Pychology_and_Health_Problems

Psychology and Health Problems Axia College of University of Phoenix Psychology has built the bridge between physical health and mental health, giving the medical community another approach to diagnosing medial issues. In Figure 4.3 0f the text, the multi-factional model shows how health issues can be a result of biological, sociocultural, environmental, stressors, personality, and behavior. These are the main factors that mold people into individuals, however these are the same factors that lump people together with similar health problems. Having the ability to recognize how these factors have a direct effect on a person’s life, could ultimately lead to people living longer healthier lives. Failure to learn how to cope with these factors, could lead to deadly results. Healthy issues and Psychology Through the multi-factional model, we are able to see the all the different factors that effect our mental and physical health. This gives us a clear example of how one person could be more likely to suffer from a certain illness, opposed to another. Genetics make up who we are, and that is what makes us prone to a particular illness. Our mental stability is connected to illness, which can eventually make the illness worse. In all the factors there are to consider, one can see that the combination of factors differ from person to person. If heart disease and obesity are known to be genetic traits within a family, the family members could eat a healthy diet and exercise to try and prevent the development of obesity and heart disease. Although in some cases, the genetics may continue to be the determining factor. Add other factors like socioculture, personality, stressors, and environment, and they may add up to be enough to outweigh the persons attempting to live a healthy lifestyle. Stress is a mental reaction that eventually transforms into a physical reaction from the body. If an unhealthy lifestyle is connected to those stressors, this could cause a physical reaction from the body to be fatal. For example, if a man is a smoker with a stressful job and home life, heart disease is prominent in his family; he is amore likely to suffer from heart disease himself in the future. The smoking could also lead to lung cancer, which would make his chance of survival even lower with both diseases. Stress is a silent killer amongst us all, and our behaviors are what must change in order to stay healthy. Stress can lead to depression, and depression can lead to more extensive mental disorders that could have adverse effects on the body. Negative thoughts and behaviors are two factors that can bring the body down. If the stress continues to get worst, the results could mean losing a life. Cancer is also a major disease that is often enhanced by the many of the multi-factional models that affect us all as human beings. Cancer continues to be a major cause of death for both men and women throughout the world. Genetics are a large factor of stress, and so is behavior. For example, the man that I spoke about in the previous paragraph is probably well aware of the fact that smoking cigarettes is causes cancer. Yet, because of the daily stressors that effect his life, his mind tells him that he needs the nicotine from a cigarette. What does he do' Continue to smoke, even though he knows that he is setting himself up for health problems in future. Breast Cancer in women is a genetic trait passed on within families. If a woman makes the choice to be a smoker and eat unhealthy, she is making herself more liable to end up with cancer as well. She has to start looking fro ways to prevent developing that cancer gene within her family, and she should start by giving up the cigarettes first. Then she must shift her focus to healthy eating and exercise, to give her body the proper nutrients that it needs. We must shift out focus from whatever the problem is, to a feasible sensible solution. Understanding and Management To prevent and overcome illness caused by multi-factional models, psychology has helped find ways to help people cope with their stressors. Doctors have also found psychology to be beneficial in diagnosing the original source of an illness, or the source that is causing the body to react. Doctors now know hoe genetics can affect the physical health of a person as well as his or her mental health. Medical staff is able to use the factors to determine proper treatment for a patient. Doctors can also pinpoint factors like anxiety, which can be a direct trigger for a physical reaction to stressors. Through therapy and medication, psychology has helped people control their anxious feelings. Non profit programs have even made these services available to patients who may not have the proper insurance coverage to for therapy. Psychology also helps many people overcome addiction and return to living a normal life, by making them accept and understand that they are an addict first. It may be painful to get a person to admit their problems in life, and where they feel they went wrong. Psychology has helped so many overcome those fears, to move back into a healthy state of mind. This helps people to eliminate risky behaviors that could lead to disease and illness later in life. Conclusion The multi-factional model gives us all the sources that affect the well being of our lives. Some people have more factors that affect them than others, how we choose to react to those factors will ultimately determine how illness will affect us. We may not be able to fully change every aspect of the genetic traits that encompass us. What we can do is utilize the help that is available, to learn how to cope with our stressors. Making positive changes in our thinking as well as eating habits will help us build up a preventative defense system against certain ailments. Practicing meditation and other calming exercises will help to alleviate stress. Social activities amongst friends and co-workers will also help to change negative thoughts. The mind is a powerful tool, and most of us are completely unaware of our personal power. We always have the ability to change, and that is what makes us resilient in our lives. References: Nevid, J. S. & Rathus, S. A. (2005). Psychology and the challenges of life: Adjustment in the new millennium (9th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.