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Healthy Life
Health psychology studies the psychological factors of health, including what makes people more or less likely to seek help, to follow doctor's recommendations, and to develop negative psychological symptoms when dealing with chronic illness.
Biopsychosocial model of health - biology, psychology, and social factors all contribute to the development and progression of disease. Replacement of the biomedical model of health.
Example: someone who is dealing with chronic stress (psychological factor) because of a lack of social support while working two jobs to make rent (social factors) is more likely to get ill because of a compromised immune system.
Mind-body connection - our thoughts and emotions can affect how our body functions
Stress and Health
Stress - a response to an event or circumstance that results in strain.
Stressor - a source of stress. Can be positive or negative, big or small.
Resilience - the ability to recover from negative situations or to not develop poor outcomes.
Coping
Coping can be classified into:
- problem-focused coping - actively trying to address the issue that is causing stress. Example: spending extra time studying for an upcoming exam.
- emotion-focused coping - regulating the emotions that accompany stress. Example: going for a run to reduce the stress around an upcoming exam.
Problem-focused coping tends to have greater long-term effects, except when we cannot control events.
Control and Self-efficacy
Having a sense of control over events, even if we do not actually have that control, can reduce stress.
Self-efficacy - the belief that you can perform adequately in a situation.
Social Relationships
Social isolation presents actual health risks.
Social integration describes the number of social roles and lack of isolation a particular person has.
Social support can take many forms:
- emotional help. Example: a hug when you feel bad
- tangible help. Example: bringing you food when you're sick
- advice. Example: suggesting what to do to prepare for an exam
Dispositions and Emotions
Emotion - a temporary state of feeling
Disposition - a pattern of how a person responds to the world
Type A Behaviour - competitive, hostile, impatient, time pressured
Type B Behaviour - cooperative, flexible, agreeable, patient
Stress Management
Aerobic exercise releases serotonin, endorphins, and norepinephrine, which can reduce stress and enable us to cope with stressors. It also, over time, reduces blood pressure.
Biofeedback can be used to release muscle constriction/tightness, slow heart rate, and control breathing.
Activities such as guided meditation and yoga can help us relax.
Some people find that participation in religious or spiritual groups can relieve stress through social support and guidance.
Practice: Healthy Life
You are extremely stressed out because you and your roommate argue about the chores all the time. No matter how much you try to keep up with your housework, she never seems happy. To eliminate this great source of stress, you decide to find another roommate and move out. What coping method is best illustrated here?