What Is Psychology, Why It Is Important In Health And Social Care - Essay Example

PSYCHOLOGY ESSAY By Psychology Essay Psychology studies the behavior and mind of a human being scientifically. As such, it is a multifaceted discipline inclusive of various sub-fields such as cognitive processes, social behaviors; Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior.   Psychology plays a paramount role in social care and health care because it enables users to gain a much better understanding of the communication process between health professionals and patients. As such, health professionals get to know various ways of improving the therapeutic relationship with their patients, and, work in a more effective manner in inter-professional and inter-agency contexts to enable enhancement of health and well being, and giving proper assistance to people for them to modify or change their lifestyles (Glanz, Marcus & Rimer 1997, p.38). In psychology, the understanding of the behavior of an individual is the best way to establish a good and lasting relationship between service users and health professionals, as well as, making sense off the behavior of individuals, which ends up in development of psychological principles in social care, and health care. One of the most common health damaging behaviors within our society is morbid obesity, and psychological concepts work well in defining, as well as, defining possible measures of combating the illness. Morbid obesity is among the most complicated health conditions of a human being due to its ability to interfere with basic physical functions of an individual such as walking or breathing. Patients diagnosed with morbid obesity stand a high risk of falling into critical illnesses such as cancer, sleep apnea, diabetes, heart disease, gallstones, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, as well as, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (Eisen et. al. 1992, p.67). Morbid obesity creates a health damaging behavior to the life of an individual. As such, it is imperative for the concerned parties to seek medical healthcare at the soonest possible time in order to avoid falling victims of such medical complications. This is a health damaging behavior because it compromises the normal life of an individual in such a way that he or she becomes prone to terminal illnesses, as well as, physical impairment such as mobility and respiratory. The paper explores the various aspects of morbid obesity, its causes and complications, as well as, the proper ways of overcoming the condition. It explores aspects such as self-efficacy, attribution theory, various behavioral models, and locus of control (Alvarez, Brodsky & Lemmens 2010, p.212). According to psychology, people engage in damaging behavior because of feeling insecure of themselves, and their actions, or because they want to belong into a given group. For instance, one will engage in a damaging behavior with his peers, such as drunkenness, just to be part of their click despite the adverse effects of alcohol to their health. The best way to prevent this life threatening condition of morbid obesity is to undertake a healthy lifestyle, which incorporates regular exercises, as well as, healthy diets. As such, victims of morbid obesity should avoid excess intakes of fats in their bodies and turn to healthy food intake such as lots of fruits and vegetables. These persons should also take part in vigorous physical activities such as swimming, jogging, sprinting, skipping, and dancing in order to burn the excess calories from their bodies, usually stored up as excess fats. Those who cannot take on vigorous exercises can undertake brisk exercises such as walking, or biking (Glanz, Rimer & Lewis 2002, p.79). Self-efficacy refers to the strength or ability of an individual’s belief in his or her own personal ability in order to complete certain tasks or attain specific goals. Psychologists have various approaches to the affect of self-efficacy in and individual, explaining the critical role that it plays in determining the way an individual thinks, feels, or behaves. As such, believing in the capabilities of an individual enables him or her to achieve a given outcome or goal. Consequently, self-efficacy enables people with morbid obesity to grow the strength to become more stable and watchful of their character, and behavior. This is because the health condition may lead to various dire consequences to their lives, such as the health complication like terminal illnesses and physical in-capabilities. The belief in an individual in his or her own capacity to execute various behavioral changes that is necessary for the good health of there is what self-efficacy inspires in a patient with morbid obesity (Q. Ashton Acton, PhD. 2013, p.65). Self-efficacy enables an individual to work towards overcoming his or her medical problem by believing in his or her own self-capabilities. This makes it possible for him or she to produce specific performance attainments, such as the necessary behavioral changes required in enabling an individual to battle the scourge of morbid obesity. This includes measures such as watching their BMI, reducing their food intake in order to keep their weight in check, watching a balanced food diet and maintaining a calm and relaxed composure in order to avoid stress and depression. Stress and depression usually lead to a lower moral in and individual, which in turn fights against his or her self-efficacy thereby denying him or her ability to overcome their health complications. As such, an individual uses his or her self-efficacy in motivating himself or herself to become stronger and stable in maintaining their self-control, change in behavior, and create social environment (Sugerman & Nguyen 2013, p.182). Analysts have a self-efficacy theory that is influential in determining the clinical practice, as well as, research in developing health psychology. This theory applies in various fields and schools of thought, including the fight against morbid obesity, such as in pain control, eating, abuse of alcohol, exercise, cessation of smoking, self-management of a chronic illness or disease, and exercise. Consequently, an individual with morbid obesity has to have adequate self-efficacy in controlling his or her medical condition. As such, he or she should believe in their personal capabilities in controlling their resolve or approach to health issues related to morbid obesity, such as the high BMI, terminal illnesses like cancer, and diabetes, as well as, physical complications such as walking and respiratory. This will enable an individual pull through this scare of health and return to a normal health condition (Glanz et al, 2002, p. 52). Attribution theory tries to attach a meaning to the behaviors of an individual, or those of other people around us. This could be the case in resolving the main cause of an individual behaving in a given manner or style. For instance, this could be a case of an individual being angry because of their bad tempers. As