2.

How psychology and principles and theories of

psychology can be applied in:

2.1 Health setting and treating psychological disorders?

2.1.1 Health Setting

Psychological principles and theories play a crucial role in various aspect of health, raging from
preventive measure to treatment and rehabilitation including :

1. Health promotion and disease prevention

A. Behavioral Change Theories

Behavioral change theories help in understanding why people engage in health-promoting behaviors
and what can be done to encourage such behaviors.

It is a set of theories and model that explain and predict how people modify their behavior to improve
or prevent health related events.

People are less likely to change their helth behaviors unless they believe they are at risk. For instance,
people who don't think they will get the flu are less likely to get a flu shot.

B. Stress Management

Techniques from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be used to manage stress, which in turn can
prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. These CBT techniques are:

- Relaxation - Journaling - Scheduling activities

- Role playing - Breaking down tasks

2. Mental Health Treatment

A. Therapeutic Approaches

Various psychological therapies, including CBT, psychodynamic therapy, and humanistic therapy, are
used to treat mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

B. Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

These techniques are based on principles from positive psychology and are used to reduce symptoms of
mental health conditions.

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 3. Chronic Disease Management
A. Coping Strategies

Psychological theories provide insights into how patients can develop effective coping mechanisms to
deal with chronic illnesses.

B. Motivational Interviewing

This is a counseling approach that helps people find the motivation to make positive changes in their
health behaviors.

This technique helps patients identify personal motivations for making health-related changes,
enhancing their commitment to treatment.

C. Behavioral Interventions
Psychological theories guide the development of interventions to help patients manage chronic
conditions by promoting adherence to treatment plans and lifestyle changes.

4. Health Promotion and Education

A. Health Behavior Change

Models like the Transtheoretical Model and Health Belief Model are used to design programs that
encourage healthy behaviors and prevent disease.

B. Community Outreach

Psychological principles are employed to develop effective public health campaigns and educational
materials that resonate with diverse populations.

C. Community Psychology

This field focuses on the application of psychological principles to promote health and well-being at the
community level.

D. Health Campaigns
Psychological insights are used to design effective public health campaigns that aim to change health
behaviors on a large scale.

There are also a lot areas where psychological principles and theories of psychology can be applied in
health setting that are not mentioned above including :

- Patient-Provider Interaction. - Pain Management

- Rehabilitation and Recovery. - Public Health and etc.
In general, Psychology’s role in health is vast and multifaceted, contributing significantly to our
understanding of human behavior and the development of effective interventions to improve health
outcomes.

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 2.1.2. Treating Psychological Disorders

Psychology plays a pivotal role in understanding, diagnosing, and treating psychological disorders. Here’s
a look at how various principles and theories are applied:

1. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A. Cognitive Restructuring

Cognitive restructuring (CR) is a therapeutic technique that helps people identify, evaluate, and correct
inaccurate beliefs. It's a key method in treating a variety of psychological disorders, including: Major
depressive disorder, Panic disorder, Social anxiety disorder, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

CR is based on the idea that irrational thoughts and maladaptive beliefs are responsible for the emotions
and behaviors associated with mental health disorders. The goal is to help people improve their
functioning by challenging, stopping, and restructuring negative thought patterns.

This technique helps individuals identify and challenge distorted thinking patterns that contribute to
their psychological distress.

B. Behavioral Activation

Behavioural activation (BA) is a time‐efficient, evidence‐based psychotherapy for common mental

health disorders. The primary therapeutic techniques of BA are activity monitoring and scheduling,
through which the patient increases active and goal‐oriented behaviours

Encourages patients to engage in activities that can improve mood and reduce depressive symptoms.

2. Psychodynamic Theory
A. Unconscious Processes

This theory explores how unconscious thoughts and childhood experiences influence current behavior
and mental health.

Unconscious processes are a key part of mental function and are involved in many psychological
disorders. Unconscious processes can be targeted in a variety of ways, including:

Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud's approach to therapy, which emphasizes understanding the unconscious mind. Freud's
patients would talk about their problems through free association or reporting dreams.

Cognitive therapy

Aims to make unconscious processes conscious so that they can be corrected.

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Other methods

Hypnosis, eye movement desensitization reprogramming, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and

transcranial direct current stimulation can also be used to change implicit processes in the brain.

