Advertisement
The Body: The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource Follow Us Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Download Our App
Professionals >> Visit The Body PROThe Body en Espanol
Home Page for TheBody.com, the Complete HIV/AIDS Resource What's New About HIV Ask the Experts About HIV HIV/AIDS Blogs Connect With Others About HIV Just Diagnosed With HIV HIV Treatment HIV Prevention Living With HIV Personal Stories of People With HIV
HIV/AIDS Blog Central

Eight Characteristics of Long-Term Survivors of HIV/AIDS

By Terri Wilder, M.S.W.

July 6, 2009

Hey everybody. At the beginning of June I volunteered for THRIVE! -- a one-day educational and empowerment workshop in Atlanta for people living with HIV. I love doing this workshop and think that it is a valuable guide for people on living a long life with HIV.

At THRIVE! I do a workshop called "THRIVING with HIV." It is based on a 1987 research study conducted by Dr. George Solomon and Dr. Lydia Temoshok on how the mind and emotions impact the immune system. The purpose of their study was to understand how "long-term survivors" of HIV are different from people who follow the expected course of HIV disease. Through their research they were able to identify eight characteristics among long-term survivors of HIV.

The eight characteristics are:

  1. They are realistic and accept their diagnosis and do not take it as a death sentence.
  2. They have a fighting spirit and refuse to be helpless/hopeless.
  3. They have changed lifestyles.
  4. They are assertive and have the ability to get out of stressful and unproductive situations.
  5. They are tuned into their own psychological and physical needs -- and they take care of them.
  6. They are able to talk openly about their illness.
  7. They have a sense of personal responsibility for their health, and look at the treating health care provider as a collaborator.
  8. They are altruistically involved with other persons with HIV.

After presenting the workshop, I started thinking about my friends who have lived long with HIV. They are all unique long-term "thrivers" and I wondered if they had any of the characteristics that the researchers identified. I decided to sit down with a few of them and ask them, "Why do you think you have lived so long and well with HIV?" I talked with Chris, Eva, and George and was amazed at the similarities between their lives and the characteristics identified by the researchers.

I hope you enjoy this blog and are able to use the information as a springboard to not only create a quality life ... but a long life as well!

Peace,
Terri

To contact Terri L. Wilder, MSW, email her at twilder@thebody.com

Mark S. King provided video editing for this blog


See Also
More on the Mind-Body Connection
 

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.)

Your Name:


Your Location:

(ex: San Francisco, CA)

Your Comment:

Characters remaining:
BLOG:
Working in the Frontlines of the HIV Pandemic Since 1989

Terri Wilder is a social worker who has worked in HIV for nearly two decades. She has written numerous articles about HIV, and has presented at HIV conferences around the United States. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in sociology at Georgia State University.


More About Terri:
Profile


Subscribe to Terri's Blog:

Subscribe by RSSBy RSS ?

Subscribe by Email


Recent Posts:

July 6, 2009 - Eight Characteristics of Long-Term Survivors of HIV/AIDS: A Blog Entry by Terri Wilder, M.S.W.

March 15, 2009 - Thoughts About Women and Oral Sex After Visiting the NYC Sex Museum: A Blog Entry by Terri Wilder, M.S.W.

September 25, 2008 - The Death of an HIV/AIDS Organization: A Blog Entry by Terri Wilder, M.S.W.

July 27, 2008 - Standing My Ground With Latex: A Blog Entry by Terri Wilder, M.S.W.

June 12, 2008 - Where Is the Martin Luther King Jr. of HIV? A Blog Entry by Terri Wilder, M.S.W.


Articles by Terri:

Are We Thinking About HIV and Older Adults?

Twenty-Seven Years of Women Living With HIV: Past, Present and Future (January 1, 2008)
To read PDF, click here

The Hidden Epidemic: White Women and HIV (September 2001)
From AIDS Survival Project

For the rest of Terri's articles, click here.


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.
Advertisement