Depression and exercise with patients suffering from HIV

 

Introduction

            AIDS is a chronic disease which affects large numbers of people. People who are affected by the virus can perform exercises to their bodies for them to live long, strong and healthy. People affected by the virus can eat healthy diets, control their stress levels efficiently, enough and adequate sleep and have exercises regularly. These will enable them live more and maintain health status.

Relationship between HIV and Exercises

            Various research and analysis show that people living with the HIV virus that practices regular exercises increase the amount of blood in their bodies and reduce the chances of getting the AIDS disease (Lemura, 2004, p.475). Exercises are not only practiced at the gyms as many people believe. Exercises can be practiced at various homes with the presence of instructors such that people living with this condition easily exercise their bodies. Exercises done should be enjoyable and right to the patients. The first choice of the exercise to start with is important such that a wrong choice of the exercise will impact negatively to the HIV victim (Lemura, 2004, p.475). Exercises should be made enjoyable and which one can handle since exercises play a major role in regulating multiplication of the HIV virus in the body.

Importance of Exercises

            Exercises are important even to people not living with the condition. Exercises make the body remain active and healthy. It burns away the amounts of cholesterol and unwanted fats by the body. Exercises enable the body to remain with the required amounts of cholesterol and fats. Exercises are important for infected people since they reduce the level of blood pressure and control the heart bits rate (Frontera, et al, 2006, p.262). Exercises enable easier breathing by controlling the lungs. The lungs ensure that the right amount of oxygen required in the body is available. This is made possible by exercising the body regularly. Exercises reduce the depression and stress level as both the body and mind are occupied by the exercises. Exercises ensure that the body is free from other chronic diseases such as cancer, stroke, high blood pressure and heart infections and diseases. Exercises are therefore important for the body and should be performed on daily basis. To avoid multiplication of the virus to the whole body, infected people should practice enjoyable exercises daily. Stress is also reduced through exercises (Frontera, et al, 2006, p.262). There are times when the infected person should not exercise. If the body is in pain one should not exercise because it leads to more injury. At times joints can swell, one can feel extremely tired and dizzy, and one can have sores all over the body. This are times when one should not exercises because exercising will not easy the pain. When the infected person feels tired and dizzy at the midst of the exercise, one should not continue with the exercise. The infected person should call his doctor for treatment and examination purposes. The doctor should then recommend the appropriate exercises for the patient. Though exercises are crucial, at times the body is resistant and should not be forced because negative consequences are likely to be suffered (Frontera, et al, 2006, p.262).

Exercise Guidelines for Infected People

            One should not overdo the exercise. This will stress the body and can make the health deteriorate. At first simple exercises should be performed which do not require much energy loss. The exercising time should be adjusted and followed without any overdo. The diet should be healthy and drinking made regular. Drinks should be made a priority in people living with the condition. They should drink water before and after exercises so that the liquid lost from the body cab be replaced immediately. Alcohol and other unhealthy drinks should be avoided as they make the body weak (Volberding, 2008, p.274). Healthy food should be consumed in order to avoid loss of weight since exercises makes the body loose weight. Meals should be eaten before the exercise time in order to enable the body to remain active. Weight training is necessary for infected people. Cardiovascular trainings and exercises are required as they boost the rate of oxygenation and blood flow within the body. Such trainings include dancing, jogging and swimming which are enjoyable and interesting. These exercises do not require much energy thus infected people prefer them (Volberding, 2008, p.274). Walking over measurable distances, using stairs to reach tall buildings instead of lifts and escalators are examples of activities which helps the body remain active and healthy even at old age.

Relationship of Depression and HIV

            Depression affects infected patients in a negative way. Depression is an illness which causes more injury to the already infected person. There are several signs of depression which people should look out for in order to assist the infected people. Constant loss of appetite, sadness and lack of interest in enjoyable and interesting activities, constant tiredness and dizziness, suicidal and death thoughts are examples of signs and symptoms of depression and stress. Other infected people feel hopeless and worthless which amounts to total depression (Buckley, & Gluckman, 2002, p.213). Once the patient is depressed, treatment is started immediately and can take a long time to be cured. Medications and therapies are advocated to such depressed patients. They are encouraged to have ample sleeping time rest. Patients are required to have regular exercises which enable the body to remain occupied and active. The patients who are depressed often require care from their families. Families should show love and treat infected people well as a way of keeping them free from stress. Constant distress contributes to negative impacts not only to the body but to the mind as well. Depression as an illness causes death thereby it needs to be avoided.

Treatment and Ways of Reducing Depression

            Psychiatrist and psychologist should encourage infected people on ways of practicing and living healthy lives. Infected people should avoid drug abuse as this encourages depression (Fernandez, & Ruiz, 2006, p.93). Alcohol and other substances should not be consumed by infected people as a way of maintaining their health status strong and for long term basis. The required dosage and medication given to the infected patients should be administered right and followed according to the doctors prescriptions. Depression should be avoided since it can result to mental illnesses. No matter the extent of HIV virus, patients’ should not suffer depression problems. The right therapy and treatment should be followed constantly (Fernandez, & Ruiz, 2006, p.93). Medical checkups are needed where doctors should examine the patients to ensure that they remain healthy and can perform activities as if they are not sick.

Conclusion

            Treatment takes time but it should be completed. AIDS patients should attend guidance and counseling sessions as well as nutrition clinics in order to ensure good health. HIV is just like any other illness and infected people should not be left hopeless and isolated. With healthy diets, medical checkups and regular exercises the infected people always remain strong.

 

References

Buckley, R. M., & Gluckman, S. J. 2002. HIV infection in primary care. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders

Fernandez, F., & Ruiz, P. 2006. Psychiatric aspects of HIV/AIDS. Philadelphia, PA, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.        

Frontera, W. R., Slovik, D. M., & Dawson, D. M. 2006. Exercise in rehabilitation medicine. Leeds, Human Kinetics.

Lemura, L. M. 2004. Clinical exercise physiology: application and physiological principles. Philadelphia [u.a.], Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Volberding, P. 2008. Global HIV/AIDS medicine. Philadelphia, PA, Saunders/Elsevier.