Living with HIV

HIV and Mental Health

Last Reviewed: November 13, 2024

Key Points

  • Mental health refers to a person's overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Good mental health helps people make healthy choices, reach personal goals, develop healthy relationships, and cope with stress.
  • People with HIV have a higher risk for some mental health conditions than people who do not have HIV, making mental health especially important. 
  • Mental health conditions are treatable, and people with mental health conditions can recover.

What is mental health?

Mental health refers to a person's overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health affects how people think, feel, and act.

Good mental health helps people make healthy choices, reach personal goals, develop healthy relationships, and cope with stress. In contrast, poor mental health means people find it difficult to manage how they feel, think, act, or cope with stress.

Poor mental health is not the same as mental illness (also known as a mental disorder). Mental illnesses are diagnosed mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders that can vary in severity and may impact different areas of life, including jobs and relationships. 

Mental illnesses include many different conditions, such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders (such as depression), eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia.

A person can have poor mental health and not have a diagnosed mental illness. Likewise, a person with a mental illness can still enjoy good mental well-being. While there are some differences between poor mental health and mental illnesses, they will be referred to collectively as mental health conditions throughout this fact sheet.

If you are living with HIV, it is important to take care of both your physical and mental health.

Are people with HIV at risk for mental health conditions?

Mental health conditions are common in the United States. Anyone can experience poor mental health or a mental health illness. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about one in five American adults lived with a mental illness in 2021.

People with HIV are at high risk of some mental health conditions because of HIV-related stress. For example, people with HIV are twice as likely to have depression as people who do not have HIV.

It is important to remember that mental health conditions are treatable and that people can recover from poor mental health.

What can cause mental health conditions in people with HIV?

The following factors can increase the risk of mental health conditions in anyone, including people without HIV:

  • Major life changes, such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job
  • Negative life experiences, such as abuse or trauma
  • Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
  • A family history of mental health conditions

In addition to these factors, the stress of having a serious medical illness or condition, like HIV, may also negatively affect a person's mental health. Situations that can contribute to mental health conditions in people with HIV include:

  • Difficulty in telling others about an HIV diagnosis
  • Stigma and discrimination associated with HIV
  • Loss of social support and isolation 
  • Difficulty in getting mental health services

In people with HIV, both HIV infection and related opportunistic infections can affect the brain and the rest of the nervous system. This may lead to changes in how a person thinks and behaves. 

In addition, some medicines used to treat HIV may have side effects that affect a person's mental health. For example, doravirine has been linked to depression and sleep disturbances in some people. 

However, side effects from HIV medicines that affect mental health can usually be fixed by changing HIV medicines. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you think your HIV medicine is affecting your mental health.

What are the warning signs of a mental health condition?

Changes in how a person feels or acts can be a warning sign of a mental health condition. For example, potential signs of depression include:

  • Losing interest in activities that are usually enjoyable
  • Experiencing persistent sadness or feeling empty
  • Feeling anxious or stressed
  • Having suicidal thoughts

If you have any signs of a mental health condition, it is important to get help. You can reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hotline for immediate help.

What should people with HIV do if they need help for a mental health condition?

People with HIV can talk to their health care provider about how they are feeling. They can also tell their health care provider if they are having any problems with drugs or alcohol, which can also impact mental health.

Health care providers will consider whether any HIV medicines may be affecting the person’s mental health. They can also help people with HIV find a mental health care provider, such as a psychiatrist or therapist.

Here are additional ways that people with HIV can improve their mental health:

  • Join a support group.
  • Try meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to relax.
  • Get enough sleep, eat healthy meals, and stay physically active.

To find mental health treatment services, use these resources from the NIMH and the SAMHSA.