 |
   
|
  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Breaking the Silence Again: Why We ALL Need to Care About HIV/AIDSBy Elizabeth Lombino June 22, 2011
Okay, this blog entry is directed at those who are not actively involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. For those who are active and would like to persuade others to join us, please share it with them. We are all well aware of the need to maintain our voice in this fight; we also need to recruit new members to share our mission and passion! HIV/AIDS affects all of us. Some of you may doubt this statement so let me elaborate. HIV/AIDS does not discriminate, nor does it target any one specific group of people. This is a false assumption and it's a huge myth that we all must work to combat. Here's why: many of my fellow professionals, colleagues and friends are also parents or we have strong connections with little members of our families. It is our job as parents, caregivers and loving family members to protect and educate our children. For a variety of reasons (think abstinence-only education) HIV/AIDS has started to become silent again. HIV infection rates are soaring among young people. Many youngsters are once again embracing the myths that were prominent in the early years of the epidemic. Ones like "You can tell someone has AIDS just by looking at them." Or "I can't get AIDS -- it only happens to 'those people.'" And sadly, many parents of these children are under-educated and embracing the myths as well. Denial and avoidance are becoming trendy parenting strategies again. As Weinergate has clearly showed us, even the most intelligent people can experience a major lapse in good judgment. At the same time, it is so important for us to all combat the stigma surrounding those living with HIV/AIDS. This intense stigma can feed into the spread of misinformation. Many of us have uttered the words "that can't happen to me." Whether it's HIV, a car accident, a bounced check, or someone unfriending you on Facebook, many of us live in denial or view our own life as somehow superior to others to avoid what could very easily become a reality. This stigma fuels the stereotypes surrounding HIV/AIDS. It also leaves those living with HIV/AIDS feeling isolated and hopeless in their own reality. To that end, we all need to advocate for the continued improvements in medications and other medical treatments related to HIV/AIDS. This is the only way we will ensure the continued improved health of those living with HIV/AIDS. This is also one powerful way to prevent further spread of HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS cannot become silent again. We must continue to combat the myths and misinformation surrounding this disease. We need to work to reduce the stigma associated with those living with HIV/AIDS. We must demand more comprehensive education. We need to break denial and confront our behaviors and those of our children. We need to be real and open and accept the world we live in. The disease of HIV/AIDS needs to be eradicated. Those living with HIV/AIDS need to be embraced. Let's all live like it's 2011 -- not 1981. Get e-mail notifications every time Elizabeth's blog is updated.
Add Your Comment:
(Please note: Your name and comment will be public, and may even show up in
Internet search results. Be careful when providing personal information! Before adding your comment, please read TheBody.com's Comment Policy.) |
BLOG:
Spread Hope  Elizabeth Lombino As a Social Worker, I have been providing mental health treatment to HIV-positive adults for over 10 years. I received my master's in Social Work from Columbia University. Also, I write about HIV/AIDS advocacy and present at national conferences on the issues related to HIV/AIDS to professionals and students. Through writing and presenting, I can better advocate for the issues that I see with my clients every day. Living with HIV/AIDS can be a daily struggle with many unique challenges. My goal with this blog is to provide a sort of cyber therapy space for you to learn some skills and tools to better cope with these challenges. Hopefully you will gain confidence and look at life in new ways. Through humor, hope, sarcasm, education, and other therapeutic tools, let me help you live a happier life! So sit back, relax, and let's start relieving some stress! Check out Elizabeth's Web site Subscribe to Elizabeth's Blog:
Recent Posts:
June 27, 2012 - Let's Talk About Sex, Drugs and HIV: A Blog Entry by Elizabeth Lombino
May 4, 2012 - Addiction Treatment and Las Vegas, Perfect Together?! A Blog Entry by Elizabeth Lombino March 20, 2012 - The Invisible Lives of Homeless LGBTQ Youth: A Blog Entry by Elizabeth Lombino June 22, 2011 - Breaking the Silence Again: Why We ALL Need to Care About HIV/AIDS -- A Blog Entry by Elizabeth Lombino June 3, 2011 - Hope for the Future: The 30th Anniversary of AIDS -- A Blog Entry by Elizabeth Lombino A Brief Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by TheBody.com's bloggers are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheBody.com itself. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Body: About The Body | Contact The Body | Content Policy | Content Providers | Advertise With Us | Site Map The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 500 5th Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10110. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Email
Comments
Print-Friendly
Glossary
Subscribe
