The Midweek Sun

LINK BETWEEN DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH

- Substance abuse Support Network (BOSASNet)

person to person, but the majority of people will produce enough antibodies for an HIV test to show a positive result within 3 months of being infected. In general, a person should consider getting an HIV test whenever they have had a risk of HIV infection.

‘Testing can wait.’ Some people believe that they should not go for an HIV test unless they are ill. is is a myth. Knowing your status early will give you peace of mind. If you are not HIV test is a simple blood or saliva infected, you can take steps to ensure test (in cases you use self test) used to that you will not become infected in find out if a person has been infected the future. If you are already infected, with HIV. e HIV test looks for antibodies early knowledge of HIV status will to the virus. Antibodies are allow you to make decisions to take proteins the body produces in reaction care of your health. Doing regular to the infection. e “window HIV testing will help you receive period” is the time it takes for the the proper care and treatment in the body to produce these antibodies and earliest time possible, thus reducing this varies from person to person, but the damage done to the body. Early the majority of people will produce knowledge of positive HIV status can enough antibodies for an HIV test also prevent transmissi­on of infection toDrsuhgoa­wnd asubpsotas­nitcievaeb­uresesuisl­ctlowsei-thinwe3ll-beintgo. other people. Anotherinm­cluydtehs riasis‘iIng awareness about the mlyoncothn­sneocftbee­dintog minefencta­tel dh.ealth, Unforatluw­natyeslyp, ltahyersea’fseoafnted­n Ia amissuuer,einItearmv­ening early to support

creating a complex public health lot of shame and judgment around those affected, and providing holistic

Regular testing is important for not infected.’ ere is no fool-proof

issue. When people use drugs or substance abuse and mental health treatment services that address both several alcohol to reasons. cope with Some mental individual­s health method of safe sex other than total

problems. Because of this stigma, substance use and mental health. apreroabtl­eamgsrleik­aetedrepri­rsekssoiof­nH, aInVxiient­yfe, ctimoanny peaobplset­idnoenn’tcseekfrho­emlp,awnhyichse­xuaBl yacfoticvu­istiyn.g on this connection aonrdtrsah­uomuald, ittemstigm­htofreel flriekqe uaentmlye.ans thAeilrwma­eynstatlah­keianlgtha­lnldpsrueb­c-autbioetnw­seeinsuseb­sxtance abuse and mental Pteompploe­rawryhorel­hieafv. eHouwnepvr­eor,teocvteerd setaxnce aibsunseot­isasureesa­gsonunftor­reanteodt.dohineaglt­ahn, wHe cIaVn improve people’s lives

time, relying on substances can is makes their overall well-being and create stronger communitie­s. with multiple partners, people who test. Sometimes accidents happen.

make these mental health issues even worse. Increased understand­ing, timely share worse and injection lead to a drug harmful equipment, cycle A broken condom, slipped needle,

The good news is that treating help, and comprehens­ive treatment poefoapdld­eiwcthioon­h. ave been diagnosed wsiuthbsta­ncseexabuu­asleaaslso­anuglsti,debemineng­tadlrunsek­r,viocerseav­reekney to breaking the cycle or Mhaovreovb­eer,ensubtsrte­aantcedabf­uosre aitsseelfx­uahlelyalt­h pirnobfllu­emens cisedcrbuc­yiaslefxou­r aslucd-rugosf asurebssta­onmceeabus­e and promoting trcanscmau­istetemded­ntiasleahs­eealtahrep­raolblleam­t gs.reactesrsf­ul roecfotvhe­rey. eWxahmenpt­lresatmweh­netsre omneentcal­awnelbl-ebeing in our society.

Using certain drugs for a long time address both issues at the same time, In Botswana there are several organisati­ons risk of HIV infection and should be exposed to the risk of HIV infection.

can change how the brain works, people have better outcomes and are to assist in times of need. tested leading more to issues often. like e psychosis list of groups less likely Often to relapse. we are in denial and tShtienpkp­itnhgaStto­nes Internatio­nal o(flopsienog­ptloeucaht wriistkh riesanlito­yt),nmeocoedss­arilTyo tacitklwe idllrungot­anhdapspub­enstatnoce­us. SeOSfaCcht­ilids,re’s Vilages Botswana lismwinteg­ds, tohrepronb­leesmlsisw­teitdh athbinokvi­en.gSomabeuse effmecotri­veeltyh, wane nheaeldf aofcotmhe- peoNpalerc­doniaogn-Botswana mclaeyarlw­y.antesteoch­caonngseis­dserioauns­lyHaIf-V tpersethen­sinveoaspe­pdrowaciht­hthHatIcVo­nesiadcerh­s yearBcolta­siwmaenda

fectaperso­n’smentaland­emotional its impact on mental health. is every 3-6 months as per the advice that they thought they were not at of the testing personnel post testing. risk. Anyone who has ever engaged

ose who have had a recent HIV ex- in any of the risk behaviors in the pimosmuerd­eiastheoly­ualdftearl­sboirctho.nsideerre ries pe past should consider HIV testing to testing. An HIV negative result on be certain of their status. Now, people

olosasraen­adwhaeraer­inogf eone einlsaen’seffHoIrVt positive status should do

sfoarfest soenxwhere between two people, each of whom only has sex with each other and both

 ?? ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Botswana