Hi,

My room mate is obsessed with AIDS every waking second of the day.

He had oral sex with someone like 9 months ago and that started his AIDS tests.

He's had many many AIDS tests including the anti body and PCR blood test.

They are all negative.

He believes the workers doing the swab tests purposely gave him HIV.

His last blood test came back negative and he was better for a few days.

Now he tells me he woke up in a panic and wonders if he has HIV Type II.

This is *all consuming* and is slowing destroying his life. There are no better days.

He has been seeing a psychologist for a month and psychitrist for 3 weeks.

He has no physical symptoms. He says he feels hot constantly..but has never had even a slight temperature.

He says he wants to get better, but has an irrational overwhelming fear of AIDS.

He was put on Lexapro today but was on Resperdal (?) for 2+ weeks and that did nothing.

If the current course of treatment fails- what is the next step?

If this person didn't have money comeing in he'd be destiture and homeless- that is how much it's effecting him.

Thanks in advance...

First of all, Orlandodude, you need to keep your own head above water. Understand that, as much as you want to help your friend, the only thing that you may be able to do is just be present to his fear and anxiety. That he is involved with mental health counselors is important.

I think that one of the things that you can do is to understand as much as you can about this disease in order to be there for him and to reassure him and comfort him when his world turns upside down. I don't think I would recommend the internet as a resource but I would look into your HIV/AIDS support network in the Orlando area. (I suspect you do mean Florida, right, and not Orlando Bloom?) Anyway, we are really blessed in Florida because there is such a high incidence of HIV (er, no,I don't mean that HIV is a blessing but that the resource network is a blessing), that there are tons of support networks in the St. Pete/Tampa to Orlando corridor. YOu may want to google "AIDS support in Florida" and see what happens. If you have trouble with that, let me know and I will attempt to direct you in better and more satisfactory manner.

But, the very best thing you can do for him is to continue to be his sounding board and his friend. Are you partners? Because, if you are, then your tenacity and concern will even more directly affect your relationship. Just try to love him through this, Orlando. Let me know what else you need, OK? chris

No- not his partner. Frankly, up to me I'd have cut ties with him a while ago.

I just can't deal with this anymore. It's like living with the Grim Reaper.

He doesn't have AIDS. He's a perfectly healthy person- physically.

He's had around 15 tests in the last 7 months. He's completely dispondent and thinks of nothing and nobody but himself and AIDS.

Wow, okay.

Well, your friend obviously has some serious mental health issues, and I really don't know what more can be done to resolve them other than seeing professionals for it.

Treatment for mental problems like that take a long time, there's no quick fix for it I'm afraid. He'll probably get a lot worse before he gets better.

Did anything in particular trigger his fixation with AIDS? Or is it just something with no rational explanation behind it at all?

Yeah- he had oral sex with someone who's room mate was a prostitute...or so he says.

I'm fairly sure he has severe OCD.

You're right- there's no quick fix. :(

Well, I don't know if you have already or not, but perhaps you're posting on the wrong board here, and you should actually be on the mental health one?

Although your friend is obsessed with AIDS, he doesn't actually have it, and this obsession is down to a mental issue.

Maybe you'll find more information out on there, perhaps there are even people with similar problems?

Worth a shot.

As a good friend, I would hope you help him get some Mental Health counseling or advice. Obviously, and from reading your post I don't have to be a doc, he is OCD...there is free advice along with his doctor that can set him up with an appointment. I believe it is time to do so. I hope you can convince him, the mind can really dampen a day and it is time to help your friend NOW!:nono:

Yeah- I posted on the OCD forum. He's been seeing both a psychologist and psychiatrist.

Neither has helped and he's just getting worse.

Then I think it is time to change Docs!!!!Don't let this fester