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12
Feb 24

I thought I was a hermit, and other great realizations…

Charismatic is the word my mother uses to describe me, others have said social butterfly and I find this very peculiar considering my adoration for solitude.  When the world shut down during the COVID pandemic it seemed like a gift, here was a reason to stay home and do whatever I wanted and never have to see anyone ever again, I could stay inside without guilt.  Living in San Diego people often suggest getting outside, it’s a nice day they say, well I say every day is a nice day, it’s Southern California, leave me alone.

That’s not to say that I don’t love to be around people, and admittedly so, to be the center of attention, but I really like my alone time.  So, looking back I found it odd that the time in lockdown had the opposite effect I had originally imagined.  In the wake of the pandemic I had put on more pounds than I care to admit, lost my motivation for going anywhere, and therefore any interaction with people outside of a gas station attendant or my kids. Now possibly it was not getting any exercise, or because I had two small boys in school online while I was in nursing school prep courses, but I was not myself to say the least. I had lost my mojo, and I felt angry, and very much inside my head, it was indescribably difficult and I felt alone.

It has been a few years now, my boys survived and so did I, life has begun to seem normal again, but only recently.  As this awareness of normalcy came to fruition, so did the realization that something had gone wrong during that time of isolation, and it wasn’t just a lack of exercise, there was more to it, there was a host of emotional turmoil to sift through, but what struck me most, why had that been the outcome and not a shining butterfly of self-care and peace of mind emerging from that time away from everything?  I loved being alone, I enjoyed binging shows, and puttering around my house without any social contact, so why was I a mess?

It was Aristotle who first proposed that we are social creatures and seek the companionship of others as a component of our well-being.  Well-being, however, has become somewhat of a buzzword and feels rather elusive to attain, like Peter Pan’s shadow, just slipping one’s grasp.  That is, until I started piecing the puzzle together, the whys and whats so to speak of what happened to me, and so many others during this time that could have, and maybe for some, was used to better oneself, in my case, felt more like crawling out of a cave.

Studies have shown that those who regularly attend church or social events tend to live longer and healthier lives (Pew Research Center, 2019), (Godman, 2023).  Many of us have heard that religion leads to happier, and thus healthier lives, but what is it that offers this life extension?  According to (Umberson & Karas Montez, 2011) when adults are more socially connected, they too live longer and healthier lives than their counterparts (isolated adults).  And, in one news brief (Godman, 2023), researchers conducted a study examining the lifestyle and social environments of 28,000 individuals for a term of five years.  Findings show that the more that people were socializing the longer they were living, if they did not socialize every day, they still lived longer than those who did not socialize at all (Godman, 2023).

There was credible information showing we are indeed social animals, and this solitude many of us lived through had a serious impact on our overall health and well-being.  As the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023) state, people who are socially connected are more likely to have stability, healthy relationships, and improved decision-making ability.  They go on to mention that the very choices we make are better for our health when we are among others and that we manage stress better, and depression (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023).

So here it was, findings that show just how important social interaction is for our overall well-being, the elusive shadow, completely within my reach.  It took baby steps, I started delivering food, and would occasionally interact with a customer, and then I started easing into grocery stores, and more.  Now about 4 years later, I have begun to lose weight, I have people over to my house again, and I go out and socialize.  I realized that I am seen as charismatic and social because although I am a social butterfly, my “me time” is imperative for recharging my energy.  However, with that being said I can see clearly now that the support of others, and those daily interactions, no matter how brief, are all part of our nature, and something I was desperately lacking.  As Thomas Kottke once said “Medicine is a social science in its very bone and marrow” (Kottke, 2011).

 

 

 

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, May 8). How Does Social Connectedness Affect Health? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/emotional-wellbeing/social-connectedness/affect-health.htm#:~:text=When%20people%20are%20socially%20connected

Godman, H. (2023, July 1). Even a little socializing is linked to longevity. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/even-a-little-socializing-is-linked-to-longevity#:~:text=Within%20the%20first%20five%20years

Kottke, T. E. (2011). Medicine Is a Social Science in Its Very Bone and Marrow. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 86(10), 930–932. https://doi.org/10.4065/mcp.2011.0444

Pew Research Center. (2019, January 31). Religion’s Relationship to Happiness, Civic Engagement and Health Around the World. Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2019/01/31/religions-relationship-to-happiness-civic-engagement-and-health-around-the-world/

Umberson, D., & Karas Montez, J. (2011). Social Relationships and Health: a Flashpoint for Health Policy. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 51(1), 54–66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146510383501

 

 

 

 

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23
Sep 21

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Have you been in a situation where you experienced an unpleasant event that left you traumatized for the rest of your life? Well, that is considered post-traumatic stress disorder in which an unpleasant event or incident happened that might cause life threatening injuries to a person. Although some are not life-long, many might be for a while and cause a person to fear his life. Symptoms, like nightmares, irritation, anxiety, depression and many more, should be shown before giving a person this diagnosis. An example of PTSD is riding a roller coaster in which I give an example explaining it more in depth below. Some treatments that would help with PTSD are cognitive processing theory and medications. PTSD is a psychological disorder that relates to other mental health disorders that we discussed in class like anxiety and depression.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychological disorder in which an incident or event happened that caused a person to constantly stay afraid or traumatized afterwards. Some reasons that a person might experience post-traumatic stress disorder is either experiencing an unpleasant event or going through something. For example, if someone has a fear of roller coasters and rides it one time or even sees on the news that a roller coaster stops midair for hours this would cause a person’s anxiety levels to increase causing a person to develop PTSD. It would also cause a person to fear riding a rollercoaster ever again. Not only does it cause a person to stress about it, but it might cause a person to have other symptoms. Other symptoms are like not being able to sleep, causing mental health problems, hyper vigilance, depression, nightmares and many more.

This might even cause a person to stress about it while only thinking and talking about remembering the bad experience. Some might experience it for a long time while others might only experience it for a short period of time. There are treatments that a person can go through which would help them with solving the problem. An example is cognitive processing theory in which the process changes the way that a person might think by changing their attitude resulting in a change in their feelings. Another treatment is medications in which stress relievers are given to a person to help calm down their nerves. As well as exposure therapy is a beneficial treatment because it helps with “Repeated confrontation of traumatic memories, often through detailed recounting of the traumatic experience” (3 Jonathan). These are only a few treatments for PTSD. Connecting it to the example of a roller coaster, PTSD is considered as a rollercoaster because of the ups and downs that it causes a person to go through. Consider yourself a psychologist or even a student pursuing psychology, how would you approach a person with PTSD? 

