Family with HIV or AIDS - Essay Example

1. Family member(s) with HIV/AIDS: a. HIV/AIDS can be a big shock, yet also it can uncover aspects of the person, and his or her most precious values (Conforti, 1997). Since HIV/AIDS has been seen as a condition that has your days numbered, the person develops a sense of spirituality by looking much deeper into his life and how it has been going. Spirituality can open the person’s mind and beliefs into something that they have overlooked for perhaps their entire life such as realizing the importance of family, reflection on the quality of life they have been living, gratitude of friendship, and appreciation of the simple joys in life such as the beauty of the sunrise or the swaying flowers. There are things that come into realization once the person is in tune with his spirituality, and often times it would even be life changing. b. The AIDS pandemic on children can be tragic. They feel that they are different, and they know that they are. At some point, they might even be ostracized for such and it would be difficult for their social development. Some have taken the role of being caretakers as they are most likely to be raised by single parents (usually mothers) and that parent might eventually become too ill to look after them. Some are left on the streets without shelter, clothing, food – the basic needs. c. Culture, gender and religion are important factors when counseling a family with HIV/AIDS. Culture dictates what should be and should not be – taboos; gender has its implications as well, women especially from minority groups and has low-income suffer psychological distress (Catz et al, 2003); Like for example, in the case of Latino culture, women are expected to be submissive to men while the men are expected to prove themselves. The concept of “machismo” dictates that males who had sexual intercourse with more women are more of a man than the others who have not. This of course plays a major role in the spread of the virus. d. Heterosexual females in the U.S. may be contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS in this population as Culture dictates that sex seems to be a necessity. Being a virgin at a certain age is unthinkable and having multiple partners, especially for the single ones. Low spirituality is also a factor as they tend to forget the meaning of their actions and what it means to religion, as well as in certain aspects of their culture. Married women whose husbands may have other sex partners. Drug users who may have multiple sexual partners tendencies. e. Those who have been diagnosed positive of HIV are prone to domestic violence – usually in terms of physical and verbal. Some women may be beaten, forcing them to have sex or emotionally blackmailed, usually with guilt trips by men also forcing them to have sex. Women, particularly African American, who are infected by HIV/AIDS are more likely to be victims of physical and verbal abuse compared to those who are not infected (Jones et al, 2003). 2. Family therapy with LGBTQ persons: a. When counseling adolescents, it is important to point out to them that sexual behavior and sexual orientation is different so as to make things clearer and easier for them. Sexual orientation is simply a component of identity, and sexual behavior includes activity. According to Ryan and Futterman (2001) young kids limit sharing about their sexual identities with other gay people as they feel they might be criticized, lose friends, become victims of violence, etc... b. Two negative outcomes which may occur among LGBTQ populations due to internalized homophobia would be the inaccuracy of the information given to teens, and the effect of such that they are faced with so many limitations they end up becoming “invisible”. c. Considering that most cultures still has not accepted gays and lesbians in society, being a LGBTQ can be difficult. As pointed out by Ryan and Futterman (2001), each cultural or ethnic group sexuality hold different meanings and sexual identity is shaped by many factors. Religion also has a big influence – although it may depend on whether the family’s spritituality foundation is strong. Most religions recognize only two genders: male and female; and may ostracize those other than that. How the family understands its LGBTQ member all rests with the information they have been given about this, and how to deal with it. d. LGBTQ cannot be all that they can be because of fear. As stated by Ryan and Futterman (2001), “While heterosexual peers are developing communication and self-disclosure skills...many lesbian and gay youth are learning how to hide core aspects of their identity”. Their social development suffers as long as they cannot come out with their true sexual identity, and unlike their heterosexual peers, they are go through life without the freedom to talk about their feelings and thoughts as they have been oriented with the notion that theirs aren’t normal. e. A therapist’s own religion and cultural background can be an obstacle in working with LGBTQ people if his religion is against such. However, entering such profession, what the therapist can do is to educate himself about the myths and realities surrounding homosexuality (Ryan and Futterman, 2001). This way, the therapist will be able to work with an open mind and without bias. 3. Concepts in Family Therapy: a. Cut-offs – an individual detaches, totally or partially, any emotional contact with a family member as a way of managing unresolved emotional issues. b. Triangulation – whenever two members of the family system have problems with each other, they will have a third member to “triangle in” as a way to stabilize their relationship. Usually a child and its parents, two children and a parent, and husband, wife, and an in-law (Frey, n.d.). c. Pathogenic family – the family is the cause or it encourages the development of mental disorder among its members. It is commonly referred to as “dysfunctional family” (“Pathogenic family” n.d.). d. Boundaries – the “wall” that allied members of a family has against the other members who are not part of it. e. Biopsychosocial context – a model in family therapy that include the biological, psychological, and social issues as systems of the human body. f. Limited partnership –one or both of the partners contribute to the situation at hand; a model that is usually used when dealing with divorce cases. g. Bi-nuclear family – parenting that involves two household but just one family. h. Enmeshed family –a family that is too