![What is HIV](https://mahasoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/IMG_20210724_222904.jpg)
In this blog post, we will discuss what is HIV/AIDS and how to counsel them. HIV/AIDS is one of the most serious health problems affecting India today. Millions of people were living with HIV/AIDS in India; the second largest number after Africa in the world. If nothing is done now, by 2015; the situation in India might be worse than in African Countries.
Many people have died from this disease, and at the same time, the AIDS patients are increasing year by year. The Government and Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s) and few others are responding to this disease and many books; pamphlets, articles have been published to educate and create awareness among the people.
In the Church, pastoral care and counselling have a major role to play along with the other organization.
What is HIV/AIDS?
AIDS is the abbreviation for Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome, a complex of diseases and symptoms, resulting from immunodeficiency due to a virus infection called human immune deficiency virus (HIV).
The term ‘AIDS’ comes from the fact that illness is acquired from some other person; rendering the body’s immune system deficient; so that a syndrome or group of illnesses takes hold of the person and result in progressive disease.
HIV is blood-borne, and the main route of infection is sexual. As the disease spread from individual to individual; it becomes clear that blood or blood products from infected people could pass on HIV.
Drug- abusers have been infected through sharing injecting- equipment contaminated by infected blood. Babies have become infected from their HIV-positive mother during pregnancy or birth and occasionally through breast milk.
The Counsellor and HIV/AIDS
The counsellor needs to understand the distinction between HIV and AIDS; not only because of the different challenges involved in responding to the person in these distinct categories; but also because of the serious social and legal complications associated with having the illness.
Instead of talking about AIDS, we could speak of HIV infected because many who have been infected with HIV have not yet moved into full-blown AIDS. Instead of talking about a person dying of a viral infection; we could speak of living with this infection.
Instead of saying terminal illness, we could speak of life-threatening illness since the term terminal speaks of the sickness; in terms of finality without any hope which betrays our attitudes towards this illness and death itself.
We need to keep in mind that no one dies of AIDS; but people die because of the depressed immune system which is vulnerable to opportunities infections. Instead of speaking about ‘risk group’ we could speak of ‘risk activities’ since the entire sexually active person are ‘at risk’.
HIV and AIDS Pastoral Counselling
Firstly
The pastoral carers must be relationship builders. It has been shown above that counselling is a relationship (counsellor-client) that facilitates the client’s growth. In this instance, the relationship is between the pastoral caregiver and the HIV and AIDS affected person or people.
A good relationship with people living with HIV is necessary for them to open up. The counsellor will in this way facilitate the growth of the HIV-positive individual. Facilitation means creating a favourable environment toward positive growth in the person living with HIV and AIDS.
Growth here means that the pastoral counsellor will aim at enabling the client to make changes toward living positively with the HIV status.
Secondly
The pastoral carer should not have a condemnatory attitude toward people living with HIV. Even if the person thinks that he or she has sinned emphasis should rather be placed on acceptance; forgiveness and reconciliation to God and His people.
The pastoral carer has the challenge to speak grace and acceptance to humans residing with HIV. He/she need to embody a gracious posture of compassion. The Bible is replete with examples of people who sinned and were in the end forgiven by using God.
A number of them are heroes of religion such as Abraham (Gen 20) and King David (2 Sam 11-12; Ps 51). The woman stuck in adultery in John chapter 8 can also use for instance of God’s choice to pardon people who come to him in repentance in place of punishing and Condemn them (cf. 1 John 1:8-9).
Thirdly
The pastoral caregiver should emerge as a “companion on the journey of people living with HIV. It is not sufficient to show acceptance and compassion to people living with HIV. There will always be a need to console and practically help people living with HIV as they grapple with a lot of uncertainties; and declining physical health as the disease progresses.