HIV and Mental Health

HIV/AIDS

Mental health professionals encounter special populations on a regular basis in the community.  This does not change when that professional is a forensic psychologist.  A population that is regularly encountered in correctional settings is HIV positive individuals.  Some come in with knowledge of their serostatus, while others test positive during the initial intake process.  This can be a very challenging time during the individuals’ life, facing their own mortality and realizing that their past behaviors have lead them to this diagnosis.  The role of the forensic psychologist includes helping the individual come to terms with their status and to face their own mortality head on.  They can also help them prepare for death if they are in the final stage (AIDS) and have been moved to hospice style care.  They also help with issues of stigma that commonly occurs when people discover their HIV status.  Stigma usually comes in one of three forms according to Hanser and Mire (2011) a common reaction when someone discovers they are HIV positive is fear and apprehension, there is symbolic stigma that occurs when people’s perceptions of how they became infected comes into play, and lastly there is courtesy related stigma which is faced by loved ones, friends and other associates that help or befriend the infected individual.     

Ethical issues when serving the HIV positive community can be quite challenging and special care should be taken when treating these individuals.  Since HIV is often associated with the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community and social issues can come into play.  Other social issues that arise are civil liberties, public health concerns, confidentiality, autonomy, discrimination, and conflict of interest.  These have to be handled with great care and addressed immediately if any arise.  With correctional settings being such closed environments if the word gets out that someone is infected it can spread like wildfire and the infected individual will face stigma and discrimination from not only the other inmates but possibly the staff as well. 

Existential Therapy (ET) is often used with HIV infected individuals.  This approach is philosophical based that is done in three phases.  The first phase the offender will be taught to take a look at how their actions have shaped their lives and to take a very close look at their own immortality (Hanser, 2011).  The second phase the offender closely examines the source and authority of their present value system and the last is the professional teaching them how to put what they have learned into action (Hanser, 2011).  The therapist will conduct some grief counseling and will go help them through the five stages of grief.  

References 

Hanser R. D., Mire S. M. (2011) Correctional Counseling.  Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, New York