The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a disease that should be brought to the minds of people in all age categories. There are many ways to avoid the dangers of contracting HIV. It doesn’t matter what age group you are trying to relate to when you talk to them, there is a way to tell them how to avoid the virus. Communication with teenagers, especially those who you feel are hanging with the wrong crowd, is important. Trust your gut when talking to them and trust that they will hear you and use what you say, there really is no other way to know they are going to do something to prevent HIV for themselves. Trust is a beautiful thing to use as a bond between parents and children and without that there is no way to really get down deep into their mind with your words. Most children, in truth, will not want to listen to their parents, however deep in their heart, if they have a fiber of knowing what you say could be the thing that turns them around.
There are 10 ways to explain to someone that there is a way to avoid contracting HIV. The 10 ways start with Self-esteem issues, open lines of communication, realizing why they performed the unsafe act, how HIV is contracted, knowing the Risk, Knowledge about condoms, Stressing the knowledge about the disease, explaining that just because you have never had it does not mean you can never get it, and finally explain to them some other ways to show affection other than sex and also what to do if they have already come in contact with it.
Self-Esteem Issues
Self-Esteem is a big factor in preventing HIV because if someone is depressed or sad, and feeling extremely low then they are more than likely going to do something that they may find out later was a mistake. Sex should never be performed by someone with low self-worth, if they are not conversant about their partners’ history. It may seem like just sex at the moment, on the other hand, you don’t know how that other person is and you don’t know what they do before or after you as well. If you are always telling someone that they are a good person or paying them compliments, it can help someone to look up to you and have a stronger possibility of listening to your words .
Communication
Talking is an excellent way to get through to another person, and is a strong factor in the prevention of HIV. Just through talking, you can find out needed information about past sex partners or practices. There may be telltale signs that show a person if they are IV drug users, however there are no signs that can tell someone if they are sexually active with more than a couple people. Talking is a two-way road and therefore both of the partners should disclose information about both of their lives, not just one. It’s alright to announce that you choose to use condoms, if they don’t want to use them, either buy the female condom or walk away.
Reasons Why Unsafe Acts Are Performed
There are reasons behind any act, safe or unsafe, whether it be boredom or simply not liking where your life is at that moment. If someone is hooked in IV drug use, they are obviously not happy with a part of their life that they need that feeling to get them through. Numerous amounts of sexual partners is simply a statement that screams out loud that they think badly of themselves and are looking for someone that will make them feel good, or just in a promiscuous habit and don’t want to look at how they really feel about themselves, for fear of not liking what they see. Talking will somehow, probably make someone step back and analyze why they do what they do. Many people look at protection as an insult to their partner or that they won’t get the same feeling with the use of a condom, so not true. Condoms are not thick enough to inhibit the feeling of the sensations. There are many other reasons, listed at http://aids.hallym.ac.kr/d/ss/3.html.
How is HIV contracted?
Many people have ideas as to how someone can contract HIV, such as on a toilet seat, or by kissing, but there are actually only five ways to contract the virus and they are: blood, semen, vaginal fluid, menstrual blood, and breast milk. There are also only three ways to transmit the virus. The only way for the risk of the virus to exist between two people is if one person has the virus, it must leave the person’s body by way blood, semen, vaginal fluid, etc. The virus needs to be able to enter the other person’s body also by entering the bloodstream. Without those three ways there is no reason to assume a risk for HIV. Those ways are through either unprotected sex either anal, oral, or vaginal, IV drug use, or a mother with HIV can transmit the virus to her baby through delivery and breast feeding.
Stress the Knowledge about the Disease
Knowledge is the key to set us free. If you are knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS, you may be less likely to interact with the virus. People should stress that the use of condoms is not enough, there are latex condoms, and lambskin condoms. Using a water based lubricant can ensure higher safety for those who do use latex condoms, and when you are cleaning up blood off of the floor, wear latex gloves.