Post-traumatic stress disorder connects to the textbook reading in which it connects to different psychological disorders like anxiety and depression. PTSD is a form of anxiety in which as the levels of PTSD increases, more anxiety is caused. PTSD is considered a psychological disorder and to find treatments for these disorders, “social psychologists who work in this area study factors that might bias the process of identifying the nature of a client’s difficulty. They also study the impact on the client’s welfare of giving a diagnostic label to a client” (Gruman 99). Many disorders can be treated after researchers’ work with patients and finding the reason behind the diagnosis. An issue that is present in most physiological disorders is the labeling effect in which a person’s identity might be influenced by words that describe a person. There are other issues in psychological disorders which are present in the textbook like stereotypes, anchoring, and the confirmation bias (Gruman 124). Even though there are issues related to PTSD, it can be treated through different formats. 

Experiencing a traumatic incident or event that might cause a person to injure themselves is considered as post-traumatic stress disorder. There are many symptoms in which a person goes through to consider themselves having PTSD like constant fear, anxiety, lack of sleep, mental health problems, and many more. After diagnosing someone with PTSD, there are some treatments in which a person can go through to help with their mental disorder like cognitive processing, medications, and exposure therapy. Post-traumatic stress disorder connects to other psychological disorders discussed in the textbook like anxiety and depression. Even though there are treatments for PTSD, I think there should be more treatments and solutions to post-traumatic stress disorder. One question to keep you thinking is, how would you approach a person with PTSD?

Here is a link to another example of PTSD if you are interested.

https://youtu.be/YMC2jt_QVEE 

References:

Bisson, J. (2007, April 12). Post-traumatic stress disorder. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://www.bmj.com/content/334/7597/789

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. SAGE.

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30
Sep 19

How Nutrition Impacts our Mental Health and Productivity

Most of us have heard the saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but how true does that ring for mental health and not just physical health? It is common knowledge that proper nutrition is a vital aspect of physical health and wellbeing, but there isn’t much public knowledge on how proper nutrition or lack thereof can influence mental health and performance. Since health psychologists focus much of their research on how behavioral changes are affected by psychological factors, we know there is a connection between mental health and behaviors. According to Gruman, Schneider, and Coutts (2017), health psychologists use psychology to promote healthy behaviors and prevent illnesses. We have seen over the years a gradual change towards health promotion and healthy behaviors like minimizing fast food and having a more active lifestyle to achieve optimal physical health. Can the same healthy recommendations affect mental health and performance in the same way? Would it be possible to treat mental illness with healthy behavioral changes like proper nutrition?

Some research suggests that certain nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids can have a positive impact on mental disorders like depression. According to one meta-analysis that analyzed the results of 26 studies, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids showed improvement on depressive symptoms, while DHA did not exhibit any change (Liao et al., 2019). By increasing omega-3 fatty acids in one’s diet, it can limit the onset of depressive episode and possibly prevent mental health disorders like postpartum depression. A blog by Harvard Medical School showed that omega-3 fatty acids can be used alone or in conjunction with prescription antidepressants with promising change for improvement for depression and other mood disorders (Mischoulon, 2018). In addition to treatment for mood disorders, nutritional changes can affect disorders like schizophrenia. Although the causes of schizophrenia are still unknown, it causes patients to experience disorganized behavior and an altered reality involving hallucinations and delusions. In order to combat this, some research suggests that a diet with a high dose of vitamin B6, B8, and B12 can help schizophrenia symptoms. In one meta-analysis study, researchers found that B vitamins showed a significant reduction in schizophrenic symptoms in patients when administered early on(Science Daily, 2017). If we can see improvement in mental disorders with dietary changes, can people without mental disabilities improve their mental health with the same changes?

Brain food is a common term used to describe foods that can improve brain functioning and mental performance. Can a banana or a stalk of broccoli help you solve crossword puzzles or perform better on tests? If true, this could become a useful tool in various environments like schools and work settings to increase productivity. Eating breakfast regularly has been promoted as an essential part of a diet because of its effects on overall health, but especially for children who attend school. In one study, it was found that 10th grade students who skipped breakfast frequently exhibited poor academic performance, fatigue, and increased distress (Lien, 2007). If more parents and schools encouraged daily breakfast, it could have amazing improvements on academic performance and overall mental wellbeing in children as well as adults. We know that there are types of foods that are known for improving mental performance such as fruits and vegetables, but there are specific foods that can improve certain aspects of brain functioning. For example, dark chocolate and blueberries contain antioxidants and also help improve memory loss. The vitamin K present in broccoli has shown to improve memory, but can also fight brain damage. Eating healthy is not only good for physical health, but also can improve mental functioning and wellbeing.

We have seen over the years the changes made to dietary recommendations to ensure that the public achieves optimal health. Dietary recommendations like the Food Pyramid or the Healthy Eating Plate have given guidelines that sought to educate the public on the types of food groups and servings of each that were to be consumed for a healthy diet. Although a healthy physique is an important aspect of life to fight off issues like obesity and diabetes, we also need to focus our attention on what a healthy diet could do for our mental health and wellbeing. I think more work should be done in the field of health psychology to investigate diets that could help treat or even cure mental disorders that often lead to a lack of nutrients in the body and brain. In order to promote health, we need to expand on ideas that help treat and prevent mental disorders and diseases. We could help children who battle eating disorders in school or veterans who suffer from PTSD just by analyzing and changing their diets to serve their mental needs. I think the problem with recommendations like the Food Pyramid and other food guidelines are that they are too one size fits all because everyone has different needs mentally, physically, and emotionally. Diets need to take on a more biopsychosocial perspective and become individualized for each person. I hope in the future we can move away from less pharmaceutical drugs to treat mental illnesses and focus more on nutritional healing.

References

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.

Liao, Y., Xie, B., Zhang, H., He, Q., Guo, L., Subramaniapillai, M., … Mclntyer, R. S. (2019). Efficacy of omega-3 PUFAs in depression: A meta-analysis. Translational Psychiatry, 9(1). doi: 10.1038/s41398-019-0515-5

Lien, L. (2007). Is breakfast consumption related to mental distress and academic performance in adolescents? Public Health Nutrition, 10(4), 422–428. doi: 10.1017/s1368980007258550

Mischoulon, D. (2018, August 2). Omega-3 fatty acids for mood disorders. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/omega-3-fatty-acids-for-mood-disorders-2018080314414.

