All 24 male patients (mean age 37 yrs) who attended the outpatient clinic in the alcohol and drug rehabilitation unit at the psychiatric hospital in Manama in 1999 and who were HIV positive participated in this study to assess the extent and severity of depressive symptoms 6 mo after their sero-positivity notification. They were interviewed and given the Arabic version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HRS-D). Results showed that 11 (45%) of the group showed severe to moderate depressive symptoms, 7 (29%) showed some depressive symptoms and 6 (25%) showed no depressive symptoms. The results affirm the common occurrence of depressive symptoms in HIV positive patients. Psychosocial and cultural implications of the results are discussed.