t the loss of a partner, or close friend, to an AIDS related illness resulted in a significant number experiencing acute stress, depression, anxiety and feelings of hopelessness (Judd, 1996). All of the participants were a-symptomatic in relation to the virus prior to the death-related events. After being exposed to the psychological stressors (grief and loss), a large number began to present with HIV/AIDS immune depleted illnesses. T-cell numbers dropped alarmingly in the majority of cases (some even depleting to zero). In a significant number of instances, upon re-connecting with their emotional support volunteer (a trained person who was able to assist in the working through of these issues pertaining to loss and grief), within three months their T-cell counts steadily rose. Most reported that their AIDS related illnesses had responded well to treatment, and many regained their a-symptomatic status. It was observed that this was a cyclic process, the pattern being repeated upon experiencing another loss (Martin, 1988; American Journal of Psychiatry, 1997). This cyclic process shows clearly how stress can weaken the immune system (especially in HIV/AIDS patients), resulting in physical illness, and how the reduction of stress improves immune system stability, and in so doing improves the physical health of the individual. There is now a great many scientifically documented studies alluding to the inter-relationship between stress, the immune system and health outcomes. What is of some interest is that they do not occur evenly throughout the whole life span continuum. Children with cancer currently receiving chemotherapy were remarkably similar to case controls on measures of emotional well being, and better on several dimensions of social functioning. These findings are not supportive of disability/stress models of childhood chronic cancer, psychosocial morbidity (Noll, Gartstein, Vannatta, Correll, Bikowski and Davies, 1999). Howev...