Science Daily. (2017, February 16). B vitamins reduce schizophrenia symptoms, study finds. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170216103913.htm.

 

 

 

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30
Sep 19

You, Me, We, and Stress

Stress always sounds like a frequently used bad word. If you ask a fellow student, a parent, a family member, or a coworker how they feel, “stressed” is usually one of the common words they might use in description along with sleepy, exhausted, and burnt out.

To get technical, stress results from things that happen in our environment, according to the transactional model of stress. Unfortunately, this model implies almost anything can cause stress, “people, events, and situations” (Gruman, 2017). Those categories mentioned are called stressors and there are many things that fall into those three categories.

In these situations, our brains appraise the situation. Appraisals can happen consciously or subconsciously. When this happens think of fight or flight. Either we can think this situation is threatening to us or it’s something we can conquer or get over. We also have secondary appraisals that evaluate and assess our resources to determine how we handle the stressor.

Appraisals can be different for everybody even if it’s the same situation. For example, if I saw a snake (it could be at PetSmart), I would immediately appraise the situation to be threatening. My secondary appraisal would be my resources, my legs to move away from the aisle or my car keys to escape just in case the snake escaped its cage. My husband on the other hand, would appraise the situation as something he could overcome or may not be stressed by the situation at all. If we were looking at the same snake however, his stress maybe because of my reaction to the snake, not the snake itself. What can stress one person out may not phase another.

Appraisals can also change over time. Another personal example, at one point I used to be terrified of dogs. I had been bitten as a child. If I saw a dog, my subconscious appraisal was that the situation was threatening, and I would cry, scream, and beg to leave whatever place the dog(s) were. About 7 years later my cousin, whom I was very close with, got a dog. His gentle nature and my constant appearance in his home changed my appraisal. I no longer saw the situation as threatening. Later on, I grew to be a dog lover with my own two spoiled puppies.

This is an example of coping. Coping is “thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that people engage in when trying to reduce stress” (Gruman, 2017). In essence this means what do you do to reduce the stress that the event, person, or situation caused.

In my last example, I unknowingly was involved in problem-focused coping which is exactly how it sounds. I faced my problem head on to reduce the power it had to stress me out. Did I consciously think “Hey, you really have got to get over your fear of dogs. It’s ridiculous.” No, I did not, I was 10. But I did think, “I want to be around my older cousin more so if that means dealing with her dog then fine.” Pepper was a gentle lovable dog, he made it easy to start to look forward to his cuddles when I saw him. Pepper himself didn’t make my fear of dogs obsolete, but his nature did help me cope. Eventually he was a point of stress relief and now so are my dogs.

There is another type of coping called emotion-focused coping. It deals with how people try to regulate their own emotions in order to reduce the effects of stress. It’s commonly thought of in terms of things we can not change, however, it’s important to note that this does not mean that we avoid the stress. Avoiding stress can lead down a destructive pathway which could possibly bring on more stress.

I experienced emotion-focused coping when I found out that Pepper died. I do not like to be sad, but I let the emotion come forth and I also thought about all the things Pepper opened me up to. Because of Pepper I have two dogs that I love so much. I learned how to take care of an animal because of him. I also learned how to train a dog and instill obedience. My dogs have a better life because of my own interaction with Pepper.

If you notice my end results in both dog examples was that they lead to a healthy outcome. Using the coping methods appropriately lead to a healthy management of stress. Other coping mechanisms for stress management are relaxation training, expressive writing, and using cognitive behavioral therapy to identify stressors, discuss appraisals, and practice coping strategies (Taylor, 2018). Stress may not cause illness; however, it can greatly exacerbate it. Other factors affect stress like socioeconomic status, negative events. Stress can also impact sleep and the time frame to recover from the physiological effects on stress on the body.

To reduce the likelihood of developing chronic stress or incur any of the negative effects of stress it’s important to also have a support system. Social support according to Taylor is information from others that one is loved and cared for, esteemed and valued, and part of a network of communication and mutual obligations. This means that people are better able to cope and have healthier outcomes with social support.

There are difference types of support such as tangible assistance, which is like a monetary gift or someone physically helping you move. Informational support is getting advice or information on situations we’ve never faced before such as getting marital advice as a newlywed. Emotional support is what we receive from people that love and care about us and our well being. Though this doesn’t list all types of support, these are just a few things to possibly reduce our haste to stress out.

Stress is something that can’t be avoided. Our bodies were made to respond to it for our survival, but it can be managed so that it won’t take over our lives and our health. Let’s make use of all of those strategies to keep up healthy and thriving.

 

References

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE.

Taylor, S. E. (2018). Health Psychology. New York: McGraw Hill Education.

 

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24
Sep 18

Only the Lonely: An Exploration of How Your Figurative Heart and Physical Heart Share the Same Aches

“may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.”
―e.e. cummings 

Only the Lonely:
An Exploration of How Your Figurative Heart and Physical Heart
Share the Same Aches

It probably isn’t a surprise to anyone that loneliness has natural implications in mental health. Loneliness means we are missingsomething, sadfor someone or for a situation other than the one we’re in. If sadness stays with us long enough and deeply enough, it may evolve into depression. But loneliness precipitates other changes in us as well. Beyond our lowered mood and possible peril to our mental health, loneliness spreads over all aspects of our well-being: mental, social, emotional, and physical.

The concept of loneliness isn’t as simple as it may seem.There is an automatic assumption that those who live alone would be lonely and those with people around them do not have an opportunity to become lonely. That isn’t necessarily so. For instance, when loneliness was studied across age groups, those with the highest reported loneliness were high school students—and age group who are usually around people all day, almost every day. This was true even when compared to the elderly group (the focus of most studies of loneliness) including those who lived alone (Schultz & Moore, 1988). So, what is it, then? What makes a person lonely? Or, more importantly, notlonely?

What is different about situations that allow some to become lonely and some not? For the high schoolers, the loneliness materializes due to an increase in the perceptions of social roles and the uneasiness of in the adjustment in attempting to meet them (Schultz & Moore, 1988). But the lower levels of loneliness in the elderly group is intriguing, especially when considering around a quarter of this age group lives alone (American Psychological Association [APA] (2016). This is where the substantial difference between being aloneand being lonely comes to light. Surprisingly, one is not significantly correlated to the other (Holt-Lunstad, et. al., 2015). Rather than physical proximity, the strength and stability of social networks became the best indicator in staving off loneliness—even moreso than physical and mental health.

