| Psychological health has gained recognition in the last | | | | why patients sometimes make self -destructive |
| fifteen years or so after stress and mental illness | | | | choices. |
| rates have reportedly been on the rise. Public | | | | Becoming a health psychologist requires an education |
| awareness of mental health is also increasing as | | | | in psychology, combined with knowledge of the body |
| people are taking an interest in the psychological | | | | and health in general. If a student is interested in |
| aspects of how the mind reacts to coping with stress | | | | pursuing a career in health psychology, it is first |
| or illness. Health psychology, a relatively new field, has | | | | necessary to go to a regionally accredited college to |
| gained momentum as patients are looking to gain | | | | earn a bachelor's degree. Majoring in psychology is |
| insight into the way their mind works, and how it | | | | recommended, and it is useful to take elective courses |
| affects their body systems. Stress is known to cause | | | | such as abnormal psychology, social psychology, |
| physical symptoms such as high-blood pressure and | | | | behavioral therapy, and community psychology in |
| digestive upset and is a leading contributor to heart | | | | combination with an internship or work experience in a |
| disease. | | | | psychological or health setting. |
| Health psychologists work with patients to reduce | | | | Obtaining a master's degree is also recommended as |
| stress and increase well-being using a variety of | | | | it furthers the level of expertise in health psychology. |
| methods. Health psychologists differ from other | | | | While pursuing health psychology in graduate school, |
| psychologists in the sense that they use the | | | | numerous opportunities are available to gain |
| bio-psychosocial model to focus on addressing how | | | | knowledge and professionalism through practicum, |
| biology, psychological issues and social issues influence | | | | internship and supervised research endeavors. |
| health. | | | | Health psychologists usually work in a variety of |
| Clinical psychologists mainly focus on preventing | | | | medical environments including clinics, hospitals, private |
| psychological distress; cognitive psychologists are | | | | practice, schools, universities, rehabilitation centers and |
| aimed at understanding mental processes; | | | | more. Salaries vary and depend on several factors |
| developmental psychologists study psychological | | | | such as work setting, degree and position held. |
| changes over a lifetime; and social psychologists focus | | | | Getting the academic training that is needed to pursue |
| on how behaviors are influenced by other people. | | | | health psychology can be a challenging but worthwhile |
| Health psychologists take into account all of the above, | | | | process. With excellent academic skills, interest in |
| but also take into consideration disease prevention, the | | | | research and a love of people, health psychology may |
| mind-body connection and even issues pertaining to | | | | be a rewarding experience. |