B. Therapeutic Relationship

A therapeutic relationship also known as the professional relationship is a critical factor in the success of
psychotherapy and the treatment of psychological disorders. It's the bond between a therapist and a
client that's built on trust, respect, and a sense of hope. This relationship provides a safe space for the
client to express themselves and explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Emphasizes the importance of the therapist-client relationship in bringing about change and also
empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness in the therapeutic relationship

3. Humanistic Therapy
Self-Actualization

Self-actualization is a psychological process that can help improve mental health by encouraging people
to explore their values, set goals, and understand themselves. Self-actualization-oriented therapies can
help people take an active role in their healing process, which can lead to resilience and personal
development and focuses on helping individuals realize their potential and achieve personal growth.

4. Behavioral Therapy
Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is a psychological treatment that can help people confront their fears and overcome
psychological disorders:

How it works

In a safe environment, people are gradually exposed to their fears, such as objects, activities, or
situations. This can help reduce fear and avoidance.

Conditions it can treat

Exposure therapy can help treat a variety of conditions, including:

- Phobias - Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

- Panic disorder - Generalized anxiety disorder

- Social anxiety disorder - Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

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 5. Biological Psychology

A. Medication Management

Medication management is a collaborative process between a patient and a psychiatrist or other mental
health professional to treat mental health disorders with medication. The goal of medication
management is to ensure the safety, effectiveness, and tolerance of the medication while minimizing
side effects.

Involves understanding the biological underpinnings of mental disorders and using pharmacological
interventions to manage symptoms.

B. Neuroimaging

Neuroimaging is a key part of psychiatric research and diagnosis, and is used to study a range of
psychological disorders.

Techniques like fMRI and PET scans are used to study brain structures and functions related to
psychological disorders.

6. Developmental Psychology
A. Attachment Theory

Examines how early attachment experiences with caregivers influence later psychological health.

Attachment theory is a clinical psychology framework that can be used to understand and treat
psychological disorders in several ways:

Understanding development

Attachment theory can help explain how early interactions with caregivers shape a person's internal
models of relationships, which can impact their emotional regulation and interpersonal behaviors.

Improving mental health

Attachment theory suggests that a sense of attachment security can improve mental health and
resilience. Secure individuals are better able to handle stress, recover from distress, and experience
positive emotions.

According to attachment theory and research, lack of parental sensitivity and responsiveness
contributes to disorders of the self, characterized by lack of self-cohesion, doubts about one's internal
coherence and continuity over time, unstable self-esteem, and over-dependence on other people's
approval.

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B. Life-Span Development

Considers how psychological disorders manifest and change throughout different stages of life.

Lifespan development is a psychological field that studies how people change and grow from conception
to death. It can be applied to treating psychological disorders in a number of ways, including:

- Lifespan developmental psychopathology

- Understanding mental health in old age

- Antipsychotic prescribing and etc.

7. Social Psychology
A. Social Support

Studies the role of social networks and support systems in mental health.

Social support is a key factor in treating psychological disorders, and can help with medication
adherence, relapse, and overall recovery.

Social support is positively associated with positive affect and negatively associated with anxiety, and
depression and also with perceived stress.

B. Group Therapy

Utilizes group dynamics and peer support to facilitate recovery.

Group therapy is a type of psychotherapy that involves a group of people working with one or more
therapists to treat psychological disorders. It can be used to treat a variety of disorders, including:
anxiety, depression, grief, eating disorders, schizophrenia, panic disorder, social anxiety, chronic pain,
and substance abuse.

8. Positive Psychology
Strength-Based Approaches
Focus on leveraging individuals' strengths and resilience to overcome psychological challenges.

A strength-based approach in treating psychological disorders is a therapeutic method that focuses on a

patient's strengths and abilities to help them overcome challenges. It's also known as positive
interventions, resilience-based, or resource-oriented methods.

These principles and theories provide a comprehensive framework for understanding and treating
psychological disorders, helping individuals achieve better mental health and well-being.

References

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- Positive Psychology. (2019). Mental Health Theories.

https://positivepsychology.com/mental-health-theories/.

- Oxford Acadamic. (2023). Psychologically Informed Health Care.

https://academic.oup.com/tbm/article/13/5/289/7000439.

- Neurolaunch. (2024). Key Psychological Theories Shaping Human Behavior.

https://neurolaunch.com/6-theories-of-psychology/

- Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K., & Viswanath, K. (Eds.). (2015). Health Behavior: Theory, Research, and Practice.
John Wiley & Sons.

- Gabbard, G. O. (2014). Psychodynamic Psychiatry in Clinical Practice. American Psychiatric Publishing.

- Rogers, C. R. (1961). On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy. Houghton Mifflin.