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Essay Unit 26 Task 2- Health Psychology
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A distinction level assignment for Unit 26 - Health Psychology Task 1. Using harvard referencing.
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Unit 26 Health Psychology Task 2P3- Explain how stress can influence illness.
Stress can lead to a range of related issues on the body, with chronic stress
contributing to long-term problems for the heart and blood vessels due to a
consistent and ongoing heart rate, elevated levels of stress hormones and high
blood pressure can take a toll on the body (Psychological Association, 2023).
Long-term stress can increase the risk of hypertension, heart attack or stroke as it
contributes to inflammation in the circulatory system, particularly in the coronary
arteries which is thought to be the reason stress can cause heart attacks, as well as
showing how stress increases cholesterol levels (Psychological Association, 2023).
Similarly, when an individual perceives a situation to be challenging, threatening or
uncontrollable the brain triggers the endocrine stress response which results in an
increased production of steroid hormones called glucocorticoids which includes
cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. These hormones are important for
regulating the immune system and reducing inflammation, and are valuable during
stress or threatening situations as the fight or flight response, and increasing
immune system activation when injury might result from a threatening situation,
when it is triggered by long term stress is may lead to issues with the immune
system (Psychological Association, 2023).
Also, the gastrointestinal system’s neurons communicate with the brain, explaining
the ability to feel ‘butterflies’ in the stomach, however stress can negatively affect this
brain to gastrointestinal communication and may trigger pain, bloating, and other
stomach discomfort. Also, vomiting may occur is stress is severe enough, alongside
a decrease or increase in appetite (Psychological Association, 2023).
P4- Explain potential strategies that a selected service user can apply to
manage stress. + M3- Analyse strategies that a selected service user can apply
to manage stress with reference to their link to illness.
Johnathon Robinson’s stress could be improved by creating healthy coping
mechanisms which can lead to improved emotional strength to be able to deal with
and manage future stress (NHS, 2022). Exercise is an effective way of reducing
some emotional intensity, clear thoughts and allow individuals to deal with their
problems more calmly. For Jonathan Robinson, even a brisk 10-minute walk can
support him in clearing his mind and helping him to relax, however he should aim to
build up towards achieving 150 minutes of exercise a week. Due to his health issues,
particularly his back, Johnathon should ask his GP about exercise on prescription,
where his exercise routine can be specifically designed to support his needs (NHS,
2022). These referrals from his GP will support in reducing financial barriers which
may have prevented Johnathon from using exercise to reduce stress, as well as
ensuring that the exercises he uses supports his physical needs and abilities due to
his back pain which may limit his ability to perform certain exercises.
A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease troubles and help
to see things in a different way, and activities we do with friends can help individuals
, to relax and relieve stress, as well as talking things through with a friend may also
help to find solutions to problems (NHS, 2022). Building good relationships with
individuals can ease stress by allowing a sense of belonging and self-worth, giving
an opportunity to share positive experiences and provide emotional support and
allow others to support you, leading to improve mental health and wellbeing (NHS,
2022). This would be particularly beneficial to Johnathon as he has now become
unemployed and lives alone, ensuring that he speaks to friends and family, or joined
a club or support group to meet new people, will promote his wellbeing and reduce
his stress effectively.
Another way Jonathan Robinson can support his mental health and reduce stress is
by avoiding unhealthy habits such as relying on alcohol, smoking and caffeine to
provide temporary relief (NHS, 2022). Ensuring that he continues to create healthy
habits and improve his diet will not only support him in the treatment of his care and
improve his health but also promote him in reducing his stress and improve the
outcomes of him improving his mental and physical health. While this does not solve
the route problem of his stress, it does support him in creating healthy methods of
dealing with his stress, to which he can then continue to find the cause.
P5- Explain how psychology contributes to the management of pain.
Chronic pain can cause individuals to struggle with management of the challenges
which comes with the pain, as well as the stress and potential anxiety and
depression which comes alongside this. For those with chronic pain, particularly for
those which have tried a range of treatment to no avail, cognitive behavioural
therapy (CBT) can be used in the treatment of these individuals, which is essential
for a person to adopt a lifestyle that helps them manage their condition (Health
Psychology Clinic, n.d.). CBT will promote relaxation techniques and will ensure that
the service user experiencing pain does not experience sleep exhaustion which
would further worsen the pain symptoms. Also, CBT will allow for the development of
skills that manages pain, as well as the therapist may prescribe specific activities to
help with stress, anxiety and depression caused as a result of the condition (Health
Psychology Clinic, n.d.). CBT allows individuals to have a feeling of being in control,
which is beneficial as helplessness can be a destructive feeling and only makes the
pain worse.
Pain education consists of a clinic which aims to help individuals cope with the
challenges and difficulties that living with chronic pain brings, by learning and putting
into practice a range of self-help strategies (NHS, n.d.), Pain education clinics
consist of clinical physiotherapy specialist, a clinical nurse specialist, clinical
psychologists and an administrative co-ordinator who work alongside pain
management teams to improve all areas of care plans for individuals experiencing
chronic pain. This is effective in improving outcomes for service users experiencing
chronic pain.
P6- Explain how psychological theories can be applied to manage a service
user’s illness + M4- Justify how psychological theories can be applied to
manage pain and ill health for a service user.
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