Observing the current environment, one can see that some people are ill more frequently than most people do. This difference between the people can result from medical sources, such as variation in physiological processes and exposure to harmful micro-organisms. Psychological and social factors also play roles in it. Two of them, which have to be given more attention are life style and personality of a person.
Nineteenth Century was absolutely revolutionary in the case of health and illness. Infectious diseases declined sharply. Nutrition and personal hygiene improved. This brought changes in the life style of the individuals.
Today, the chief health problems in the technological societies are chronic diseases. The risk factors behind these may be biological, or it may be behavioural. For example, people who smoke cigarettes have higher risk of developing cancer and other illnesses than non-smokers do. Any risk factor is associated with a health problem. It does not necessarily cause the problem. For instance, poverty is a risk factor for cancer, but it does not cause the disease.
Life Style and Illness
Many risk factors result from the way people live or behave. Some behavioural risk factors associated with five leading causes of death are
1) Heart disease: Smoking, high dietary cholesterol and lack of exercise.
2) Cancer: Smoking, high alcohol use, and diet.
3) Stroke: Smoking, high dietary cholesterol and lack of exercise.
4) COPD (Chronic lung diseases, eg: emphysema): Smoking.
5) Accidents (including motor vehicle): alcoholic drug use driving vehicles too fast, and not using seat belts.
Many of the people who are the victims of these illness and accidents live for at least a short while and either recover or eventually succumb. Part of today's high medical costs result from people's life styles that contribute to their health problems. Most health care efforts and funds are directed towards treating illness, not preventing it.
One reason of people behaving in unhealthy way is due to the cravings for immediate pleasure. Another reason is social pressure. Some such behaviours may become strong habits. Quitting them becomes very difficult. These people need information about the way to protect their health.
Personality and Illness
The term personality refers to a person's cognitive, affective and behavioural tendencies that are fairly stable across time and situation. Researchers have found evidence linking personality traits and health. For example, people whose personalities include high levels of anxiety, depression, anger/hostility or pessimism seem to be at risk for developing a variety of illnesses, particularly heart disease. These four emotions are reactions that often occur when people experience stress.
People differ in the way they deal with stressful situation. Many people approach these situations with relatively positive emotions. Their outlook is more optimistic than pessimistic. The link between personality and illness is not a one way route. Illness can affect one's personality, too. People who suffer from serious illness and disability often experience feelings of anxiety, depression, anger and hopelessness.
Optimum Health
As WHO defines, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and illness. This definition points out that health requires not just optimal physical functioning, but optimal mental and social functioning as well. Thus health is broadly related to the overall quality of life. It involves the internal state and the external community.
Psychology and Health
The definition of optimum health clearly implies a role of psychologists in health. Psychologists have been interested in physical health for a long time, but health psychology has taken a while to develop to its current state.
Nineteenth Century was absolutely revolutionary in the case of health and illness. Infectious diseases declined sharply. Nutrition and personal hygiene improved. This brought changes in the life style of the individuals.
Today, the chief health problems in the technological societies are chronic diseases. The risk factors behind these may be biological, or it may be behavioural. For example, people who smoke cigarettes have higher risk of developing cancer and other illnesses than non-smokers do. Any risk factor is associated with a health problem. It does not necessarily cause the problem. For instance, poverty is a risk factor for cancer, but it does not cause the disease.
Life Style and Illness
Many risk factors result from the way people live or behave. Some behavioural risk factors associated with five leading causes of death are
1) Heart disease: Smoking, high dietary cholesterol and lack of exercise.
2) Cancer: Smoking, high alcohol use, and diet.
3) Stroke: Smoking, high dietary cholesterol and lack of exercise.
4) COPD (Chronic lung diseases, eg: emphysema): Smoking.
5) Accidents (including motor vehicle): alcoholic drug use driving vehicles too fast, and not using seat belts.
Many of the people who are the victims of these illness and accidents live for at least a short while and either recover or eventually succumb. Part of today's high medical costs result from people's life styles that contribute to their health problems. Most health care efforts and funds are directed towards treating illness, not preventing it.
One reason of people behaving in unhealthy way is due to the cravings for immediate pleasure. Another reason is social pressure. Some such behaviours may become strong habits. Quitting them becomes very difficult. These people need information about the way to protect their health.
Personality and Illness
The term personality refers to a person's cognitive, affective and behavioural tendencies that are fairly stable across time and situation. Researchers have found evidence linking personality traits and health. For example, people whose personalities include high levels of anxiety, depression, anger/hostility or pessimism seem to be at risk for developing a variety of illnesses, particularly heart disease. These four emotions are reactions that often occur when people experience stress.
People differ in the way they deal with stressful situation. Many people approach these situations with relatively positive emotions. Their outlook is more optimistic than pessimistic. The link between personality and illness is not a one way route. Illness can affect one's personality, too. People who suffer from serious illness and disability often experience feelings of anxiety, depression, anger and hopelessness.
Optimum Health
As WHO defines, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and illness. This definition points out that health requires not just optimal physical functioning, but optimal mental and social functioning as well. Thus health is broadly related to the overall quality of life. It involves the internal state and the external community.
Psychology and Health
The definition of optimum health clearly implies a role of psychologists in health. Psychologists have been interested in physical health for a long time, but health psychology has taken a while to develop to its current state.
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