Health PSYCHOLOGY

EpilogueThe Future of Health

Psychology

Health Psychology -- LessonsWhat are the most important lessons

we have learned in health psychology?

Your thoughts?Some of my thoughts…

Health Psychology’s Most Important LessonsLesson 1: Health and Illness are Not

Merely Matters of Genetics and BiologyEven when genetic vulnerability does

play a role in an illness, stress, negative emotions, coping resources, healthy behaviors, social status, and other factors can influence a person’s susceptibility to disease

Health Psychology’s Most Important LessonsLesson 2: Unhealthy Lifestyles are

Harder to Change than to PreventGood nutrition, fitness, responsible

drinking, and healthy management of weight, stress, and social relationships are lifelong challenges that are best begun at a young age

Health Psychology’s Most Important LessonsLesson 3: But, Lifestyles can be

ChangedYour success stories!Your success stories!

Health Psychology’s Most Important LessonsLesson 4: Stress Is Often in the Eye

of the BeholderThe goal of stress management is

not to eliminate stress but rather to learn to manage stressors and to cope with their effects more adaptively

Health Psychology’s Ongoing Goals

Goal 1: To pinpoint psychological, behavioral, and social factors in disease

Goal 2: To promote and maintain healthGoal 3: To prevent and to treat illness more

effectively and holisticallyGoal 4: To improve the health care system and

health care policyGoal 5: To increase the span of healthy life for

all peopleGoal 6: To reduce health discrepancies and

increase knowledge of understudied groups

And to close…We’ve talked about lots of problems

with which people struggle People are amazing… resilient,

supportive, and beautifulSo please remember…

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away