“But loneliness can’t be that big a deal, right? Everyone feels lonely sometimes.” It is true that experiencing the emotion of loneliness can be healthy for us. It can help us clarify what it is we would like to feel instead and motivate us to seek the necessary changes to bring it about.  The problem comes when loneliness persists and becomes a living condition rather than a mood. Living in this particular condition can bring about dire health risks. Persistent loneliness has a strong comorbidity with high blood pressure, stroke, more visits to an emergency room (Theeke, 2010), cardiovascular disease, increased risk of mortality, slowed repair of blood vessel walls, poor sleep quality, immune deficiencies (Leigh-Hunt, Bagguley, Bash, Turner, Turnbull, Valtorta, & Caan, 2017; Zebhauser, Baumert, Emeny, Ronel, Peters, & Ladwig, 2014), and behaviors and choices harmful to health such as physical inactivity and smoking (Holt-Lunstad, et. al., 2015). The effects of loneliness reach deeper and wider than that of a passing mood. Much like the difference between feeling sad compared to experiencing depression, one naturally passes while the other becomes a condition all its own, spreading to other areas of our health, and often requiring professional help to work our way out of it.

This is one reason why there have been studies on the importance of integrating social rehabilitation into traditional therapies. While individual and group therapies along with medicines predominate mental interventions, there is a shift to acknowledge social health as an important component of overall mental health, as well. Elisha, Castle, and Hocking (2006) surveyed the social health of 3800 adults living with a psychotic mental illness. Of these, 58% had withdrawn from social activity, 39% lacked a close friend, and 45% desired friendship. Only 19% received social rehabilitation, however. In a more general survey of people with mental illness who attended social rehabilitation programs, 92% stated that they had done so at the referral of a health professional (Elisha, Castle, & Hocking, 2006). In other words, those who experience social isolation seem to be eager to accept help for rehabilitation when offered, but, as of right now, it isn’t often presented as an option in treatment.

“But what if isolation doesn’t cause mental illness, what if it’s mental illness that causes isolation?” It is true, these variables are both symptoms and causes of each other. Sometimes mental illness causes social withdrawal and loneliness. In order to help isolate and study loneliness as causal of mental illness, Rohde, D’Ambrosio, Tang, and Rao (2015) conducted a study of those with no prior or current mental illness who were forced to change geographic locations (due to work or school), effectively cutting them off from their social networks. The results showed a strong correlation between indicated feelings of loneliness to increased distress and a lowered overall mental health (Rohde, D’Ambrosio, Tang, and Rao, 2015). By removing the possibility of a pre-existing mental illness, this strengthens the causal power of loneliness.

“What does that mean for me?”The good news is that this is not merely a message of warning about the possible threats loneliness has on our health. Though loneliness creates deficits in our well-being, we are not in a fight to simply balance these damages to a neutral zero level. In as much as social isolation has negative effects on health, having and maintaining strong social connections actively benefits even those without loneliness or mental illness—pushing us further into the positive effects, adding to our well-being and increasing longevity (Holt-Lunstad, et. al., 2015). Some debate that healthy social networks only benefit us indirectly, by mitigating our day-to-day levels of stress and anxiety (Rohde, et. al., 2015). Whether this is true, the benefits are to our overall well-being, or the indirect effects are inseparable from the direct effects, the presence of positive effects is undeniable.

We would do well to listen to our thoughts and emotions when we experience loneliness. Some classify this as one of the most basic warning systems with which we are equipped, like thirst or hunger (Holt-Lunstad, et. al., 2015). Rather than suppressing this alert system, it would be better to examine what we might do to best restore our health, to take actions and move into behaviors which benefit our well-being, and to enlist the support of others as we also offer our support to them.

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References

American Psychological Association (APA) (2016). By the numbers: Older adults living alone. (2016, May). Monitor on Psychology, 47(5), 9. Retrieved September 23, 2018, from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/05/numbers.aspx

Elisha, D., Castle, D., & Hocking, B. (2006). Reducing social isolation in people with mental illness: The role of the psychiatrist. Australasian Psychiatry, 14(3), 281-284. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1665.2006.02287.x

Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227-237. doi:10.1177/1745691614568352

Leigh-Hunt, N., Bagguley, D., Bash, K., Turner, V., Turnbull, S., Valtorta, N., & Caan, W. (2017). An overview of systematic reviews on the public health consequences of social isolation and loneliness. Public Health, 152, 157-171. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2017.07.035

Rohde, N., D’Ambrosio, C., Tang, K. K., & Rao, P. (2015). Estimating the Mental Health Effects of Social Isolation. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 11(3), 853-869. doi:10.1007/s11482-015-9401-3

Schultz, N. R., & Moore, D. (1988). Loneliness: Differences Across Three Age Levels. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 5(3), 275-284. doi:10.1177/0265407588053001

Theeke, L. A. (2010). Sociodemographic and Health-Related Risks for Loneliness and Outcome Differences by Loneliness Status in a Sample of U.S. Older Adults. Research in Gerontological Nursing, 3(2), 113-125. doi:10.3928/19404921-20091103-99

Zebhauser, A., Baumert, J., Emeny, R., Ronel, J., Peters, A., & Ladwig, K. (2014). What prevents old people living alone from feeling lonely? Findings from the KORA-Age-study. Aging & Mental Health, 19(9), 773-780. doi:10.1080/13607863.2014.977769

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20
Sep 18

Being a Positive Influence for Health’s Sake

This week we learned about the biopsychosocial model. This model states that health is related not only to biology but also to psychological and social factors (Schneider, Gruman, Coutts, p. 169 2012). The text talks about how social interactions can have a beneficial as well as negative impact on our health. For example, in my own personal life, I try to exercise regularly in order to stay healthy and maintain (or lose) weight. Because of my interest in staying healthy, I have a lot of friends that ask if they can work out with me. For them, having a work out partner is important to helping them make a similar health commitment to themselves, and I have the pleasure of being that positive impact.

That being said, I think a lot of the friends that I have are still in the early stages of change when they reach out about becoming healthier. Chapter 8 of the text also talks about the stages of change model, which includes pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance (Schneider et al. p. 180-181, 2012). The contemplation and preparation stages are generally where I find my friends, which is a place I was myself in for a long time. They are either contemplating their heath change, which means they are aware that a change needs to take place and are seriously considering doing so (Schneider et al. p. 180-181, 2012), or they are in the preparation stage which consists of making an actual plan and preparing to start making changes within the next month (Schneider et al. p. 180-181, 2012).

