HIV infection is a chronic disease characterized by a great deal of uncertainty and unpredictability, being anxiety disorders a frequent psychiatric problem.

To provide an overview of anxiety in HIV-infected patients.

Literature review based on PubMed/Medline, using the keywords “HIV” and “anxiety disorders”.

HIV-infected individuals can experience symptoms of anxiety across the spectrum of anxiety disorders. Adjustment disorder with anxious mood is the most common diagnosis, followed by generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Some patients present with these disorders prior to notification, others develop them during the course of their illness, mainly at key moments. In HIV-infected patients, anxiety can be a manifestation of side effects of medication; a symptom of an illness associated with HIV disease; or, most commonly, the psychological response to the stressors of the illness. In fact, many issues are responsible for the anxiety experienced by people living with HIV. The authors will analyze them. Besides the distress of anxiety disorders, these lead to a decrease in adherence to antiretroviral treatments, resulting in adverse progression of HIV disease and increased risk of mortality. Importantly, however, appropriate psychiatric intervention can do it over.

Careful diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders in the context of HIV disease is even important, given the serious effects if untreated. Thus, anxiety should never be seen simply as a natural reaction to a life-threatening illness.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.