World AIDS Day has given to consciousness of the AIDS pandemic unfurl by the spread of HIV disease, and to grieving individuals who have passed on of un wellness. Associate in Nursing calculable forty million folks worldwide have died of AIDS since 1981, Associate in Nursing a calculable thirty-seven million reside with HIV, creating it one among the foremost vital international public health problems in recorded history. Despite recent enhancements in treatment, the AIDS epidemic still claims Associate in Nursing calculable 2 million lives annually, of that over 250,000 area unit kids.

HISTORY OF WORLD AIDS DAY

The day is a chance for everybody around the world to return along within the fight against the malady and change commonality to support those stricken by HIV, still, as to keep in mind those that lost their lives to the current sickness.

The idea to look at World AIDS Day was planned to form the foremost of a media gap between the U.S. presidential elections of 1988 and Xmas. broadcaster James Bunn, United Nations agency had recently taken a post at the globe Health Organization, believed that once a year of election campaigns, the general public would be drawn to coverage of AIDS on air. at the side of his colleague Thomas Netter, Bunn assessed Dec one because the ideal date for the observance and spent the subsequent sixteen months coming up with and capital punishment the inaugural event.

From 1996 forward, the observance of World AIDS Day was confiscated by the world organization Program on HIV/AIDS, increasing the campaign to Associate in Nursing annual education and hindrance campaign. the globe AIDS Campaign was registered as a non-profit-making organization in 2004 within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

HOW TO OBSERVE WORLD AIDS DAY

Wear a red ribbon

Wearing a red ribbon in your overlap is that the foremost loosely recognized suggests that of showing your support on World AIDS Day. Red symbolizes blood, and conjointly the pain caused by the illness, anger regarding world inaction to fight the epidemic, a warning to want the illness seriously, and a brand of tenderness, passion, and tolerance towards those suffering from the illness. Check online to go looking out for a ribbon supplier that supports a charitable cause.

Donate to an AIDS charity

There are a unit a bunch of national and international nonprofits dedicated to fighting the malady and issues related to its unfold. Check online and take into account whether or not you’d prefer to support a corporation within U.S. wherever deaths are declining since the mid-1990s however infection continues to affect thousands of individuals annually, or maybe a corporation centered on infection in the geographic region, wherever Adult HIV Prevalence has reached one in twenty folks and one.2 million folks die of HIV/AIDS annually.

Attend a candlelight vigil

Most major cities within the U.S. host light vigils on World AIDS Day as to how of visual ceremony those lost to the sickness and vowing to fight it within the future. Check online to search out a vigil close to you and head on to indicate your support. Don’t forget to share your expertise on social media to make sure that the concept is dropped at the front of mind for your friends, and to demonstrate your support.

WHY WORLD AIDS DAY IS IMPORTANT

AIDS impacts everyone

In its early years, some criticized World AIDS Day for specializing in kids. HIV/AIDS is that the leading explanation for death among ladies of generative age, globally, and of 1.8 million new HIV infections in 2016, forty-third were among ladies.

Getting to zero

In 2016, new infections among young ladies aged fifteen to twenty-four were a quarter-mile beyond they were among men within the same age bracket, which suggests the status of AIDS-related deaths of male celebrities. World AIDS Day seeks to challenge those perceptions and shield everybody.

Equalizing access to treatment

International AIDS funding began to fall for the primary time in 2015, but still, but 1/2 of those affected by HIV/AIDS have access to anti-retroviral treatment across the planet. It’s ne’er been additional necessary to draw attention to the inequalities in treatment, to prevent its unfold once and for all.

Depression

Depression with psychotic features is when someone experiences both depression and psychosis. Psychosis refers to a disconnection from reality and may include symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions. Major depression with psychotic features is also sometimes referred to as psychotic depression. It is a grave illness characterized by a combination of unipolar major depressive symptoms and psychosis. This form of depression is an underdiagnosed and undertreated condition.

We focus here on unipolar depression, so the term major depression refers to a major depressive episode and not bipolar disorder. People must remember that psychosis is a symptom of particular mental health conditions, not a disorder in itself.

Experiencing psychosis can be frightening and confusing, and psychosis can present in a variety of ways. This article will discuss how specialists diagnose depression with psychosis, as well as outlining treatment options and steps to recovery.

What is depression with psychosis?

Psychotic depression is an underdiagnosed form of depression. Major depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 4.3 percent of adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in 2016.

Depression with psychosis is when a person has depression and also experiences a disconnection from reality, which is called psychosis. Experts also refer to depression with psychosis as depression with psychotic features. Major depression affects mood, behavior, and various physical functions, such as sleep and appetite.

The symptoms of major depression include:

The major symptoms of depression are loss of interest in once pleasurable activities, changes in appetite and sleep, such as sleeping too much or too little, difficulty concentrating making decisions and remembering things recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

Psychosis means that a person feels disconnected from reality. It occurs when someone experiences things that are not reality, such as hallucinations or delusions.

Symptoms of psychosis include:

• Delusions: also known as false beliefs or false perceptions.
• Hallucinations: or seeing or hearing things that are not present.
• Paranoia: is the feeling that you’re being threatened in some way.

Diagnosing depression with psychosis changes in a person’s sleep pattern can be a symptom of depression.

Treatment

Typically, a doctor will prescribe an antidepressant, antipsychotic, or a combination of both. There is some debate around the best treatment process for psychotic depression, particularly regarding first- and second-line treatments.

First-line treatment usually involves a combination of antidepressant and antipsychotic medications, or monotherapy, which refers to the use of either antidepressants or antipsychotics alone. Doctors typically reserve electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for second-line treatment, and specialists may use it if different medications have not helped to alleviate symptoms. Psychotherapy, or talking therapies, can also help people, as a supplemental treatment for depression with psychosis.

Medication

A psychiatrist may prescribe a combination of antidepressant and antipsychotic medications. Different antidepressants affect different neurotransmitter pathways. Common forms of these drugs include serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

Doctors often prescribe antidepressants alongside first- or second-generation antipsychotics. Research suggests that the combination of antidepressant and antipsychotic medications is more effective than either of the two medications alone.

Some antidepressant and antipsychotic combination treatments include:

• Venlafaxine (Effexor) and Quetiapine (Seroquel)
• Sertraline (Zoloft) and Zyprexa (Olanzapine)
• Fluoxetine (Prozac) and Zyprexa (Olanzapine)
• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a medical procedure performed under anesthesia, in which a doctor, usually a psychiatrist, applies electrical currents to a person’s head, inducing a generalized seizure in the brain. The treating prescriber may refer a person to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) if they do not respond to medication-based treatments. Electroconvulsive therapy is a safe and effective treatment for people with psychotic depression.

Steps to recovery

Psychosis can lead a person to hold a distorted view of what others perceive to be reality. The delusions or hallucinations associated with psychotic depression can lead to a medical emergency, which needs immediate medical attention.

A person may need to spend some time in the hospital, followed by an inpatient or outpatient treatment program.

Treatments focus on reducing or managing symptoms. Currently, no treatments can entirely cure psychotic depression. This means that people will usually need on-going treatment.

Outlook

If people follow a treatment program, the long-term outlook for depression with psychosis is good. Medication or ECT can help manage even the most severe symptoms of psychotic depression.

Although treatments can reduce psychotic and depressive symptoms, they can also have side effects that may include the following:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Weight gain or weight loss
• Short-term memory loss

If someone is worried that they or somebody they know may have depression with psychosis, they should speak with a healthcare provider, as soon as possible. People often respond well to treatments and make a good recovery.