Psychology of Health and Wellness

Running Head: PSYCHOLOGY OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS 1
Psychology of health and wellness
Name
Institution

PSYCHOLOGY OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS 2
According to Elizabeth (2011), health is defined as an individual’s mental, spiritual and
physical state. This state can either be a positive or negative. The world health organization has
defined health positively as a state of one being free from illness and injuries. This organization
connects health with wellbeing and recognizes health as a human right which requires physical
and social factors to achieve and maintain it.
On the other hand, health continuum helps us understand the concepts of wellness and
illness. In this case, nurses use this model to determine whether a person is well or ill. Wellness
is a state of being health whereas illness is being relatively unhealthy. According to Schwer
(2011), there are many levels of wellness and illness. This is because health involves a series of
degrees where it ranges from optimal levels of health to total illness or even death which is
usually described as a continuum. Wellness is a process which is always changing because a
person who is well in this minute can have an illness in the other and vice versa. This concept of
health continuum gives us the idea that wellness and illness are opposite and can simultaneously
occur in one person in different degrees. Illness is associated with disease but can occur on its
own because it’s highly a personal state where a person feels unhealthy or ill.
The disease has numerous meanings and according to professional’s health scientist, it is
defined as an alteration of the body organs which leads to malfunction, reduction in capabilities
and also shortening the lifespan (Rosamund, 2013). On the other hand, un-professional people
view a disease as anything that causes illness. Doctors have accepted the many meaning of the
term disease but have remained reluctant to adopt these meanings because of the importance
during diagnosis and treatment.

PSYCHOLOGY OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS 3
Biopsychosocial factors are behavioral and social conditions that affect mental or health
state of a person (Nisha, 2015). These factors are categorized into three levels. They include
biological, physiological and sociological conditions. Biological influences of health include
nutrition, trauma, genetics, and infections. For example, if a person gives birth to twins and one a
certain disorder, the probability of the other one being affected is high. This is because these
twins share the same genes. Also, poor feeding conditions can influence one’s health. This is
because for any person aspiring to be in good health should put into considerations the type of
food he or she should take. Lack of nutrition in the body can cause an illness like kwashiorkor.
Psychological factors that may affect someone’s health include thing like, stress,
depression and health beliefs (Barbara & Nancy, 2014). For example, losing a job or
experiencing a divorce from a spouse is one of the things which can bring a lot of stress and
illness. These life events can, therefore, develop depression which in turn can affect one's
physical health. Also, the use of social media can contribute to health risks. For example, some
of the process and medicines shared through social media used to increase hips may make one
put all their efforts in getting one without thinking of the negative sides. This is because some of
these medicines are not original and can make one grow only one side of the body. Also, some of
these processes are done by quack doctors which can bring about health complications.
Social factors that can influence the health and wellness of people include culture,
religion, and socioeconomic factors. For example, one may acquire bad behaviors like smoking
cigarettes and sexual practices. Smoking cigarettes can bring about liver problems hence
affecting the health of a person (Sanchen & Frans, 2012). Also, sexual practices can cause HIV
and other sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea.