochondriasis.
Analyzing AIDS phobia patients from a psychological point of view is not only due to one-sided understanding and misunderstanding of the clinical manifestations and transmission routes of AIDS, but also a considerable number of people are closely related to their own personality foundation and other psychological obstacles, especially anxiety disorder. People with AIDS phobia can be people who have had high-risk behaviors; It can also be a person who has never had high-risk behavior, and the fear comes from his own subjective imagination and association. AIDS phobia can generally be divided into the following four types:
First, anxiety, AIDS phobia
Clinical manifestations are nervousness and irritability at the thought or sight of the word "AIDS" and related reports about AIDS; Often worried that they have been infected or will be infected with AIDS; Always on high alert, such as the enemy. At the same time, it may be accompanied by various physical symptoms, such as fidgeting, walking back and forth, sighing and so on.
Anxiety AIDS phobia generally does not seek medical treatment repeatedly, and the surrounding inspection, avoidance behavior and escape behavior are not obvious.
This kind of AIDS phobia can be alleviated through AIDS knowledge education and corresponding psychotherapy.
Second, the fear of AIDS.
The central symptom of clinical manifestations is fear. It is manifested in the fear of AIDS and all things and places related to AIDS. If you know that AIDS can be transmitted through blood, you show extreme fear of blood; Show fear reaction to drug addicts, sex workers and AIDS patients; In the hospital, needles in public toilets show a fear reaction. When you come into contact with what you are afraid of, you will have symptoms of autonomic nervous system disorder such as palpitation, sweating, muscle tension and trembling.
Fear of AIDS phobia generally does not repeatedly seek medical treatment and check around, but avoidance behavior and avoidance behavior are more obvious. This kind of AIDS phobia has no obvious effect only through AIDS knowledge education, and it needs psychological treatment combined with phobia.
Case: Xiao Wang, female, college student. In my sophomore year, I participated in the blood donation organized by the school. After coming back, I was worried that the needles used for blood collection were not clean, and I was afraid that I would be infected with AIDS. After worrying for two weeks, I began to have phobia. I am not only nervous at the sight of blood, but also nervous at the thought of blood or at the sight of the word "blood". Dare not go to the hospital, and avoid all situations where blood may be seen. If a classmate has youth bean on her face and bleeds, she will be afraid of this classmate, afraid to talk to him, afraid to touch anything he touches, and try to stay away from him. Slowly, there are more and more things that Xiao Wang fears and avoids. She is afraid to take a bath in the public bathroom of the school and use the toilet in the public toilet. She is very afraid of mosquitoes because she will take other people's blood with her when she bites others. Seriously affected life and study.
Third, obsessive-compulsive disorder, AIDS phobia
This type of AIDS phobia is more common. The clinical manifestations are worrying that they will be infected with AIDS, being too cautious everywhere, and trying to avoid all kinds of situations that may be infected. Dare not use public toilets, dare not touch blood products, etc. It is also accompanied by repeated cleaning behavior, which is manifested in the need for repeated cleaning after touching objects you think may be infected, such as washing hands, bathing and washing clothes, or when people you think may carry germs touch their daily necessities, they need to be scrubbed repeatedly, even with alcohol or even disinfectant. In severe cases, gloves or masks are needed to complete normal daily activities and even stay indoors all day. Seriously damaged the social function of patients. Patients may know that this is completely unnecessary (some people think it is necessary), but they can't control it, and they can't get rid of it. The intense inner conflict makes them very upset. May be accompanied by other obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
Obsessive AIDS phobia generally does not go to the doctor repeatedly and check everywhere, but avoidance behavior and avoidance behavior are more obvious, and social function is seriously damaged.
This kind of AIDS phobia has no obvious effect through AIDS knowledge education, and it needs psychotherapy combined with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Case: Mr. S, an employee of a foreign company. I was bitten by a dog when I was a child, and I didn't get rabies vaccine. When I was in the third year of high school, I happened to see that the incubation period of rabies virus was very long, and I began to worry that I would get rabies. I was in fear all day, so I couldn't concentrate on reviewing my lessons. This concern has been alleviated by injecting five doses of rabies vaccine in the summer vacation of senior three. Everything was normal in the first two years of college. In my junior year, many students began to fall in love, some rented houses off campus, and some roommates rented houses off campus. I am afraid that these students may be infected with AIDS because of their behavior outside school, so I am afraid of these students. Dare not contact with these classmates. Especially when my roommate returned to the dormitory, he dared not touch anything.
