Tag Archives: mental health

The Lost Men: Gay Men Who Survived the Plague and AIDS Survivor Syndrome

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Imagine being in the prime of your life and living a fun and newly liberated existence and then in a matter of years having that stolen from you as you watch your friends die one by one constantly wondering if you will be next.

This is what happened to an entire generation of gay men during the AIDS pandemic and they lived through that pain, fear and heartache day in and day out for over a decade. Now fast forward 30 years later.  Despite surviving  there are very few who understand or even comprehend what you feel except for a small majority of fellow survivors.  You are constantly haunted by those black days and the ghosts and memories of those you loved and  lost.  You are filled with a guilt of having survived while all those around you were snatched from this world.

This is AIDS Survivor Syndrome.

AIDS Survivor Syndrome describes the spectrum of sustained trauma survivorship. It is psychological state resulting from living through HIV/AIDS pandemic affecting those who made it through the plague unscathed and those who became HIV-positive in the 1980s and 1990s, when having HIV was considered a terminal diagnosis and the constellation of physical, psychological and emotional symptoms that a person (either HIV-negative or HIV-positive) may experience after living through intense grief and trauma during the years of the AIDS epidemic and after.

AIDS Survivor Syndrome is not PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).  It is a “syndemic” of psycho-social health issues that exists on a spectrum. It varies by degrees of intensity, and it affects those who survived the worst decades of HIV.  The sustained accumulation of trauma from living through the early decades of the disease distinguishes AIDS Survivor Syndrome from the more commonly known Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), in which trauma typically involves a single event or events of limited duration. PTSD is misdiagnosis or a partial diagnosis at best.

“People who are HIV-negative, who lived through the AIDS epidemic may have survivors guilt,” said Dusty Araujo, a coordinator for the Elizabeth Taylor 50-Plus Network. “They were in the trenches, too—caring for friends and watching them die. They were marching, protesting, and trying to create change. Some people who are HIV-negative went through the same struggles, so for them to find community and support is important, too.”

Continue reading The Lost Men: Gay Men Who Survived the Plague and AIDS Survivor Syndrome →

Gay History - December 15, 1973: American Psychiatric Association Vote That Being Gay IS NOT A Mental Illness

Gay History – December 15, 1973: American Psychiatric Association Vote That Being Gay IS NOT A Mental Illness.

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Forty-nine years ago today, the American Psychiatric Association made history by issuing a resolution stating that homosexuality was not a mental illness or sickness.

The board of the American Psychiatric Association unanimously votes to change the classification of homosexuality and removes it from the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.” This followed three years of pressure from gay liberation movement. The board bases this decision on its finding that most lesbians and gay men are clearly satisfied with their sexual orientation and show no signs of mental illness. The APA declares that “by itself, homosexuality does not meet the criteria for being a psychiatric disorder.”

Classified as a mental illness thousands of gays and lesbians were committed to mental institutions and suffered horrible torture and indignities such as: lobotomies, electric shock torture, and aversion therapy. These practiced did not stop after the APA’s resolution but certainly slowed it until it was spotlighted as the torture it actually is.

Continue reading Gay History – December 15, 1973: American Psychiatric Association Vote That Being Gay IS NOT A Mental Illness. →
Trump's Whacko Waco Rally: Ted Nugent Calls Zelensky and MTG Lies Like A Rug. [VIDEOS]

Marjorie Taylor Greene: “The shooter in Uvalde was obviously mentally ill because he wore eyeliner and cross-dressed.” – VIDEO

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Salvador Ramos the gunman who killed 19 kids and two teachers at a Texas elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, was a local high school student who was reportedly “bullied” with few if any friends who officials said legally purchased two assault rifles and scores of ammo last week for his 18th birthday.

Right-wing conspiracy theorists and a Republican lawmakers are spreading a baseless LIES that the Uvalde elementary-school shooter was transgender.

“It’s a transsexual leftist illegal alien named Salvatore Ramos,” posted demented GOP Congressman Paul Gosar posted in a since-deleted Tweet.

Crack smoker pot Candace Owens tweeted, “What drives an 18-year-old to murder innocent children? I don’t know. But judging by the photos of him cross-dressing, we can assume there were plenty of signs that he was mentally disturbed and abused by adults in his life.” 

