Sunday, December 5, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Stigma and HIV
The stigma associated with HIV-AIDS has resulted in persons disassociating with the disease. This can be seen in increase in HIV and newly diagnosed AIDS cases. AIDS is a sign that HIV has gone undiagnosed because of lack of care. HIV testing is an important component to the prevention of HIV/AIDS. Education and awareness about HIV testing will result in lowering the statistics of newly diagnosed cases and preventing the spread of this disease. The stigma that's associated with HIV/AIDS needs to be broken down; these barriers that influence a person’s decision about HIV testing are the very catalyst that has given rise to this epidemic. The focus of implementing a strategy to reduce this stigma will allow for educational and prevention programs to increase HIV testing. Awareness through media campaigns and outreach programs will help in developing this goal. Other concerns are people who are living with HIV and are not in care because of the fear of prejudice and discrimination. Children who are afraid to disclose their HIV status to their loved ones, professionals who are afraid of losing their positions in society and community leaders who lose respect because of this surrounding stigma. A campaign during the 1980's recognized the effects stigma has on ones health entitled Silence equals Death. It was recognized that people were ignoring the obvious about the importance of HIV prevention and health issues regarding treatment. Today we know that there are medications that help prevent the disease from escalating into full-blown AIDS and keeping people healthier longer. However there is a large population of people who still believe HIV does not affect them because of lack of knowledge. A media campaign will help reach people in understanding the importance of HIV testing. The target population includes those people who are at risk and persons who have misconceptions of HIV transmission
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Place to exhale, take a deep breath
I have studied articles on frustration and anger, Wikipedia describes it as, a common emotional response to opposition.
We can identify it, put labels on it, cover it up, but eventually we may respond in a negative way, Our feelings get the best of us, Frustration can be considered a problem-response behavior, and can have a number of effects, depending on the mental health of the individual. In positive cases, this frustration will build until a level that is too great for the individual to contend with, and thus produce action directed at solving the inherent problem. In negative cases, however, the individual may perceive the source of frustration to be outside of their control, and thus the frustration will continue to build, leading eventually to further problematic behavior (e.g. violent reaction).
Stubborn refusal to respond to new conditions affecting the goal, such as removal or modification of the barrier, sometimes occurs. As pointed out by Brown, severe punishment may cause individuals to continue nonadaptive behavior blindly: “Either it may have an effect opposite to that of reward and as such, discourage the repetition of the act, or, by functioning as a frustrating agent, it may lead to fixation and the other symptoms of frustration as well. It follows that punishment is a dangerous tool, since it often has effects which are entirely the opposite of those desired”
(Wikipedia) frustration. I wanted to add this paragraph in at a time when appropriated, It's joggle seems too much to understand when it's simply easier to vent. What does this have to do with recovery or loss? everything. Here's your opportunity to get it out there, an honest approach. Truth will reveal the rooted feelings of frustration and anger.
We can identify it, put labels on it, cover it up, but eventually we may respond in a negative way, Our feelings get the best of us, Frustration can be considered a problem-response behavior, and can have a number of effects, depending on the mental health of the individual. In positive cases, this frustration will build until a level that is too great for the individual to contend with, and thus produce action directed at solving the inherent problem. In negative cases, however, the individual may perceive the source of frustration to be outside of their control, and thus the frustration will continue to build, leading eventually to further problematic behavior (e.g. violent reaction).
Stubborn refusal to respond to new conditions affecting the goal, such as removal or modification of the barrier, sometimes occurs. As pointed out by Brown, severe punishment may cause individuals to continue nonadaptive behavior blindly: “Either it may have an effect opposite to that of reward and as such, discourage the repetition of the act, or, by functioning as a frustrating agent, it may lead to fixation and the other symptoms of frustration as well. It follows that punishment is a dangerous tool, since it often has effects which are entirely the opposite of those desired”
(Wikipedia) frustration. I wanted to add this paragraph in at a time when appropriated, It's joggle seems too much to understand when it's simply easier to vent. What does this have to do with recovery or loss? everything. Here's your opportunity to get it out there, an honest approach. Truth will reveal the rooted feelings of frustration and anger.
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