such, an attribution theory creates the concept of realization of an individual’s surroundings based on whatever factor they consider causes or affects their personal behaviors. It gives an individual the ability to explain who they are, what their surroundings are, as well as, what causes certain behaviors or aspects in their lives. Attribution theory works well in exploring the facts about morbid obesity to the health of an individual. This theory empowers the patient to learn how his or her behaviors, his or her surroundings, as well as, his or her, feelings affect or impact on their health and well-being (Bandura 1997, p.243). This also falls under the locus of control of an individual, inclusive of self-efficacy, which is the belief by an individual in his or her own abilities to control the events or occurrences within their lives. Unrealistic optimistic also falls under the umbrella of this locus of control, which is the bias formed by an individual in believing that they stand a lesser risk in experiencing a negative event in their lives as compared to others in the society. As such, this feeling creates a tendency of superiority complex in such a way that an individual feels he or she is more superior than others, and as such, nothing bad can ever occur during their lives, such as illnesses or complications. This may include events such as the moods of the person in question, or the kind of information that they have about themselves such as social status, and their desired state. Such a bias may make an individual feel like he or she may never contact morbid obesity due to their social status, or present mindset (Becker 1994, p.4). The Health Belief Model is the one used under most circumstances in dealing with complications related to morbid obesity. This psychological model attempts to explore then predict the various health behaviors through focusing on the beliefs and attitudes of an individual. Some of the core assumptions and statements of this model are that an individual will take on an action related to his or her health if he or she feels they can avoid a negative condition through it. On the other hand, a person will also adopt such a model if he or she has positive expectations that through the taking of such a recommended action, they would be in a position to avoid a negative health condition. Another assumption of this model is that an individual will take on a health related action if he or she believes that they stand a chance of successfully undertaking a recommended action of health. As such, this HCP persons role it to assist in empowering individuals through giving then the necessary information and support to overcome their conditions (Becker, Radius & Rosenstock 1978, p.268). This theory has six major concepts that enable it to work proficiently every medical complication, including morbid obesity, and thus reducing the risk of its spread, as well as, enhancing its control and treatment. These six concepts are perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy. These six concepts usually assist an individual suffering from morbid obesity to overcome their medical condition, especially through undertaking all the steps explored by the theory (Caterson, Dietz & Kopelman 2009, p.99). Psychology explains that children are the most vulnerable to damaging health behaviors resulting from their food consumption. This is because when children grow up, some of them lack proper guidance and instructions. As such, they tend to follow what their friends and classmates do, and this may lead to poor eating habits. In addition, some of them engage in behaviors in order to be noticed by their peers, or to belong to a given group in their class or neighborhood. Nowadays, most adolescents and children have numerous health problems relating to their health. The major causes of this weight gain are attributable to environmental factors that relate to intake of excess calories or lack of physical activities. Poor dietary behaviors are what cause these raging heights of obesity within the modern day society, inclusive of other aspects of health such as taking diets that are low in vegetables and fruits, missing breakfast, consuming snacks that are dense in calories, and eating foods prepared at fast food restaurants. All these eating habits lead to an abnormal gain of weight among individuals, as well as, a considerable rise in the number of children and adolescents testing positive with adiposity (Conner & Norman 1996, p.24). Peers may lead to the growth or reduction of the spread of morbid obesity within the society. This is due to the significant association that exists between the behaviors of both friends and individuals concerning consumption of fast foods, doing exercises, and participating in sports. Social psychology binds these peers together in such a way that one will perform similarly to the other, and as such their behaviors and eating habits will be similar. These association estimates are very handy in controlling family-level and individual-level factors, unmonitored heterogeneity at school levels, as well as, the various attempts made towards accounting got the non-random selection by peers. Recent research findings document the spread of obesity within friendship networks because of the social transmission of health behaviors related to weights. As such, in order to implement fruitfully traditional interventions of weight reduction, it is proper to focus on strategies that harness peer support in order to modify health related behaviors. The modification of such behaviors would lead to the prevention and massive drop in the spread of morbid obesity amongst peers and adolescents (Champion 1984, p.56). To sum up psychology gives the health care practitioner an understanding of why people engage in health damaging behavior .This knowledge and understanding also help to establish why service users may adapt unusual behavior whilst in pain or sick. Understanding and being aware of the psychological effect on service users is important to maintain a high level of personnel stated care. The best way to empower these peers to overcome their damaging health behavior is by educating them on the best practices of healthy living, such as empowering them to undertake health promotion mechanisms, promotion of self-efficacy, as well as, undertaking the locus of control. In conclusion, it is important to first discover the reason behind the health damaging behavior by individuals in order to assist them in overcoming it. For instance, people with morbid obesity suffer this disease due to their poor eating habits, such as overeating or taking in much junk food. As such, with the right knowledge and guidance, they are in a position to overcome these damaging behaviors to their health, such as through development of their self-efficacy, locus of control, as well as, engaging other health behavioral theories. Reference List Ali, M., Amialchuk, A. & Heiland, F., Morbid Obesity, Plosone.Org. 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