EPISODE 17 - Mental Health

Meet Renaldo Adams - an attractive gay man living with HIV and depression. Even before he learnt about his HIV positive status, Renaldo tells us how he didn't want to work, or see people and just wanted to sleep all day. Like many people who suffer from depression, Renaldo didn't recognize these symptoms as signs of depression, because he had never been depressed before. Looking back Renaldo realizes that this depression was a direct result of HIV. Renaldo was helped by the Centre for Men's Health where his despression was diagnosed and he started taking anti-depressants. They really helped him get out of the rut he was in. Once his mood was better he found the courage to tell his family about his HIV positive status. Like many people, Renaldo found that disclosure itself made him feel even better about himself. If you talk to others about your HIV status it really helps to start dealing with it and get over the shock. Now that he is on anti-depressants Renaldo is much happier and encourages everybody to treat their depression.

At the Ivan Toms Centre for Men's Health Dr Kevin Stoloff, a psychiatrist, explains that anybody can get depression. Depression is common in people with sever illnesses such as HIV.  The social circumstances around learning that one is HIV positive can cause depression. Worry caused by fear of death, concern for children and fear of stigma and disclosure of ones HIV status can all cause feelings of depression. But depression can also be caused HIV itself.  HIV can enter the brain and lodge itself in areas that can affect your mood.  Kevin emphasizes that talking and taking medication for depression work together to make one feel in a better mood and more able to deal with yourself and the world.  If your depression is untreated it makes good adherence to ARVs much harder.

Ma Zondi, a manager at a health clinic, found that she was losing the ability to write properly. This was also because HIV has affected Ma Zondi's brain. It is very common. Dr Dinesh who helped Ma Zondi explains that HIV dementia may show itself as memory problems, problems with planning, and confused thinking. It can also show itself as lack of coordination in walking and speaking. Ma Zondi had a responsible job managing patients at a clinic. Her work performance suffered and she was in trouble with her supervisor.  Dr Dinesh pointed out that although she had a CD4 count of 350, HIV Dementia is an AIDS stage (stage 4) illness and that therefore Ma Zondi was entitled to start ARVs. Once Ma Zondi started on ARVs she quickly regained her full functionality and was able to continue with her job. Her story shows that its important to bring any symptom to your doctor, to test for HIV and start treatment.