Taking classes like applied social psychology and learning about different health models has been very helpful to me, personally, as well as how I can help my friends and family. I was unhealthy for a long time and I never had any energy and was unhappy in a lot of ways. I’m definitely not the fittest person now, and I don’t make all of the right decisions, but I am much healthier and want to try and help the people I care about to be healthier as well. Hopefully having knowledge about the stages of change model, and others, will help me in my health endeavors!

References:

.Schneider, F. W., Gruman J. A., Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: SAGE.

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30
Oct 17

Online Education and Peer Interaction

As I read the assigned chapters for class this week, one thing that stood out to me was how critical peer interaction is in academic environments.  According to Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts, (2012), kids who have poor peer relationships struggle with developing competency in a variety of different areas of their lives, including academia, while those with positive relationships are more likely to thrive.  In fact, studies have indicated that the act of just playing with other children can increase a child’s self-confidence and, in turn, increase their academic achievement (Schneider et al., 2012).  However, in an increasingly modernized educational environment, more and more academic programs are being offered online.  According to Connections Academy (2015), from 2009 to 2014, there has been an 80% increase in grade school students taking online or blended learning courses and a 58% increase in full-time online public school enrollment.  If students are no longer in classrooms together, however, will this lack of peer interaction be detrimental?

 

As Schneider et al. (2012) note, the academic environment provides individuals with the opportunity to form and maintain friendships, acquire leadership skills, learn about conflict resolution and cooperation, and develop positive self-concepts, in addition to enhancing academic achievement.  All of these lessons are learned through peer interaction.  Early poor social adjustment is shown to lead to academic struggles later on, a negative perception of the school environment, and even eventual academic failure (as cited in Schneider et al., 2012).  This opportunity to develop social skills is even more important for students with disabilities and behavioral difficulties, with positive interactions leading to marked increases in their motivation and performance (Schneider et al., 2012).  If students are participating in online learning, then, they will experience distinctly less peer interaction, potentially leading to poorer academic and social skills.

 

Despite this dire picture, however, studies also show that the academic-social interaction can be reciprocal, with high academic performance leading to more positive social skills.  Specifically, studies have shown that actively working to increase the academic performance of children early in their school careers, through interventions such as math and reading tutoring, can lead to positive social development (Schneider et al., 2012).  This suggests that the lack of peer interaction in online education may not be so detrimental after all.  In fact, if these programs focus on high achievement, social development may just simply follow along.

 

So, where does that leave us?

 

It seems that since online education, especially that aimed at younger children, is still in its infancy, no conclusions have been universally agreed upon.  In an article for Parents.com, Deborah Stipek, a Stanford University education professor, noted that the research for the consequences of online education on social-emotional skills is simply not there (O’Hanlon, 2012).  It is agreed that traditional school provides a unique setting for students to learn and interact, but what happens to the development of social skills once this mold is broken is still unknown.  Since these future implications are still unidentified, I believe it is crucial that online education programs utilize as many strategies as possible to promote effective social skill development.  This includes social skills training programs, where students can learn appropriate behaviors and methods of interacting, an emphasis on small group work to encourage effective collaboration, and free time in a synchronous virtual environment where students can help one another learn.  All of these strategies, as mentioned in Schneider et al. (2012), have been shown to help foster social skills and, in turn, academic achievement in traditional classrooms, so implementing them in online learning environments would, hopefully, result in similar benefits.

Overall, the modernization of education, especially the drastic increase in online education, provides some interesting new challenges for students.  As social skill development has been shown to be important in fostering academic achievement, discovering ways to promote the development of these skills in asynchronous environments will likely be critical to the success of online students.

 

References

Connections Academy. (2015). Growth of K-12 digital learning. Retrieved from https://www.connectionsacademy.com/Portals/4/ca/documents/pdfs/press/2015/CE_Infographic%202015_FINAL(2).pdf

 

O’Hanlon, L. H. (2012). Virtual elementary school: Should you enroll your kids? Retrieved from http://www.parents.com/kids/education/elementary-school/virtual-elementary-school/

 

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understand and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

 

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22
Sep 17

Why I Only Engage in Some Health-Protective Behaviors: The Health Belief Model

For as long as I can remember, I have hated going to the doctor.  Sitting in the waiting room, the smell of the antiseptic in the office, feeling the alcohol swab on my arm right before a vaccine…it’s all terrible and it does not help that I am pretty phobic of shots.  Due to this, I tend to attempt to avoid many things that have to do with doctors’ offices and health, like getting yearly flu vaccines and going for yearly physicals, but I do go to the doctor with more serious concerns, such as major dental issues or more severe illness prevention.  After understanding how psychology concepts are applicable the adoption of health behaviors, I think I can explain my actions through the health belief model.  As presented in Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts (2012), the health belief model says that the health-protective behaviors in which people will engage will be influenced by cognitive factors, including general health values, perceived susceptibility to illness, perceived severity of illness, expectation of treatment success, perceived barriers and benefits, and cues to action.

As I said above, one of the health-protective behaviors that I tend to avoid is getting yearly flu vaccines.  While I am invested in maintaining good health, know I am susceptible to the flu, know I could actually get a vaccine if I wanted to, know a flu shot would likely work in preventing the flu, and see many cues to action regarding getting flu vaccines, my perceived severity of the illness and perceived barriers versus benefits stop me from actually getting a flu vaccine.  Generally, I do not consider getting the flu to be a super serious risk to my health.  I know that it can be serious, but as a young and generally healthy person, I tend to believe the flu will be, essentially, a mild inconvenience.  Also, in terms of perceived benefits versus barriers, I see the barriers outweighing the benefits.  I absolutely hate shots and tend to pass out when I get them and the only benefit would be potentially avoiding something I view as a minor inconvenience.  Based on this, getting a yearly flu vaccine just is not worth it to me, leading me to not partake in this health-protective behavior.

On the other hand, there are certain health-protective behaviors in which I do participate.  One situation occurred when I was planning to go on a medical mission trip to Nicaragua.  The CDC recommended two different vaccines for travel to Nicaragua (Hepatitis A, Typhoid), both of which I got.  In this case, my concern about maintaining good health (general health values), perceived susceptibility to illness (working in areas with many mosquitos and potentially contaminated water), perceived severity of illness (both hepatitis A and typhoid can both be serious and even deadly), expectation of treatment success (vaccines tend to be successful in preventing these diseases), self-efficacy (I knew I had the ability to get these vaccines), perceived barriers and benefits (benefits of not contracting a serious illness in a foreign country outweighed the barriers of cost and fear), and cues to action (going on the trip and being notified of recommended vaccines) all led me to go to the doctor and get these vaccines.  Essentially, my cognitions led me to participate in health-protective behaviors.

