Psychologist Explored Gay Men's 'Wellness' Guilt

Psychologist Walt Odets, who died on July 7 at age 79, extensively documented the psychological toll of the AIDS epidemic on HIV-negative gay men. His seminal 1995 book, "In the Shadow of the Epidemic: Being H.I.V.-Negative in the Age of AIDS," addressed the then-taboo subject of survivor's guilt and depression experienced by those spared infection.

Odets described a "psychological epidemic" among the uninfected, who felt anxious and lonely in their "wellness." He posited that this sense of fatalism among HIV-negative men could encourage unsafe sexual practices, a critical public health concern before effective treatments became widely available.

Beyond his work on the AIDS crisis, Odets, a former photographer, also explored broader themes of gay identity in his 2019 book, "Out of the Shadows: Reimagining Gay Men's Lives." He maintained that gay identity involved a rich internal life and sensibility, extending beyond mere physical attraction.

Born in Los Angeles in 1947, Odets was the son of playwright Clifford Odets. After a career in photography, he pursued clinical psychology, establishing a practice in Berkeley, Calif., where he offered therapy to gay men. He wrote influential watch reviews in his later career.