If this classmate touches his belongings, he will either wash them repeatedly or throw them away. After graduation, I went to work in an American-funded enterprise, and most of the middle and high-level companies were foreigners. I think foreigners have a more open sexual attitude, so these foreigners may carry HIV. Try to avoid their contact. If you talk to them, go to the bathroom and rinse your mouth repeatedly. Shake hands with them or touch the files they touched, and wash your hands repeatedly in the bathroom; Because she works in the same company with these foreigners every day, even if there is no direct contact, she thinks it will be infected in the air or through other means, so the first thing after work every day is to take a shower, and it takes a long time. If a colleague comes to play at home, he must use alcohol to clean the stools made by his colleagues and other things touched by his colleagues after he leaves. I think there are more and more things that may carry HIV. For example, I was afraid that my glasses would be infected, so I scrubbed them repeatedly. Try to avoid taking the subway, because there are often foreigners on the subway; Dare not use public toilets and so on. Knowing AIDS information through various channels can not only alleviate their own situation, but sometimes it is even more serious. For example, an article mentioned that AIDS may be infected in some way. Even if he has not been exposed to such a situation, he will make himself anxious and afraid through subjective imagination and association, and then he needs to be cleaned or avoided accordingly.
Fourth, hypochondriac AIDS phobia
This type of AIDS phobia is the most common. The patient thought that he was infected with HIV, so he repeatedly checked and sought medical treatment everywhere. After repeated examination, the result was negative, which still could not eliminate his fears and worries. I don't even believe the results of authoritative organizations, and I have doubts about all aspects of the inspection process. I repeatedly recall the inspection process afterwards, for example, I think that the staff at that time were not careful enough and the instruments used during the inspection were not disinfected. Running around the hospital all day. Very sensitive to symptoms similar to AIDS, such as fever, general weakness, rash, swollen lymph nodes and other symptoms, thinking that they have AIDS, extreme fear and despair.
Hypochondriac AIDS phobia is mainly manifested in repeatedly seeking medical treatment, checking everywhere, not believing the test results, stubbornly worrying or firmly believing that they have been infected with AIDS. Avoidance or evasion can also occur, but it is generally not obvious.
This kind of AIDS phobia needs AIDS knowledge education and psychotherapy for hypochondriacs.
Case: Mr. F, a company employee. In 2004, a friend I haven't seen for a long time came to his city on business. Because I haven't seen you for years, I drank a lot. After getting drunk, my friend and I found a young lady. After waking up the next day, I felt regret and remorse for my behavior, and then it developed into fear and worry. Knowing that having sex with a young lady is one of the important ways to get infected with AIDS, I worry about getting infected with AIDS all day. Three weeks later, I developed symptoms such as diarrhea, cold and itchy body. I was frightened and firmly believed that I had been infected with AIDS. On the third day after the symptoms appeared, I went to the best local hospital for hiv test, and the result was negative. My symptoms have eased, but I still can't let go. After six weeks, I went to the test again, and the result was still negative, and my worry and anxiety were greatly alleviated. Does not affect normal work and life.
After half a year, I went on a business trip abroad, took a sauna with my clients and used towels there. The next day, I began to doubt whether the towel I used would be used by AIDS patients or infected with AIDS because of it. The next two weeks were spent in panic and anxiety, and finally I couldn't help but go to the hospital for another test, and the result was still negative. But he couldn't believe it. In the next three months, he was examined twice in different hospitals. The results were all negative. But he still doesn't believe the test results. I have always suspected that there are loopholes in the inspection of hospital staff, such as the equipment is not disinfected, forgetting to change the needle, or the medical staff themselves have been infected with AIDS, and so on.
I looked up a lot of information about AIDS on the Internet, and the more I looked at it, the more serious my situation became. In the past two years, a * * * has conducted 12 hiv tests. My situation has not improved at all, but I am more suspicious and anxious. In April 2006, she began to receive psychotherapy.
[Edit this paragraph] How to overcome the fear of AIDS
Not all AIDS phobias can be simply classified into one category. Many patients have multiple manifestations at the same time and need comprehensive psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy of AIDS phobia is necessary, but many patients generally do not think of receiving psychotherapy in the early stage. Many people think that this is not a mental illness, and their fears are completely normal, especially those who have had high-risk behaviors. It was only after many examinations that I couldn't get rid of my troubles and pains that I thought of asking for help from a psychologist.
Believe in scientific testing: if the antibody test is negative after the window period, the possibility of infection can be completely ruled out, and there is no need for unnecessary worry and doubt.