Based on the health belief model, it seems that the way to get me to change the types of health-protective behaviors in which I engage is to change the way I perceive certain aspects of them.  For example, if I perceived the flu as more severe, I would be more likely to get a yearly flu vaccine.  Also, if the barriers to getting the flu shot were diminished or the benefits were increased, I, again, would be more likely to get one.  If my job offered them for free or provided an incentive for getting a flu vaccine, that increased benefit would increase my desire to get one.  Additionally, if they made the nose spray flu vaccines more available, that would decrease a barrier to getting the vaccination and would likely increase the chances that I would get vaccinated.  Looking at how changing different factors of the situation could change my behaviors is fascinating.  It is really interesting to dissect the way cognitions can affect health behaviors in such extreme ways.

 

References

 

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understand and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

 

 

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16
Nov 16

Social Change: Action research

 

quote-no-research-without-action-no-action-without-research-kurt-lewin-136-14-90Not all of us will become professional scientists, but most thinking persons are lay scientists. For example, we all make predictions about the outcomes of various choices at our disposal in our daily life through an informal and largely unconscious process. Similarly, those of us who are personally invested in (any pro-social) career outside of basic research nonetheless conduct informal action research in the pursuit of successful outcomes. By definition, action research occurs when individuals seek to influence the community they are a part of, and therefore have a vested interest in (Lewin, 1946, in Scheider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012).

In order to become a better doctor, for example, one must not only stay on the cutting edge of medicine, but must also learn how to achieve greater patient compliance with medical directives. If patients aren’t compliant, a physician might dig deeper to find out why individuals don’t act in accordance with medical advice. He or she might wonder, are patients confused about instructions, unable to afford prescribed medications, or embarrassed to discuss side effects, fears, or other concerns? Could they disagree with or distrust the physician’s goals? These types of questions exhibit more than simple curiosity—they indicate an underlying desire to improve health outcomes more effectively through heightened awareness of patients’ personal and cultural needs.

If we want to systematize this informal process of examination so that our own findings may contribute to broader understanding, participatory action research is an avenue that capitalizes on the insights tharcat can be gained through being on the front lines of a pressing social concern. This iterative cycle of inquiry and reflection (Kolk, n.d.) allows us to—to paraphrase Paulo Friere, author of Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970/1993)—both educate, and be educated by, the very people we study (Brydon-Miller, 1997). At the core of this approach is the fundamental belief that authentic knowledge cannot be generated without the participation and perspective of the communities investigated.

People in various careers participate in action research, not the least of which is education. Dick Sagor, former high school principal and current Director of the Institute for the Study of Inquiry in Education, encourages teachers to collaborate with each other as action researchers (Kolk, n.d.). By pooling their experiences and results, he says, teachers became more invested and successful, boosting teacher satisfaction as well as school culture. Melinda Kolk, editor of Creative Educator lays out a template for would-be action researchers in the classroom environment to follow if they wish to formalize their informal processes (Kolk, n.d.). By progressing through the action research cycle, they can reap the benefits of promoting effective change in their own classrooms, while potentially benefiting students and teachers in the broader community should their research be published.

I can’t help but think that adopting an action researcher mentality, regardless of one’s career, would provide a greater sense of fulfillment and purpose to daily tasks. A sense of ongoing inquisitiveness, paired with a commitment to the greater good, would particularly enrich those whose career choice puts them into frequent contact with disadvantaged or marginalized groups.

Brydon‐Miller, M. (1997). Participatory action research: Psychology and social change. Journal of Social Issues, 53(4), 657-666. doi:10.1111/0022-4537.00042.

Kolk, M. Embrace action research. Retrieved November 17, 2016, from Creative Educator, http://www.thecreativeeducator.com/v07/articles/Embracing_Action_Research

Kolk, M. K. M. Interview with Dick Sagor. Retrieved November 17, 2016, from http://www.thecreativeeducator.com/v07/articles/Interview_Dick_Sagor

Retrieved November 17, 2016, from http://www.azquotes.com/picture-quotes/quote-no-research-without-action-no-action-without-research-kurt-lewin-136-14-90.jpg

Schneider, F., Gruman, J., & Coutts, L. (2012) Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

 

 

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07
Oct 16

Changing Health Behavior: Smoking

One thing I’d really like to do this year is give up smoking. Now, how can I use Applied Social Psychology to help me in this resolution?

One way is definitely by reading up on theories of changing health behavior and applying them to my external and internal situation. Therefore, I’ll use this blog post to discuss the health belief model, the theory of planned behavior, and the stages of change model, in the context of my resolution of giving up smoking.

First, the health belief model (Janz & Becker, 1984; Rosenstock, 1974). What are my beliefs related to the various components of the health belief model? Well, first of all, I do have an interest in staying fit and healthy, and I’d like to avoid getting cancer if possible. These are my general health values, the first component of the health belief model.

Secondly, I believe that smoking is a strong causative factor of cancer. As a smoker, I am more susceptible to cancer—therefore my perceived susceptibility to illness is high. Although I’d like to believe I’ll be one of those smokers who live to 100, I know that it is highly unlikely. I also know that cancer is deadly, and painful, and highly detrimental all around. Therefore, I perceive the severity of the illness to be quite high as well. I also think that giving up on smoking will reduce my chances of cancer—as yet, no one in my family has gotten cancer (touch wood), but no one in my family smokes either. If I give up smoking, I have a high expectation that I will be able to avoid cancer.

Now, where I do run into problems is my level of self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977a). I do not think I have what it takes to give up smoking. I have tried before, and have failed miserably. I don’t think I can give up smoking. I use cigarettes to regulate my anxiety and stress, and without cigarettes, I really don’t think I’ll be able to manage those issues, no matter how much therapy I pay for. This is a considerable barrier to my giving up smoking, even though the above-outlined benefits are many. My cue to action, which is my parents’ and peers’ heavy encouragement to stop smoking, is just not strong enough to overcome this one big barrier that looms in the way of my giving up smoking.

