However, there is more to this disease other than suffering from its symptoms alone, and that is the reactions of the people around. From the time HIV/ADIS was identified, this epidemic dilemma is accompanied by social responses like stigma, denial, fear and discrimination. For unlike sexual diseases like Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes Zoster and more, HIV/AIDS from this present time don’t have a remedy. With this, it then brings fear to the people of such death that awaits to all if infected. For others, HIV/AIDS brought them compassion, solidarity and support, bringing out the best in people, their families and communities, but, we cannot deny the fact that it also brings negative responses. That it also associates stigma, repression and discrimination to the persons infected.

All around the world, persons living with HIV/AIDS faces many problems in their society. This includes not only the risk of losing the people close to them but also losing their reputation as an individual. Being treated differently likens one to an unwanted animal. Discrimination is the unfair treatment to these persons for they still are human beings like us. This happens because people are not knowledgeable enough of the virus—HIV. We know that we can easily be infected by such disease but in certain ways. Others may have the wrong understanding on how to acquire the virus that results to other forms of discrimination like; avoiding shaking of hands, sharing the same glass or plate and kissing. These acts cannot infect others with the virus but because a lot of people are still ignorant about the disease, it then leads to discrimination.

Another problem the infected people encounter is the unfairness towards their work, housing and education. Regarding their work, if ever an employer finds out an employee is taking medication for such disease; it will most likely result for the employee to be looking for another job. Although it deeply depends on what type of workplace the infected person is into, still it affects the working relationship with their workmates, which leads to harassment and results to discontinue working there. Same to those landlords that forbid HIV positive persons to rent their place and infected students who get kicked out of school for this reason.

We cannot allow this to progress any longer; we have to put a halt on this stigma and discrimination towards the AIDS victims. We have to change the attitude of the people’s view about AIDS, and we know that the root cause of such an act is because of lack of knowledge and understanding towards the disease. In short, people need to be educated. We cannot rely on the policy or law enforced in overcoming this negative act; it has to come out initially from us. People in the community must work together in doing such a task. We have to let everyone be aware of all the necessary things, there is to be done. For in doing so, we not only help the infected ones and the whole community but also ourselves.

This has nothing to do with being good or bad in doing such an act. This is all about education and changing our behavior towards it. The only way to stop the stigma and discrimination, aside from understanding the disease itself is when we see the HIV/AIDS people as a person like everyone else, with challenges to face, and hopes and dreams for the future.

• Due to media sensationalism and lack of information, many people believe that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) only affects the gay population. This myth that keeps coming back has been disproved by health professionals because the truth is, HIV can be contracted by anybody of any age (even babies can get this virus too), ethnicity or sexual orientation from blood-to-blood contact, sharing of needles with an infected person and unsafe sexual activity. Although generally penetrative sex acts carry a risk of transmitting HIV, there is a higher risk of contracting HIV through anal than vaginal sex due to a much weaker lining of the rectum than that of the vagina. Ordinary condoms are also not reliable when used in anal sex because they tend to easily tear apart.
• Having HIV doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to die. Diagnosed HIV patients can now live longer and have a healthy life compared in the past, thanks to the medical breakthroughs.
• It is true that you can get HIV from oral sex. Whether sex is penetrative or receptive, as long as it is unprotected, you can get the virus. HIV can be transmitted from one person to another through exchange of bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk. Thus, make sure you don’t get any vaginal secretions (including menstrual blood) or semen in your mouth because if you do, you make a very strong and perfect candidate of getting HIV.
• The difference between HIV and AIDS is that HIV is a virus, which may lead to AIDS while the latter is a group of diseases that the body cannot fight off. Therefore, they are not the same.
• Unfortunately, a cure or a vaccine for HIV has not been found and discovered yet. HIV medications only control the virus but do not get rid of them.
• To confirm your suspicions if you have been infected, it is very important to have yourself tested immediately. Not only will an early diagnosis help you but you will also be able to prevent the spread to other people. However, you have to wait at least 3 months to have yourself tested for HIV after having unsafe sex. But if you insist to get tested right away, your results may be inaccurate since HIV antibodies may take up to 12 weeks to be developed.
• HIV does not affect fertility therefore; women infected with HIV can have children. A pregnant HIV infected woman can even have a healthy baby but the chances of transferring the disease to your child is normally 15-30% and reduced to 2-3% upon adhering to medical guidelines. So seek medical advice to discuss things with your doctor. You also need to know that HIV can be transmitted to your babies through breastfeeding.
• It is believed that Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), a pathogen circulating in Chimpanzees, is a predecessor of HIV, probably transferred to humans by means of blood contact during the hunting of an infected animal. The first ever recorded HIV death was in Congo in 1959.
• It is a faulty notion that swallowing bleach will kill HIV. This bizarre AIDS myth does not kill the virus but kills you.
• The widespread-forwarded email message stating madmen leaving syringes containing HIV infected blood to pass on a disease to innocent people are nothing but a lousy scare. Movie theater chairs, random injections at night clubs, coin slots on payphones and gas pump handles are all possible means to get the virus. However, none of them qualified as a real threat for there are no recorded instances of people acquiring the virus through any of these methods. But if you are still worried to death about this matter, perhaps the following specifics can help you: first, the HIV virus cannot survive long enough outside its host hence discarded needles are not likely to be a danger and second, there is approximately a one in 200 chance of becoming infected with HIV even if injected with a syringe of fresh HIV infected blood.
• You cannot get AIDS via mosquito bites because the way mosquitoes spread the likes of yellow fever and malaria is not how the HIV is transmitted. Mosquitoes transmit through their saliva and not by injecting blood to their victims.
• Having one sexual partner does not save you from HIV. You’ll never know what your partner has done in the past so it pays to be careful and protect yourself always.

