Mental and Physical Health Chapter 5 Part 2

University:
Herzing University
Course:
NSG221 | Mental Health Nursing
Academic year:

2021
Views:

310

Pages:

7
Author:

Alexa Livingston

Module 5.2 Positive Psychology Positive Psychology While psychology has a history of focusing on understanding and treating problems, recent research has pushed for a focus on human flourishing. ● positive psychology: the scientific study of human flourishing, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities thrive Effects of Happiness Positive psychologists use scientific methods to study human flourishing, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive. ● Subjective well-being is your perception of being happy or satisfied with life. Happiness is relative to our own experiences and to others’ success. ● A good mood brightens people’s perceptions of the world. Happy people tend to be healthy, energized, and satisfied with life, which makes them more willing to help others (the feel-good, do-good phenomenon). ● The moods triggered by good or bad events seldom last beyond that day. Even significant good events, such as sudden wealth, seldom increase happiness for long. Impact of Outlook & Support Studies of people with an optimistic outlook show that their immune system is stronger, their blood pressure does not increase as sharply in response to stress, their recovery from heart bypass surgery is faster, and their life expectancy is longer. Social support promotes health by calming us, by reducing blood pressure and stress hormones, and by fostering stronger immune functioning. We can significantly reduce our stress and increase our health by building and maintaining relationships with family and friends, and by finding meaning even in difficult times. How to Be Happy ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Take control of your time. Act happy. Seek work and leisure that engage your skills. Buy shared experiences rather than things. Exercise. Give your body the sleep it wants. Give priority to close relationships. Focus beyond self. Count your blessings and record your gratitude. Researchers Have Found That Happy People Tend to However, Happiness Seems Not Much Related to Other Factors, Such as Have high self-esteem (in individualist countries). Age. Be optimistic, outgoing, and agreeable. Gender (women are more often depressed, but also more often joyful). Have close, positive, and lasting relationships. Physical attractiveness. Have work and leisure that engage their skills. Have an active religious faith (especially in more religious cultures). Sleep well and exercise. Aerobic Exercise & Meditation Aerobic exercise is sustained, oxygen-consuming activity that increases heart and lung fitness. It increases arousal, leads to muscle relaxation and sounder sleep, triggers the production of neurotransmitters, and enhances self-image. It can relieve depression and is associated with longer life and better cognitive functioning in later life. Relaxation and meditation have been shown to reduce stress by relaxing muscles, lowering blood pressure, improving immune functioning, and lessening anxiety and depression. Mindfulness meditation is a reflective practice of attending to current experiences in a nonjudgmental and accepting manner. Massage therapy also relaxes muscles and reduces depression.