When I interned at the Ryan White Office of Support in Houston, TX we identified that over one third of people with HIV also suffered from a mental health or substance abuse related condition. Many chronic conditions have been shown to cause depression especially. With bipolar disorder specifically when you have periods of mania sometimes people engage in high-risk sexual behaviors because they feel invincible to harm. This can obviously raise your risk for HIV and other STD's.

Here's some info...
https://www.caregiver.org/resource/hiv-associat...

HIV-associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND) - Family Caregiver Alliance

https://www.caregiver.org/resource/hiv-associated-neurocognitive-disorder-hand/

I think to varying degrees HIV plays a huge part in depression and a whole bunch of other mental issues. HIV has been known effect the brain and nervous system.

At the beginning my memory went downhill very fast. I was tested at great lengths, raked against the coals more times than I can remember and it was such a process where we can say that my memory and cognitive functions have been altered by my progression to AIDS at such a swift and rapid rate. Again the damage I endured and went through is seen in patients who's Viral Loads were in the 1,000,000's. I presented to the hospital on my deathbed with a Viral Load of 5200 but the CD4 and CD4% was absolute absent in my situation (maybe this has something to do with having my case presented to Dartmouth Hitchcock on several occasions).

The point I am trying to stress here is that while yes AIDS plays a pivotal hand in illness of the brain (HIV/AIDS Related Dementia, Dementia, HAND and so on) I have only seen these things present themselves when the CD4 and CD4% is very low and someone has progressed to AIDS.

Do I think HIV could present a new diagnosis of Bipolar? Unlikely if your Viral Load is suppressed and CD4 are doing wonderfully its doubtful that anything will come from an HIV diagnosis. It is when it is out of control when things come up and progress.

WOW! Really? I didn't know about that one. Could it be my late husband, Randy, suffered from that? Gonna ask my medical professional friend about that one. Thanks for the tip.