Hopefully this information will help the readers of this article to better understand a disease that has much half-truths.

AIDS will be a health problem for a long time. It is important for you to know how to avoid infection. As a young individual, you need to take responsibility for protecting your own health. Correct decisions and values can help avoid many serious problems later.

AIDS is a pandemic or global disease. There is growing evidence that HIV/ AIDS pandemic has reached the major areas of the world. The prevalence is increasing among persons with multiple sexual partners, such as among the commercial sex workers or prostitutes and men who have a male sex partner. This is also true to the intravenous (IV) drug users.

AIDS is deadly because there is no cure for it at present and there is no vaccine against it. It is accepted that one prevention strategy for AIDS is through education. Adolescence is the best time to learn about AIDS because of the secondary physical changes taking place. Adolescent tent to experiment with many types of behavior, some of which may be dangerous. It is hoped that education should fully inform you about HIV, AIDS, STD infection, transmission and prevention. This type of education should give you the opportunity to develop skills in making responsible decisions, particularly on your own sexual behavior. You have the right to say “no” to sex because you can get AIDS virus or HIV from even one sexual experience alone. Saying “no” now does not mean “no” forever. When you say “no”, you are postponing sex, and you are preparing to say “yes” later when you make a life-long decision in marriage.

The following are five ways that a person can get infected of AIDS:

• Having sex with someone who is infected with the AIDS virus.
• Sharing intravenous (IV) needles with someone who is infected with the virus.
• Receiving blood transfusion or blood products from someone who is infected with the AIDS virus.
• Using sperm from an infected donor for artificial insemination.
• Being born to a woman who is infected with the AIDS virus.

This means that you will not get AIDS/ HIV from a handshake, a hug , a cough or sneeze, sweat or tears, pets or eating food prepared or served by someone infected with the virus. Nor will you get it from using the toilet bowls and other facilities or swimming pools, food utensils, chairs or bus seats, drinking fountains or sport’s equipment.

The following signs and symptoms are present and common in other illnesses. However, in AIDS, they tend to be longer lasting or more severe. It is best to consult a qualified physician when any of these symptoms are felt:

• Unexplained and persistent fatigue
• Unexplained fever, chills, or night sweats for weeks
• Unexplained weight loss of more than ten pounds
• Swollen glands or enlarged lymph nodes for more than two weeks
• Persistent and unusual white spots in the mouth
• Persistent diarrhea
• Unusual bruises or bleeding

The person suffering from AIDS shows the following characteristics: pneumocystic carinii, which is an infection that produces pneumonia with shortness of breath, persistent dry cough, sharp chest pain and difficulty of breathing. Another problem is kaposis sarcoma, which is a form of skin cancer. It produces purple or brown lesions that do not heal. The lesions can occur on any part of the body, such as the nose, mouth or rectum. Meningitis can also occur.

Prevention is possible through information and education.  It should be designed to help young people like teens to modify behavior or to refrain from behavior that carries a risk to HIV infection. One should know how it spread and what virus can cause it.

One should attend counseling and similar social services in order to avoid the behavior that carries the risk of HIV transmission. One should understand, appreciate and practice the social norms and policies with respect to the rights and dignity of people infected with HIV and people with AIDS. In fact, the whole world is united against AIDS. There is a global mobilization to prevent AIDS in 140 countries, which are participating in and support in various programs to stop its spread. It is but best to remember that “PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!”