Next, let’s use the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991) to examine my wish to stop smoking. According to this model, there are three factors that affect my planned behavior: attitude towards behavior, subjective norms, and perceived control. My attitude toward smoking is pretty clear—it’s harmful, and I need to stop. Thus, I have a positive attitude towards stopping smoking. Subjective norms regarding smoking are a little complex—while my parents and some of my peers disapprove of my smoking, my best friend and I typically smoke together on a daily basis. It’s our bonding time, and I would be loath to give that up. My perceived control over my behavior, which is modulated by my perceived self-efficacy, is, to be honest, quite low. I’m pretty thoroughly addicted to smoking, and experience withdrawal symptoms, both psychological and physiological when I don’t smoke.

According to the theory of planned behavior, my chances of giving up smoking, though I have the wish to do so, are relatively low, given my low perceived control over my behavior. Norman, Corner, and Bell (1999) have found that smoking cessation is only likely when there is perceived control over the behavior—the odds are against me.

Finally, let’s look at the stages of change model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983, 1986). I used to be in the precontemplation stage of this model, because I had no intention of giving up smoking. But lately, with pressure from my family and healthcare providers, I’ve been considering giving it up more and more. So now, I am in the contemplation stage of the model. I do intend to make a change in my behavior over the next six months—hopefully I don’t end up staying in this stage for years, like many other smokers. I hope to transition to the preparation stage of this model, wherein I cut down on my smoking in preparation of stopping altogether. It may be that when I stop altogether (the action phase) I will experience relapse and go back to the contemplation phase, but I would like to make it to the maintenance stage, where I’ve gone six months without smoking.

Will I make it? We’ll just have to see!

References

Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211.

Bandura, A. (1977a). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Bulletin, 84, 191–215.

Janz, N. K., & Becker, M. H. (1984). The health belief model: A decade later. Health Education Quarterly, 11, 1–47.

Norman, P., Conner, M., & Bell, R. (1999). The theory of planned behavior and smoking cessation. Health Psychology, 18, 89–94.

Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1983). Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: Toward an integrative model of change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 390–395.

Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1986). Toward a comprehensive model of change. In W. R. Miller & N. Heather (Eds.), Treating addictive behaviors: Processes of change (pp. 3–27). New York: Plenum Press.

Rosenstock, I. M. (1974). Historical origins of the health belief model. Health Education Monographs, 2, 328–335.

 

 

 

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11
Jun 14

Mothers as promoter of health

Mothers everywhere are generally concerned with their children’s health. In Japan, the responsibility rests upon mothers to manage and care for the health of their children and for other family members as well. In fulfilling this role of management and care giving, the Japanese mothers need to apply health psychology, holistic way that combines science, education, and clinical psychology related to health, to help in dealing with this challenge (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012).

In order to practice healthy life style to be healthy and enjoy life, as adults, we are conscious that we should eat right and exercise regularly. For lucky some in Japan, tradition of healthy life style was part of their upbringing where at home either mother or grandmother regularly cooked traditional low cholesterol, high soy protein Japanese food, and exercise was built into their daily from walking to schools and belonging to one or more of many youth sports club such as baseball, karate, soccer, basketball, etc. But for many of us, as Japanese lifestyle changed dramatically for the past 50 years, we have been eating massive amounts of highly processed food with high cholesterol contents like food like hamburger and fries from McDonalds, really tasty cakes and ice cream from Seven Eleven. Temptation to sit around and just play video games and watch interesting YouTube videos are all around us now. As the statistics show that one out of five Japanese suffer from lifestyle disease such as high blood pressure and diabetes (Japan Preventive Medicine of Lifestyle Related Disease, 2014).

To help ourselves to begin with, understanding biopsychosocial model would help immensely, as in addition to biological factor in science of selecting and serving good nutritional value food, and value of exercise, we must seek understanding of psychological and social factors about eating and exercising to design intervention plan to change unhealthy habits. For food, it could be something as simple as finding friends who are eating healthy and have lunch with them regularly. For exercise, it could be practicing regular exercise routine such as finding enjoyable nature trail near by to walk for 30 minutes a few times a week with friends or community acquaintances to achieve healthy life. The social influences encourage us and keep us motivated to build and continue routines (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012).

Mothers in Japan have key position in affecting health of Japanese as promoters of health of three generation within their families, because they have strong influence on their aging parents, their spouse and their children. They can also influence other children through active participation in PTA and sports club volunteer work. Mothers of modern time may not be able to cook regularly, but they when they do eat with their family, they can choose healthy food and talk about fun facts while family meal time. Media and peers influences our desires for food, drinks and how we exercise (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012), but in Japan, often mothers still control what young children eat and do. Rather than using persuasion through informational or fear appeals after the children are older and rebellious, strongest and lasting persuasion is best when they are young, and reinforced throughout life at school, for lifetime of health.

In Japan, the responsibility of teaching and training of young children rests heavily upon mothers, and that is the same in many countries globally. Perhaps efforts in promoting health and teaching simple preventive measures such as nutrition and exercise on Internet through trusted media to mothers all over the world would be good alternative next step in intervention.

Resources

Japan Preventive Medicine of Lifestyle Related Disease. “Lifestyle Disease Research and Statistics.” In Japanese. June 7, 2014. Retrieved from http://mhlab.jp/malab_calendar/

Scheneider, Frank W., Gruman, Jamie A., Coutts, Larry M.. Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Second Edition. 2012

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08
Jun 14

The Birds and The Bees

It is quite undeniable that culture in the United States largely revolves around sex and sexuality. Unfortunately, teenagers in society today sometimes fail to acknowledge the health risks involved when one engages in unprotected sex practices, particularly the risk of contracting an STD. Teens in this day and age are largely influenced by the media. Sadly, a staggering 75% of prime-time TV programs contain sexual content. Of these programs, only 14% mention any risks involved in sexual activity (Strasburger, 2013).

Programs, such as those mentioned previously, may cause teens to become desensitized towards sex. When viewers are repeatedly exposed to subjects such as sex, it becomes normal and thus, teens may falsely believe that everyone is having sex. During adolescence, many teens also experience feelings of invulnerability, known as personal fable (Roda, 2014). This term is used to describe teens who think that nothing bad will happen to them, including the risk of contracting an STD (Roda, 2014). The Health Belief Model states that the behaviors one engages in to protect one’s health are influenced by several factors. This includes: general health values, perceived susceptibility to illness, perceived severity of illness, expectation of treatment success, self-efficacy, perceived barriers and benefits, and cues to action (Schneider et al., 2012). A teen’s personal fable may be closely linked to the Health Belief Model. For instance, if a teen thinks that nothing bad will happen to him/her, he/she may perceive one’s chances of contracting an STD as being minimal and as a result, may fail to engage in safe sex practices (risking the chance of contracting an STD) (Schneider et al., 2012).

