Because of the debilitating effects on the body and mind of drug and alcohol abuse, those patients with already compromised health must be encouraged as much as possible to minimize or eliminate their substance use and abuse. Additionally, because substance abuse can lead to a decrease in other medications compliance, drug abuse can exacerbate the symptoms and progression of an otherwise very treatable disease. Substance abuse also increases the prevalence of risky sexual and transmission behaviors, and as such achieving sobriety within this subset is also of public health importance.
The treatment needs of HIV and AIDS patients are both similar and as well more complicated than the treatment required for a single diagnosis of substance abuse. An HIV or AIDS patient may be suffering from additional health complications that require frequent medical interventions during a period of rehab, and they may also require life saving medications that may complicate the recovery process. Mentally, the prevalence of co occurring psychiatric disorders is significantly higher, and since any dual diagnosis complicates treatment, the existence of HIV or AIDS, substance abuse and a corresponding mental illness makes the effective rehabilitation of this group problematic.
AIDS, can cause cognitive declines, and patients struggling with these cognitive challenges, and the anxiety accompanying these declines, have more difficulty internalizing the lessons of drug and alcohol rehab and using the strategies and therapies of rehab to good effect in drug and alcohol avoidance.
In short, the treatment of HIV or AIDS affected substance abusers is very complex, but because drug or alcohol abuse can greatly damage an already weakened body, can reduce HIV medications compliance and cause an exacerbation of psychiatric conditions, HIV and AIDS patients with substance abuse issues desperately need intervention and intensive and appropriate drug residential rehab.
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