AIDS and the Voodoo Hex
By Matt Irwin

First draft


AIDS AND THE VOODOO HEX
By Matt Irwin
Feb. 2002


"Look, Mom, the emperor isn't wearing any clothes!"


"I. The Power of Belief

There have been a number of groundbreaking studies that suggest just how powerful beliefs can be in causing or healing illness. Many were performed several decades ago, while others have been published quite recently. These studies reveal how dangerous the current beliefs about HIV and AIDS can be, and support the possibility that the diagnosis itself can bring about a self-fulfilling prophecy because of the powerful negative beliefs it creates. The great majority of this essay will use examples from the medical literature to support this argument. The last portion of this essay will present documented cases of "voodoo hexing" which have been written about in the medical literature, and will include many extended quotes. There will also be descriptions of how stress, social isolation, and negative beliefs can create the same type of immunodeficiency that is commonly blamed on HIV."