Numerous amounts of misinformation regarding sex are conveyed to teens from a young age. It is important to properly educate adolescents about the risks involved when one engages in sex and how to be sexually responsible (i.e. wearing a condom, abstaining from multiple sex partners, getting tested for STDs). Informational appeals and fear appeals are two tactics which have been used to prevent adolescents from having unprotected sex. Fear appeals, as the name suggests, are used to evoke fear in teens (Schneider et al., 2012). This method usually involves telling teens that they should abstain from sex altogether, and/or scaring teens into thinking that one will definitely get pregnant, impregnate someone else, or contract an STD which is not always true. For instance, one may contract an STD from one contact or not contract an STD after many contacts (Roda, 2014). In order to prevent teens from spreading STDs, (primary prevention), teens need to be properly educated about sex (Schneider et al., 2012). It is important for adolescents to be informed about the risks involved in unprotected sex, how to engage in safe sex practices, how to use contraceptives, and where contraceptives are available.

In my experience, fear appeals are not an effective method to prevent teens from participating in irresponsible sex. Unfortunately, in my high school there were numerous teen pregnancies and it was known that at least a handful of people had an STD. When sex education was taught to students at my high school, fear tactics were used in an attempt to scare the students into abstaining from sex. Unfortunately, the opposite effect happened (i.e. resistance occurred in some of the students) and the teens were not actually informed about how to have sex if one did choose to engage in it (Schneider et al., 2012). Informational appeals should be used instead. When a teenager is better-informed, he/she has a better chance of making educated decisions and it is also important not to push teens towards resistance if one feels like he/she is being told what to do (Schneider et al., 2012).

References

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., and Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 978-1412976381

Strasburger, V. Sexuality, Contraception, and the Media. (2013). Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 107 (1).

Roda, J. (2014). Sexual identity. [PowerPoint slides].

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04
Jun 14

Body Image and Health Psychology

One cannot turn on the television or walk down the street without being bombarded by messages about health, “fitness”, and obesity.  Our society has become so obsessed with unrealistic ideals of body image and beauty.  But at what cost?  The rates of eating disorders are staggering.  And even more frightening are the statistics that show small children (as young as five years old) being dissatisfied with their bodies.  We are putting Barbie dolls in the hands of young girls and teaching them that to be beautiful, one must be white, blond, tall, and dangerously thin.  According to studies about the real-life dimensions of Barbie, her neck would be so long and thin, it would not be able to support her head.  Her wrists would be so thin, they would render her arms and hands useless.  Her feet would be so small that she wouldn’t be able to walk on them (Garcia, 1998 & Goldstein, 2013).  Yet every second, two barbies are sold around the world.  Compared with a normal BMI range of 19-24, Barbie, at 16.2, would be considered anorexic.  She would be so underweight that she would be unlikely to have a menstrual period (Slayen, 2011).  The sad and shocking truth is that Barbie only represents one example of millions showing how our culture is bombarded with messages to seek dangerously low weights.

More recently, the government has sought to place regulations on foods it deems unhealthy such as sodas and other sugary snacks and beverages.  What implications does this hold for our society?  When we place such an emphasis on fat being “bad” and “gross” and teach children to fat shame, we are headed down a slippery slope to promoting eating disorders.  Of course, people should be encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle, eat well, exercise, get enough rest, and cope with stress in healthy ways.  Yet, any food eaten in excess will cause health problems.  And any food eaten in moderation can’t be linked to serious health risks (Murr, 2014).  As a culture, we need to stop this obsession with weight and body image and instead, focus on promoting a well-rounded, healthy, lifestyle.  One way to achieve this goal is through a health psychology intervention.

One of the largest problems our society faces is that people are very uneducated about what “healthy” really means.  Women think that being healthy entails being comparable to a stick person.  Not only are people obsessed with unrealistic ideals, but they will go to extreme lengths to reach their goals, including disordered eating.  Social psychologists have a great opportunity to create a positive change in the area of health and nutrition.  Using the stages of change model, interventions could be created to help educate people about nutrition and what it truly means to be healthy.  Different interventions could be created based on the target group.  For instance, for people not really interested in health and wellness, educational tools could be implemented to show this group the consequences of eating an unbalanced diet and abstaining from exercise.  For people who are interested in making healthy changes, the education could focus on providing them accurate information.  Instead of people being enticed by fad diets and cleanses, we could make a real change by informing people about eating a balanced diet and having junk food in moderation.  This intervention strategy should have a well-rounded approach, teaching people to love their bodies (even if they are not perfect) and to focus on living healthy on day at a time, rather than obsessing over fad diets.  Using the stages of change model would be ideal because it allows people to constantly work towards a goal without feeling defeated.  If they have a bad day, they won’t be starting over from the beginning.  Instead, the stages of change model represents an ongoing process with room for error (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012).

It is critical to the self-esteem of future generations that a real change occurs in the way society promotes unhealthy ideals as an ideal form of beauty.  The field of health psychology is in a great position to make a change in peoples’ overall health and self-esteem by educating people about how to make positive healthy changes in their lives that do not promote disordered eating and unattainable standards of beauty.

References:

Garcia, L. (1998, March 31). Life-size, Barbie Wouldn’t Be Much Of A Doll. Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 4, 2014, from http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1998-03-31/lifestyle/9803300122_1_barbie-circumference-waist

Goldstein, S. (2013, April 14). Barbie as a real woman is anatomically impossible and would have to walk on all fours, chart shows . NY Daily News. Retrieved June 4, 2014, from http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/barbie-real-womaan-anatomically-impossible-article-1.1316533

Murr, V. (2014). Government Regulation Places Excessive Emphasis on Being Overweight. In R. D. Lankford, Jr. (Ed.), At Issue. Should the Government Regulate What People Eat?. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from Another Hazard to Government Regulation of ‘Unhealthy’ or ‘Fattening’ Foods, ladyphilosophy.com, 2013, March 22) Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010896209&source=Bookmark&u=psucic&jsid=79ec5938f64562d62eabe115db31c30c

Schneider, F., Gruman, J., & Coutts, L.  (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Slayen, G. (2011, April 8). The Scary Reality of a Real-Life Barbie Doll. The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 4, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/galia-slayen/the-scary-reality-of-a-re_b_845239.html

 

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