HIV and Teens: The Transition Into Adulthood

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Physical Changes
• Mental Development
• Social and Emotional Growth
• Support for the HIV+ Teen

Introduction

The teen years bring a variety of physical, mental, and emotional changes that can be both exciting and challenging. For you, a teen living with HIV (HIV+), the transition into adulthood can be even more challenging because you have to live and cope daily with a chronic illness. Life may seem overwhelming at times. However, learning about teen development and how these changes affect your feelings and behavior can help make things a little easier.

Physical Changes

A teen's body grows faster than any time since infancy. During a "growth spurt," a boy can add four inches of height and a girl three inches of height. Body weight increases, too, although boys tend to add more muscle, while girls add more fat. During puberty, hormonal changes in boys can cause a deeper voice, facial hair, and hair under the arms and in the pubic area. Girls begin to develop breasts, get fuller hips, and grow underarm and pubic hair. Even the brain is growing.

It is common for teens to feel self-conscious about these changes, especially if they grow at a faster or slower rate than their peers. HIV+ teens may also have additional physical issues. If you are starting new HIV drugs, you may have some uncomfortable side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, muscle pain, or fatigue. Usually these go away after the first two or three weeks as your body adjusts to the new drugs. Sometimes HIV drugs can cause a body change called lipodystrophy. This is a weight gain in the central part of your body, such as your stomach, chest, shoulders, and waist, but at the same time, a loss of fat in the face, arms, legs, hips, and buttocks. These body changes may also make you feel self-conscious about your appearance.

While increased growth makes it important for all teens to eat a healthy diet, it is important for you to make a special effort to protect your immune system by eating a balanced diet, getting enough rest, and exercising regularly.

Mental Development

In addition to physical growth, your mental processes of perception, memory, and judgment will develop during your teen years, as will your emotional and decision-making abilities. Even HIV+ adults find that taking HIV drugs every day can be annoying, hard to remember, and maybe difficult to hide from others. HIV drugs can be a constant reminder of your disease. In addition, you may be embarrassed about regular school absences that you take to visit your health care provider. All of this may make you feel more self-conscious and sensitive to what others may think of you.

It is common for many teens to think that things happen and people react in certain ways because of them or something they did. Sometimes, unfortunately, this can lead to feelings of low self-esteem. Teens who do not feel good about themselves are more vulnerable to peer-pressure and more likely to make poor decisions about their health. They may seek the approval of others (peers) to make up for not having a positive view of themselves.

As a result, they may be more tempted to use drugs or alcohol, or to engage in unsafe sexual activity. Those with self-esteem problems may also experience problems with depression, or have suicidal thoughts. If this is true for you, talk to your health care provider or another trusted adult. There are many ways to get help with depression, feeling more confident about yourself, and making good decisions.