Ways of Coping Among the HIV Infected Individuals: An Analysis

Life is full of challenges; either accept it or reject it. It is good to say, accept the life as it is and move on. But how far human beings can apply this mantra in real life situation is a question. In Psychology, coping is expending conscious effort to solve personal and interpersonal problems, and seeking to master, minimize or tolerate stress or conflict. The effectiveness of the coping efforts depends on the type of stress and/or conflict, the particular individual, and the circumstances. The objective of the present study was to determine the coping strategies of HIV infected persons and also to compare their coping mechanism with their non HIV counterparts. The study also intended to see the gender differences in the coping mechanism of HIV infected persons. Results of the present study found significant impact of HIV infection and gender on the different coping mechanisms of the individuals.