When we consider our well being too often we only perceive the physical ailments. Is it something we can feel, hear, and touch. Does it “look” bad, is it terminal, how long do I have to take this medication? Rarely in general terms do people consider their mental or emotional wellbeing as part of their overall health. After all we can not directly “see” depression, anxiety, or PTSD. We can feel these things and may or may not be aware of how our mental wellbeing relates to our overall wellbeing.
Schneider and company (pp.168) point out the traditional biomedical model of health and wellness. I do not think anyone would argue that this concept is invaluable and indispensable but in only looking at health from a micro standpoint we lose track of how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors all play a role in our wellbeing.
Health psychology is the discipline that correlates physical well being, prevention, behavior adaptation, and integration of mindful or thought based coping mechanisms to improve our overall health both mind and body (pp. 169). This more all encompassing model is referred to as the biopsychological model. Specifically in that our physical health is related and directly affected by our mental, emotional, and social wellbeing and vice versa, hence the unseen lions, tigers, and bears lurking behind the scenes we can not see.
Health psychologists can work in a variety of settings with a core principle of education and awareness to improving health promotion and prevention. Evaluating methods for educational efforts targeted for audience specific criteria, one message to discourage substance use in grammar school age children may not have the needed fear tactics to be as effective for a group of teenagers. Additionally health psychologists evaluate how individuals respond if and when they do become ill to develop improved clinical and social interventions for more positive patient outcomes. Physical illness can be a result of mental instability, health psychologists place considerable attention into the etiology of disease origin or process to gain improved understanding on the effects of such to each.
Health psychology though relatively new experienced improvement as an accepted discipline in the 1980’s (pp. 168) helping support the clinical shift toward the biopsychological model. The concepts of health psychology is not elusive but emphasizes the importance of risk factors beyond physical means as well as patients comprehension of disease. This expanding field will continue to grow aiding providers of all disciplines to gain improved understanding on the effects non physical elements can have on health.
Schneider Frank W, Gruman James A, Coutts Larry M “Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems”2nd Edition” (October 2011) SAGE Publications Inc. Washington, D.C