attached, as though they are entangled in a mesh; which can pose problems in individual growth and independence. i. Disengaged family –a family that chooses to not have anything to do with their child’s welfares. j. Systems theory –believes that individuals cannot be fully understood just by looking at them alone. To understand the individual, one must see the family where he comes from. 4. Case Scenario: Family Violence A. A family of four members living the average city life has been quite a normal family – from afar. The father (James) works as an accountant while the mother (Jenny) stays at home as a housewife. They have two children, the eldest is a boy (Arthur), age 17; and the second is a girl (Tanya), age 13. They have been living a mediocre life. Arthur is not active in extra-curricular school activities, nor is he into sports. Tanya, however, is more active in school activities, especially dancing. The children are seldom at home. When they are, they are usually inside their rooms – seldom do you see them interacting as a family. James doesn’t have any vices. Jenny, on the other hand, has had a history of being a party animal when she was younger – way before her married life. Lately, they have been trying to get pregnant – but each time they do, a miscarriage occurs. James strongly wishes to have another baby in the family, and the consecutive miscarriages seem to disappoint him more each time. Lately, there has been a gap between the couple as James seems to blame Jenny and her previous lifestyle as to why she can’t get a full-term pregnancy. He also adds how hard he works to bring money to the family while she does nothing but take care of the home. As time goes, their family seems to have turned into a distressed family. B. James, as an accountant in a respectable firm feels that his name and reputation should not be stained, and has established this to his family. Any family problem, minor or major, has always been kept within the family. Seeking help outside felt as though he or she may be putting their family’s name to shame. With Jenny’s past experiences, she feels that by agreeing with her husband to such solution to their problems, she is not adding into any shame that might be brought to their family’s name. C. Basically, the family is struggling in terms of their emotional health. James is the key to fixing this problem, whereas realization on the side of Jenny is also a must. First, I would talk to the children to get their side of the story and how they see or interpret things. Next I would talk to Jenny as she has been a victim which clearly has been affecting the children. Next I would talk to James and hear his side of the story out. Then I would bring their family as a whole, talk to them and get them to work things out with a more open communication and more trust and support for each other. Eco-map Work Past Experiences Spirituality Father Friends Mother Living Son Daughter Conditions baby Usefulness Average School Parents’ Home Income Relationship Environment Treatment Plan Father Seeing that his disappointments in his wife’s miscarriage are taken out on his wife, he should be made aware that his wife is not the one to blame. Working on it together would be a better solution, rather than blaming the other wherein she cannot do anything about it. Exercise on letting him remember how to appreciate his wife by letting him enumerate the good points and desirable traits of his wife and why they’re so special and valuable. Weighing things as to which is more dear to him, his family – wife, son, and daughter; or his job. This exercise would make him realize that keeping their problem a secret and not getting any help is not the way to do it. Mother Given that she is the victim of emotional abuse, she should be made to realize that she is useful and precious to her husband and children. Exercise on letting her recall and tell about her past experiences; a way to make her face it and be comfortable with it. Without those experiences, she wouldn’t know how to deal with things the right way. Exercise on thinking of ways on how to build a sweeter, more harmonious relationship with her husband as this would bring about a happier household and the children would love to be part of it. Letting her keep a journal that she will be filling each day. Whatever she has written will be discussed with the therapist and she will be processed with it. Son He has shied away from the world by retreating into his own world of music and books. He must learn to interact with people once more, and realize that his parents’ problems are not his to be ashamed of. Exercises on being more socially adept and make him aware of the benefits of it. Drawing or illustrating his emotions through whatever symbolism and expression he wishes and explaining it to the therapist. Should he feel more comfortable in a less confrontational approach, he could write a journal and he and the therapist will discuss it. He will be processed about it afterwards. Daughter She has notably chosen to spend more time with extra-curricular school activities rather than going home after school so as to avoid the heavy atmosphere their home possesses. Exercises on illustrating or expressing her feelings through any form of expression – drawing, poems, or simply an essay – and she will explain it to the therapist, followed by her being processed about it. She will be made to realize that her older brother is always there, and they could be each other’s support, which will promote a closer relationship between the siblings. Exercises to promote this will be utilized. The number of sessions is not definite yet, but the treatment plan for this family will be once a week for the father and children, and twice a week for the mother who is the victim of the emotional abuse. References Catz, S., Felton, C., & McClure, J. (2003). Psychological distress among minority and low Income women living with HIV. EBSCO Publishing Conforti, P. (1997). Spirituality. New York University Press Frey, R. (n.d.). In WikiAnswers. Retrieved November 28, 2009, from http:// www.wikianswers.com. Jones, D., Beach, S., Forehand, R. (2003). Partner abuse and HIV infection: implications for psychosocial adjustment in African American women. Journal of Family Violence, 18, 257-268. Pathogenic Family (n.d.). In WikiAnswers. Retrieved November 28, 2009, from http:// www.wikianswers.com. Ryan, C., & Futterman, D. (2001). Lesbian and gay adolescents: identity development. The Prevention Researcher, 8, 1-16. Read More