You and your team are dealing everydays with HIV/AIDS related issues. What do you do to remain mentally healthy and to do not become paranoid

If you are referring to paranoia about HIV infection, it is important to remember that people who work in HIV-related services have a wide range of personal experiences. Some are infected, some aren't, some have dealt with HIV in their communities, and some have had minimal personal connection to it. So it's difficult to answer your question in a specific manner.

One thing I can tell you: the more work one does in this field, the more one realizes that HIV is not transmitted from one person to another in any magical, mysterious way. One also learns that there are measures one can take to prevent infection pretty successfully. But you also have to realize that, if you are sexually active, you are always going to have some level of concern about sexually transmitted infections.

Like I've said in this forum many times, certain people are more predisposed to anxiety than others. In those cases, simple explanations or facts don't always make the worries go away. Getting additional support is key here: psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, strong social networks, religion/spirituality, and commmunity based services are all important resources.

RMK