Spiritual Expressions of Coping in Adults with HIV: Implications for Successful Aging

ABSTRACT

With the advent of effective medications prolonging life in adults with HIV, aging with this disease is now possible. Now facing the possibility of a longer life span than expected, a person with HIV may express differential growth in their spiritual development due to coping with such a stigmatizing disease. Using qualitative data from interviews and field notes, this study examined challenges and spiritual resources of 18 adults approaching middle- and older age with HIV. From this, a portrait of using spirituality to cope with HIV is presented. Several spiritual expressions of coping were observed and were classified under the following rubrics: streamlining life, belief in the here and now, right behavior, new path, new strength, fellowship, and closer to God. Examples for each of these expressions are provided as they emphasize how such spirituality facilitates coping with HIV, which may encourage successful aging.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV
• successful aging
• Damocles syndrome
• coping

David E. Vance is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-2100 (E-mail:[email protected])

Notes

1. Damocles syndrome is the fear that death can occur at any time (Bentzen & Dische 2001; Sinzinger 2002). Cicero recounts a story of a courtier named Damocles in the service of Dionysius the emperor. Damocles remarks that it would be easy to be the emperor because then his every want and desire would be granted on command. Upon hearing this, Dionysius prepared a situation that would allow Damocles an opportunity to experience what it feels like to be emperor. Dionysius invited Damocles to have a seat at a banquet in his honor with instructions that he was to enjoy the feast as much as possible with the full knowledge that hanging over his head was a large sword suspended by a single horse hair (Self 1999). This is Damocles sword or Damocles syndrome. Apparently, it is difficult to enjoy a banquet or life with the knowledge that either can end suddenly and painfully.