This might actually be one of the most misunderstood topics that we've ever discussed. HIV/AIDS is one of the most incredibly devastating viruses that has ever affected humanity. Almost 40,000,000 people worldwide have it today, and there's still no cure and over time, there's been a lot of misinformation and crazy things said about it, what it means to have it, what it is itself, so let's put those to bed right now. In this article, I'm going to take seven of the most commonly believed myths that you likely still believe about HIV/AIDS and explain the truth behind them. This is seven myths you still believe about
HIV/AIDS.
1. HIV and AIDS are the same things.
Okay, let's start off with this one that says that the two medical issues that we're covering, HIV and AIDS are actually one and the same. The thing is HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, weakening it by infecting cells and causing serious damage to their functions. HIV is typically spread through sexual activities or sharing of needles with an already infected person. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS is what untreated HIV can transform into, but it's considered a different ailment. When a person has AIDS, their immune system is compromised and therefore, they can't fight off other infections that we'd normally be able to beat. This can lead to illness, severe health conditions, and of course, death.
2. Only certain people get HIV or AIDS.
We're always hearing how certain people are the ones to get AIDS. Whether it's a certain race, sexual orientation, or people from broken families or from the streets, the stereotype has been applied to a number of groups, but it doesn't matter who you are or where you're from. If you don't practice safe sex or decide to share needles, you run the risk of getting the HIV virus from someone. In fact, you can get it the very first time that you have sex and HIV definitely doesn't discriminate.
3. You can tell when someone has HIV or AIDS.
This half-truth stems from the images people see on safe sex commercials and posters, the pale weak individuals in the hospital bed clinging to life, but the truth is, that's not an appropriate representation. Many people live life completely unaware that they're actually carrying the virus, which is often how it spreads so easily. The truth is more often than not, it's nearly impossible to tell if someone is HIV positive or not, so the best thing that you can do is to practice safe sex and if you're already sexually active, get tested regularly. You could be not only saving other people's lives, but your own in the process.
4. You can get HIV from saliva or sweat.
This next myth delves into how HIV is spread, claiming that if you're breathing around HIV-positive people or you hug them or kiss them or even get their sweat on you, you could be infected, but that is absolutely not true. Extensive research into HIV shows that the virus is not airborne. It cannot be transmitted through saliva or sweat and cannot be given to you by touching the same thing as the infected person, such as a door handle. HIV is spread strictly through internal fluids and even then cannot enter the body unless it's an open orifice or an open wound.
5. You can get HIV from mosquitoes.
Well, if the virus can be spread from one person to another through blood, then being bitten by the same mosquito would obviously transmit it, right? Well, actually, no. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in an effort to better understand how HIV spreads, conducted a number of studies in areas where multiple cases of AIDS and large mosquito populations were present. They concluded that HIV actually cannot be carried from one living host to another through mosquitoes or any other insects for that matter. Now, that doesn't mean that insects can't carry other potentially deadly viruses, it only means HIV isn't one of them.
6. Two people with HIV can have healthy unprotected sex.
This falsehood says that if two HIV-infected people are involved in a sexual relationship and are completely loyal to each other, then they don't need to worry about practicing safe sex. The idea being that, you know, they already have the disease. However, the fact is that is not a wise course of action. For starters, when it comes to relations being between a man and a woman, pregnancy is still a possibility, but an even bigger point is that there are different strains of HIV and research shows that infection with another strain, potentially an even deadlier one, is completely possible. On top of all of that, the risk of transmitting a separate STI is also possible, so even if you don't see the risk, it's best always to be safe.
7. Having HIV/AIDS is a death sentence.
All right, let's finish this one off with a little positive information and maybe, to spread a message of hope. While it's true that many years ago when AIDS was relatively unknown, the death toll was high, but the understanding of the condition today has greatly reduced that rate. Advancements in knowledge and antiretroviral drugs and support systems have led to those infected to not only live longer, but lead more productive normal lives. More and more people living with HIV have the resources and support to stay healthy and avoid getting AIDS and even those that progress to having AIDS are seeing more and more options being available to them all the time. These conditions are not a death sentence anymore and that's called ending on a positive note.
Thank you guys so much for reading. If you want to learn anything more about what I talked about in this article, be sure to check out my sources below. And if you enjoyed this article and you learned something, be sure to share and be sure to
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Source:
- http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/top-10-myths-misconceptions-about-hiv-aids
- https://www.buzzfeed.com/thebodydotcom/15-myths-about-hiv-and-the-facts-to-debunk-them-crey?utm_term=.vc5qWp9O9#.vc5qWp9O9
- http://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/misconceptions-about-hiv-aids
- http://www.avert.org/hiv-transmission-prevention/myths
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