Display of Condoms
There are a vast amount of different condoms to purchase on the market today. There are condoms for males and females, as well as condoms with latex and without latex. There are non-lubricated condoms as well as lubricated ones, textured and shaped. There are many other styles that we have come up with to allow everyone , no matter their preference, the availability to use them. Some condoms that are not lubricated should be used with a water based lubrication because natural lubrication is used up faster than artificial. Some condoms are actually better for certain types of sex, such as Trojan Non lubricated and Lifestyles. Non Lubricated are better for vaginal, oral or anal sex, however with anal they should definitely be used with a water-based lubricant.
Latex condoms that are lubricated use Nonoxynol 9, a spermicidal, and it lessens chances of pregnancy and STD’s, however it does not lessen the risk of HIV. Do not ever use this condom for oral sex for it can act as an anesthetic and numb your mouth as well as it is bad tasting. If they are irritating in any fashion do not use them for it will increase your chances of providing a path for HIV to be transmitted into your body. There are condoms that are sold to help add excitement by adding texture to the condom. It can add a level of excitement that regular condoms cannot. Stronger protection is based mostly to be used for anal sex, because it is made to not break as easily and Condoms with thinner rubber are made to feel more sensations. Scented condoms are used and made for oral sex only because if used in vaginal sex, it can cause yeast infections. For those males that are on the larger size, there are also condoms that are on the bigger size. They are made big enough so as to not strangle the male’s penis. There are even condoms out there that glow in the dark, for those who are into the glowing end of sex.
HIV will not be selective in deciding who to infect, it can infect everyone, whether married or not, gay or straight, male or female, short or tall. It will not discriminate against anyone, no matter the situation. It can affect anyone, no matter if it’s your first time or one hundredth time, it can still get you. Don’t think that just because you use condoms except for one time, you won’t contract the virus, it only takes once to slip in and infect you. It’s like a splinter, you can walk around in bare feet one day out of the year and just that day, you get a splinter. Once the splinter is out you could still get an infection. The only difference between a splinter and HIV is HIV takes longer to detect. Another thing to take into consideration is just because you may get HIV tested, does not indicate that you will never get HIV, it just means that you are closer to noticing it. You need to get tested as well as use prevention to be 100 percent sure.
There are ways to avoid intercourse if you are on the side to try abstinence to avoid HIV, and that includes avoiding all types of sex. There are ways to show love for someone without actually being with them, that includes hugging, rubbing up against someone or simply just holding hands. It doesn’t replace sex but it can intensify the feelings of love in the same token. If you are ever put in a position that will put you to suspect you may have gained HIV, such as a broken condom and the person has HIV, there is a form of Prevention called Post Exposure Prevention, however there is a time limit, you need to start the treatment within three days after the exposure.
Symptoms of HIV
There are some symptoms, according to HIV symptoms online, that you need to watch out for to be cautious of HIV. They include: Sudden weight loss, dry cough, recurrent fever or severe night sweats, Strong and constant fatigue that is without good reason, swollen lymph nodes in armpits, groin or throat, White spots in the mouth, tongue, or throat, Pneumonia, purplish blotches under skin or in mouth, nose or eyelids, sudden forgetfulness, or depression. There are records that show in San Francisco, there were 50 percent of people with HIV had Aids in ten years, 70 percent of people with HIV had Aids in fourteen years and of all the people that were suffering from AIDS , 94 percent were dead within five years. There are a timeline of how and what symptoms pop up at this link http://www.hivsymptomsonline.com/aids-symptoms.html
Everyone should be their own advocate and keep a close eye on their bodily symptoms. Call your physician if you feel that there may be a reason to worry. HIV symptoms are a warning sign for a disease that is going to change the rest of your life and the sooner you are aware of the symptoms, you can most likely take a hold of your chances to survive. Now is the time to change your lifestyle if you are at risk of having that situation that can put you at the hands of HIV. HIV and AIDS take a long while to show up in blood, so if you go to your doctor and they tell you that you are fine, get tested six months later to make sure.
Resources
http://www.hivsymptomsonline.com/aids-symptoms.html
http://aids.hallym.ac.kr/d/ss/1.html
