The Meaning of Health Psychology
Health psychologists are psychologists that specialize in working with the
different aspects of navigating a health condition.

Health psychologists use evidence-based methods to help in the
prevention and treatment of illness and coping with changes caused
by illness.

More than half of adults in the US have a chronic illness and health
psychologists can help with improving health and quality of life.
What comes to mind when you hear the word “psychologist”? My guess is
that it involves some idea of someone (maybe with glasses, in a cardigan*)
working with people who are struggling with their mental health.
*I admit I fully embody this stereotype and own more cardigans than any
other piece of clothing.
While that may generally be an accurate definition of a psychologist, there
are a variety of specialty areas that psychologists work in. Health
psychologists are psychologists that specialize in working with the different
aspects of navigating a health condition. Health psychologists
apply scientific knowledge of the inter-relationships among behavioral,
emotional, cognitive, social, and biological components in health and
disease to the promotion and maintenance of health; the prevention,
treatment, and rehabilitation of illness and disability; and the improvement of
the health care system.1
In other words, health psychologists think of illness as being made up of
much more than just what is happening biologically. They aim to use
evidence-based methods to help in the prevention of illness, treatment of
illness, and management of the side effects of medical treatments and to
assist in coping with the changes brought by a serious or chronic illness.
To illustrate this, I’ll highlight a common problem: insomnia. Insomnia is often
viewed as a physiological problem—and that may often be a component.
However, researchers now know that what maintains insomnia is primarily
cognitive (how we think about our sleep) and behavioral (what habits we
have around sleep). What are psychologists experts in? Helping people think
and behave in healthier ways.
Health psychologists can help with the physiological components of
insomnia as well. Often, we can become anxious when we can’t sleep, which
can manifest in feeling physically wound up. Over time, that can become
conditioned or learned and become a piece of the puzzle that keeps
insomnia going.
Credit/reference:What Is Health Psychology?
Understanding the relationship between our minds and bodies.Credit to :
Jennifer Kilkus