And now last but most certainly least we have GOP Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene: “The shooter in Uvalde was obviously mentally ill because he wore eyeliner and cross-dressed.”

Smack her, Just do it.

Capital One Hacker Suspect is Trans Woman with Mental Problems

Capital One Hacker Suspect Arraigned, Trans Woman Held In Largest U.S. Data Breech

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The recent hacking into the Capital One database which is the largest breach in US history was allegedly done by a 33-year-old trans woman and software engineer named Paige A. Thompson. Thompson also threatened to “shoot up” a California social media company and was living in a house-turned-arsenal with a convicted felon who had once been arrested for being part of a “contract murder plot,” federal court papers in Seattle revealed.

Thompson was arrested Monday for allegedly hacking into a server rented by Capital One and obtaining the data of more than 100 million people.

It was not clear if any of the information Thompson allegedly snatched was passed to third-parties. She was charged with one count of computer fraud and abuse and faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Quan was arrested the same day after police raided his “modest” home and found in his bedroom “what can fairly be described as an arsenal of weapons, ammunition, and explosive material,” the court papers state.

Among other things, police found “several assault rifles, a sniper rifle, and hand guns,” the papers state. “Some of the guns were loaded, including one with a high capacity magazine. Further, some of the guns appears to be illegal firearms.”

On the social media site, Slack, a user by the name “Erratic,” and who was allegedly Thompson, in June boasted about having files taken from Capital One, according to the criminal complaint against her.

In a separate Twitter message obtained by the FBI, Thompson also described the Capital One hack as a suicide mission.

“I’ve basically strapped myself with a bomb vest,” Thompson wrote on June 18, according to court documents. “F–king dropping capitol ones dox and admitting it.”

Thompson also regularly shared details of her life on other social media sites as well, from information about her cat, Millie, to talking about her desire to kill herself. In one tweet claimed she was planning to travel to Denmark in October for legally assisted suicide.

It was a veterinarian letter Thompson posted on July 19 with her home address that ultimately led FBI agents to her door.

Paige Thompson

New Jersey Hospital Being Anti-Love

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Two weeks ago a young man, Paul Zilber,  was visiting his partner after a suicide attempt  and was accompanied by his  partner’s grandparents at the Saint Barnabas Behavioral Center. Unfortunately, the visit to the behavioral center in Toms River, New Jersey dissolved into an act of discrimination towards a gay couple. Paul explains when the nurse’s behavior  changed quickly when discovering he and his partner are gay. The nurse said. ‘Oh your partner in crime?’ I said, ‘No, I’m his boyfriend, thank you.’ She then sighed and said ‘Oh… .’ She rolled her eyes, and gave me a thumbs up and walked away.” How rude of her.

What’s even more disurbing is when Paul went to give his partner a hug, the staff  responded rudely and told him that wasn’t protocol, evven though his partner’s grandparents had just given the newly admitted  patient a hug. Paul then asked “why it was okay for everyone else to give hugs and kisses but it was not okay for me?”

You don’t know how much this angers me that a mental health staff conducted themselves in such an unprofessional manner. The first rule of any health profession is to DO NO HARM and the situation was obviously causing the patient more distress.  Whatever their own stance this entire situation the Saint Barnabas staff should have NEVER happened in front of the patient.

The experience became even more difficult as Paul sought after answers of his partner’s condition. Paul stated ”I was very upset, and every time I would call a nurse would say, ‘I’m sorry, we have an order that we cannot speak to you, and that he cannot speak to you.’” Fortunately, Paul was told he could come back and visit his partner BUT under this stipulation that  Paul ”promises to be appropriate.” Paul’s partner became distressed feeling his treatment was being affected because of his sexuality and his grandparents had him released the following day.

This is more than problematic for several reasons. President Obama  issued a mandate in 2010  stipulating that visitation rights be extended to same sex couples. Also the patient himself along with family members had no problems with Paul being there in support.  If you see or hear of issues like this be as vocal as possible because no staff working in the mental health field should ever conduct themselves this way.

Don’t ever allow this type of behavior for you are any of your loved ones and speak with the facilities administration. If they are funded federally, they are more than likely held to fair treatment of same sex couples. A petition has been started in show of support. You can sign the petition with over 19000 signatures here.