Health Psychology

Everyone has had experiences that relate to health psychology; you may have thought about how to improve your physical health (e.g. through exercise and healthy eating) and how to avoid illness and injury (e.g. through washing your hands more often during flu season and wearing your seatbelt while driving). To achieve any of these, you need to change your behaviour. If you have attributed a headache to stress or an upset stomach to worry, you may already know that biology is not always the sole cause of illness and that psychology can have an influence on your health. You may also have made links between social influences and healthy behaviours, such as peers urging you to drink alcohol or join the gym, and between well-being and the availability of social support, such as having close friends or family to talk to when you need them. This chapter will look at some key ideas in health psychology and their applications to conditions like stress, pain and chronic illness, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.