Some homosexual or bisexual males throw caution to the winds when it comes to reducing the risk of acquiring HIV or other sexually transmitted disease. They call this practice "bugchasing".
Clinical description:
(1) a person at risk for acquiring an infectious disease
(2) the person fantasizes about getting infected
(3) the person dispenses with all precautions and recommendations, tempting the fates
A person at risk for HIV:
(1) may have erotic fantasies about this behavior
(2) may connect with others who share this behavior
(3) may discontinue PrEP and may avoid using condoms (so-called "barebacking")
The discontinuing of precautions may be partial or temporary, depending on the person's mood.
Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this behavior:
(1) survivor guilt as friends and acquaintances become infected
(2) impulsive or risk-taking behavior to throw off all inhibitions
(3) feeling immune (it can happen but not to me)
(4) reaction to feeling alone, seeking to belong to something
(5) addictive, delusional, or compulsive behavior
