Health psychology is a science that studies the psychological causes of health, helping to find methods and tools that will help to preserve, strengthen and develop it. Socrates also said that one can not treat a body without a soul, that's what modern medical psychologists are doing that help determine the behavior or experience that will help improve health, eliminate the disease and affect the effectiveness of medical care.
Solved problems
The concept of health in the science of psychology is inextricably linked not only with biological processes in the body, but also psychological, behavioral and social. It is clear that a person can not interfere in biological processes, but change his reaction to stress, abandon bad habits and malnutrition in his power. This science appeared quite recently, but today there are a lot of positive examples when people got rid of various ailments and improved their condition using psychological techniques.
Basic principles and tasks of the psychology of health:
- motivation of the individual to maintain his health and strengthen it;
- interaction of a person's disease and personality. Here, the ways of controlling one's emotions , the ability to control oneself, control pain, etc. are studied and developed. The influence of the state of the soul on the course of the disease is investigated. For example, it is proved that optimism and cheerfulness help cope with panic attacks;
- the study of self-regulation, that is, how the person himself is aimed at changing the situation for the better. A lot of diseases people generate by their disregard for themselves.
Someone finds the strength to radically change their lives, and some do not.
The psychology of a healthy lifestyle and health aims to help people change their lives for the better by developing and launching special programs. For example, those that help quit smoking, give up alcohol, improve the regime and quality of nutrition. The same science develops measures to prevent diseases and seeks ways to encourage people to visit medical examinations, conduct annual examinations, vaccinate, etc. In psychology, physical health is in harmony with mental health. That is, a psychologically healthy person, with a high degree of probability will be healthy and physically. And this creates the prerequisites for further development and improvement throughout life.