Don't believe in symptoms: many friends suspect that HIV infection is related to their symptoms. It is true that a small number of people will have acute symptoms after being infected with AIDS. The condition of acute symptoms is infected with a large number of HIV, which is actually very rare, and the acute symptoms of AIDS are almost nonspecific, which is no different from the diseases we may get at ordinary times. From a medical point of view, symptoms can not be used as a criterion to judge whether they are infected or not. Almost everyone who is afraid of AIDS has such and such symptoms, but the final blood test results show that more than 99% are fine, which is enough to show that the symptoms are not credible.
Try to divert attention: concentrate on work or study, reduce anxiety and worry, and you will find that many so-called symptoms will get better soon!
[Edit this paragraph] Case study
Wang, male, 25 years old, unmarried, Han nationality, secondary school education, has been working in Shenzhen for more than 4 years. Introverted personality, few words, serious work, demanding perfection.
Five months ago, after cutting my hair, I couldn't stand the temptation of the girl in the hair salon. I had a history of unclean sex and didn't wear a condom. You shouldn't feel guilty afterwards and worry about catching sexually transmitted diseases. I happened to meet the propaganda of preventing sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS in the street. The more I listen, the more nervous I get. The more I read the publicity materials, the more worried I am. I bought some medicine to treat sexually transmitted diseases, and I was very regretful and nervous. Working during the day is very tiring, it is difficult to fall asleep at night, and it is easy to be awakened by nightmares. Four times to check sexually transmitted diseases, the second time to check AIDS did not find out the problem. Still worried, I went to donate blood again I want to take a blood test through modern technology to see if I am HIV-positive. The result is negative, but I'm still worried. I suspect it may be a false negative. In the past two months, I have become more and more worried. I'm worried about getting AIDS. The incubation period of this disease is very long, and there is no specific medicine to treat it. If you die of AIDS, I'm really sorry for my parents who have worked hard all their lives in the countryside! ..... I feel that my testicles and anus are constantly moving recently. Suspicion is an early symptom of AIDS. One night a month ago, when I was lying in bed, I suddenly felt chest tightness and flustered, and my whole body was cold and broke out in a cold sweat. I feel like I'm going crazy and panicked. Is to run to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, with a heart rate of 98 beats/minute. No special abnormality was found in ECG, so I took some medicine to relieve it. Then I was worried about AIDS, and I was worried that I would suddenly go crazy like that night. I have been nervous and miserable all day. I want to smash my limbs to relieve my psychological pain. I have seen many doctors and eaten many Chinese medicines and western medicines, but they have not had much effect. I went to bookstores and libraries to look up some medical books. Some books say it may be a mental illness, but I am skeptical. From June 5438 to February 2004, I made a special trip from dozens of miles away to seek help and treatment from psychological counseling.
When he came to the consulting room, he looked anxious, ruddy and sweaty. He took the initiative to tell the above medical history and inner pain without sitting down. I feel crazy. Try it for the first time and see if I'm in the mood.
Height 1.7m, well-developed, rich in nutrition, no abnormality in cardiopulmonary auscultation, and heart rate of 80 beats/min.
Diagnosis: hypochondria (phobia) with panic disorder.
Course of treatment:
After patiently listening to his story about the occurrence and development of pain and the whole process of examination and treatment in various medical institutions, he analyzed the basis of diagnosis in detail and pointed out his personality defects. After obtaining their informed consent, appropriate anti-anxiety, anti-depression and anti-compulsion drugs were used in combination with hypnotherapy. After a week or two, the symptoms began to gradually ease and lasted for more than three months. The clinical curative effect has reached the standard of recovery and returned to the original living and working state.
Follow-up after one year: healthy, now talking about girlfriends, full of life, able to complete the work. Thanks again for helping him regenerate!
[Edit this paragraph] A method that will not spread AIDS.
Daily life and work contact will not spread HIV. HIV is a very fragile virus with weak resistance to the external environment. After leaving the human body, the survival time at room temperature is very short. Therefore, general contact with HIV-infected people and patients in work and life, such as shaking hands, hugging, eating, using labor tools, office appliances, coins, etc., will not be infected with AIDS.
AIDS will not spread through public facilities such as toilet seats, telephones, tableware, bedding, swimming pools or public baths. Coughing and sneezing will not spread AIDS.
Mosquito bites do not spread AIDS. In other words, as long as you control your sexual behavior; Do not take drugs; Do not blindly use blood products; If you don't go to unsanitary and irregular places to do tattoos and other things that may spread blood, you don't have to live in fear Fear is unnecessary.