COUNSELING THE WORRIED WELL IN HIV DISEASE

HIV infection may have a psychological impact not only on those who li ve with the disease, but also on people who may worry that they have b een infected. Counselling people who are worried about infection, but who are HIV negative is an important, yet challenging, dimension of HI V care. It forces counsellors to address how they deal with resistant patients and those who, in some cases, present serious psychological d isturbances. This paper discusses the presentation and management of t he 'worried well' in HIV disease.