The Effect of Stress on the Progression and Development of HIV/AIDS

Abstract

There is substantial evidence to indicate that the biological human stress response, when activated frequently or during long periods of time, can cause physiological health problems, including immunosuppression, which is particularly dangerous among patients with AIDS and HIV. The secretion of stress hormones, such as glucocorticoids, leads to a decrease in CD4 white blood cells, and this can facilitate the progression of HIV to AIDS and also exacerbate the course of the disease. HIV/AIDS is often associated with elevated stress levels, as well as mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. Mental illness can also affect disease progression through similar biological mechanisms, although there is a lack of definitive research in this area. Stress alleviation therapy should be considered an important part of the treatment of people living with HIV and AIDS. Research indicates that as well as preventing the negative effects of stress, stress reduction treatments may also alleviate the symptoms of antiretroviral therapy, both of which could vastly contribute to the quality of life and health of patients. In this paper, we examine the biological mechanisms through which stress can impact the immune system and review relevant research on stress, its impact on HIV, potential future research, the role of mental health in disease progression, and implications of these findings.