Q) What is HIV/AIDS?

A.) HIV, which stands for Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus, is the viral cause of the world's most feared disease, AIDS. Once HIV has infected the body, it begins attacking the immune system, resulting in an increased susceptibility to common illnesses. HIV cannot be treated completely, only controlled and subdued using various drug treatments. Once the immune system has been damaged beyond a certain point by HIV, the diagnosis is AIDS or the Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome, for which there is no known cure or vaccine. AIDS further destroys the body's immune system giving germs that would not normally affect a healthy person the chance to cause severe discomfort and damage to the AIDS sufferer. Death results due to the body's inability to fight off infection any longer.

Q) What is The Relationship between Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS?

A.) Abusing drugs can greatly increase the risk of contracting HIV and subsequently developing AIDS. HIV is passed from one person to another through bodily fluids such as blood or genital secretions. Users of drugs that are administered via injection are at risk of being infected with HIV. If they share needles or fail to keep instruments sterile, the virus can be passed from the infected individual to another person.

Another way that HIV can be contracted is through irresponsibility. One of the effects of most abused drugs is a 'dulled' conscience and repressed inhibitions. Other drugs can increase sexual awareness and drive. This results in an increased risk of promiscuity and unprotected sex. Repressed inhibitions can also leave the user vulnerable to sexual predators. These factors all lead to a greater chance of contracting HIV.

Q) How can we Prevent HIV Infection?

A.) Today, drug addiction treatment programs are regarded as preventative measures against HIV contraction and subsequent development of AIDS. Most addicts are oblivious or ignorant to the fact that every use of ANY drug, whether injected or not, is risking not only serious damage to their health, but also the chance of being infected with the HIV virus. That is why good drug rehabilitation centers focus not only on treating drug addicts, but also on educating them about the risks they take every time they use drugs. As there is, as yet, no known cure or vaccine for either HIV or AIDS, prevention is the key. There are preventative measures that users can take before they have even admitted themselves to any kind of addiction treatment. If the user is injecting the drugs, needles, spoons, swabs and any other implement that directly or indirectly comes into contact with bodily fluids must be completely sterilised or disposed of. When the drug is administered by methods other than injection, including alcohol consumption, steps should be taken to prevent irresponsibility. These steps may be involving friends by asking them to make sure behaviour remains at a certain acceptable level or ensuring that sexual protection is carried at all times. Of course, abstaining from drug abuse altogether will greatly decrease the risk of contracting HIV, which is a message that all good drug rehabilitation centers attempt to put across.

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