The impact of HIV-positive diagnosis on the individual, Part 1: Stigma, rejection, and loneliness

The growing incidence of HIV infection and AIDS has generated panic, fear, anxiety, and negative attitudes among the general public. As an illness, HIV infection and AIDS have become the new sources of stigma. This article explores the stigma, rejection, and loneliness of 25 individuals with known HIV-infection/AIDS, who were interviewed using a set of open-ended questions. The results indicated that the HIV-positive diagnosis had a profound impact on the individual's psychosocial aspects of life, particularly interactions with others. Most of those infected by the virus were lonely, had to cope with stigmatization, and suffered disruption of family and peer relationships. They were confronted with prolonged uncertainty about their lives and experienced intense, constant fear of disclosure of their illness and of being rejected by society, yet they were not always able to discuss these fears and anxieties openly with friends or family.