Health Psychology

When trying to understand the concept of health, one not only has to look at the various dimensions of health - physical, emotional, etc. - but also the various factors that can influence a person's health, including environment, genetics, and health psychology. When you need research written on any topic in health psychology, have the writers at Paper Masters custom write your project for you.

The concept of health psychology focuses on behavioral and psychological processes as they relate to health care and the concept of health as a whole. By looking at the individual not just as a body that succumbs to disease and illness but as a person that is influenced by a litany of factors, health care professionals are able to work to provide the best opportunity for whole-body health for the patient.

Health psychology has at its core the belief that health is not just influenced by biology - viruses, cancerous growths, etc. - but that it is also impacted by psychosocial factors.

• Thoughts and beliefs impact a person's health.
• Dietary habits one adheres to influence the psychology of an individual.
• Ethical or religious beliefs can have a profound impact on one's overall health.
• Social processes also impact a person's health; individuals who are in a higher socioeconomic bracket are more likely to live longer and less likely to suffer from common illnesses.
• Finally, behavioral processes play a profound role in one's overall health. When one ties unhealthy eating with emotional consolation, for example, it can negatively impact one's health; when a person connects pleasure with mind-altering substances such as alcohol or recreational drugs, this can also profoundly impact overall health.

Understanding health psychology requires one to take all these factors into consideration, as health is not simply about keeping the body in its best possible condition.