Good Essay About The Effects Of Cancer And HIV/AIDS

Terminal aliments have a laundry list of detrimental effects that play out. Everything from the initial shock to the dire reality of planning one’s final moments all play into the extreme stress that comes from these situations. However, those issues do not only play out with the person that has the sickness, but they have a big effect on the family and friends of said person as well. In the end, diseases such as cancer, HIV and Aids do damage to more than just the host body.
This conversation must begin with the repercussions that are felt on the individual with the disease. They are known to go through so many different emotions from the time of diagnosis. Everything from remorse, self-hatred and disdain hits their mind when they are told they are facing the reality that they might die. However, there have been some interesting notes through research as to the differences of response within the sexes.
Masculinity has played a part in how men are affected by the matter. The stereotype of the strong male is known to “force” them into a position in which they must act like they do not need support or help. Even in matters as serious as these health issues. Behaving in such a way can cause more damage than good in the end. One of the ways in which doctors suggest that individuals begin to cope is through the support of their closest family and friends. Those individuals will be able to help keep the person’s mind off of things – while that is an extremely difficult job – and help them remain in high spirits. Research has shown that people who have a positive attitude about their potential for survival have done better against cancer.
Unfortunately, for men, they may believe that they are appearing “weak” and will not open themselves up to this support. That is a major mistake when dealing with cancer and will harm their overall ability to defeat this disease. When faced with this situation, men should be open to the support of their friends and family because this is a major impact on their health. Intervention type groups will let that person know they are loved and not truly going through this problem on their own. That reality has strong benefits on their defeating cancer.
HIV and Aids are two other diseases that cause a massive tremor of emotions through the person and their family. The initial diagnosis can cause a person to immediately believe they have received a death sentence. The same goes for the family and friends that are close to them. Some individuals are even afraid to divulge this information within their relationships out of fear of a negative reaction. Diseases such as HIV and Aids come with such massive social stigmas that people do not know how to cope with their diagnosis.
Interventions are another method that is used to help deal with said stigma and build the relationships that these individuals already have with their friends and family. Richard Straub speaks very highly of their effectiveness in helping individuals know that their mental health plays an important role in their physical health during these trying times. Bringing everyone together and having them express their concern and positive energy on the patient goes a long way in strengthening their emotional resolve. Straub believes in leaning on the strength of these psychosocial interventions because those networks have been shown to impact how people are able to take to the treatments that are given for these illnesses.
A person’s mental health goes a long way in dealing with their physical health. When facing life-threatening diseases such as cancer, HIV or Aids, the patient must be open to leaning on their network of friends and family for moral support. Doing so will help them know that they are not facing this battle alone. As with any battle, going in with the most number of comrades possible will increase the person’s chance of success.