Chapter 6: Stress and Health Module 14: Promoting Wellness

Martin Seligman (1942- ) American psychologist Proponent of positive psychology Positive mental health = positive physical health –Avoid depression, you can avoid other sicknesses The common result of a healthy lifestyle and healthy attitudes WELLNESS

Healthy Lifestyles: Exercise Module 14: Promoting Wellness How does exercise contribute to wellness?

Benefits of Daily Exercise Effective in reducing anxiety and depression Leads to greater self confidence and self discipline

What does exercise/aerobics really do? Increases output of mood-boosting chemicals from nervous system. Enhances cognitive abilities like memory. Lowers blood pressure. Side effects, like better sleep, bring emotional benefit. Cuts heart attack risk in half. Can increase longevity by two years.

Healthy Lifestyles: Family and Friends Module 14: Promoting Wellness Does social support make a difference in our health & well being?

Benefits of Social Support Social support – makes people feel liked and wanted Social support leads to: –Less physical problems –More pleasure in life –Longer life span Heart attack victims who live alone are twice as likely to have another heart attack within 6 months are as those living with a family member.

Healthy Lifestyles: The Faith Factor Module 14: Promoting Wellness What is the “faith factor” and how does it relate to wellness?

Benefits of Religious Activity Studies suggest those involved in religion tend to live longer –Meaning research was conducted to find correlations, not cause and effect. Factors of religion contributing to longer life include: –Religion promotes healthy lifestyles. –Religious involvement offers social support. –Many religions promote optimism.

The Faith Factor Explained

Positive Experiences and Well-Being Module 14: Promoting Wellness How do flow, happiness, and optimism contribute to our well-being?

Positive Experiences Success makes you Research is correlational –Don’t know which is cause & which is effect Positive Psychology –Martin Seligman Focuses on optimal human functioning & the factors that allow individuals and communities to thrive Well Being Concept that includes life satisfaction, feelings of fulfillment, pleasant emotions, and low level of unpleasant emotions Person judges life as satisfying, fulfilling, and “going well”

3 kinds of experiences that contribute to our well-being: FLOW A state of optimal experience People do the activity for own happiness, not reward Can lose track of time and self-consciousness For flow to occur: –Must be a challenge requiring skill –Have clear goals –Provide feedback HAPPINESS High self-esteem Optimistic, outgoing, agreeable Close friendships or satisfying marriage Work and leisure that engages skills Meaningful religious faith Sleep well and exercise OPTIMISM The tendency to expect the best Believe bad events are: –Temporary –Not their fault –Will not have broader effects beyond the present circumstances

Pessimism The tendency to expect the worst Tend to blame themselves for bad situations Explanatory style: –Habits we have for thinking about the good or bad causes of events. EX: when you have plans with a friend and they don’t call…what do you think? (are they hurt, blew me off, don’t like me, etc.) THINK ABOUT IT: –Which is better, to be optimistic or pessimistic? –Why is it important to understand each?

Overcoming Illness-Related Behaviors: Smoking Module 14: Promoting Wellness Why is smoking so dangerous and why is it so hard to give up?

Dangers of Smoking (World Health Organization, 1999)

Why smoking is bad, Who is likely to besides the obvious: be a smoker? Smokers have high rates of depression and divorce. They lose 12 minutes off their life for every cigarette. They are three times more likely than nonsmokers to drink alcohol. They are 17 times more likely than nonsmokers to smoke marijuana. Bad for lungs and heart. Will kill 10 million people/year. Almost all smokers start as adolescents. If your parents, siblings, and friends smoke Students who drop out Students who get poor grades Students who feel less control over their futures If you haven’t started by the time you graduate from high school…odds are low you will start.

Nicotine: The behavioral stimulant found in tobacco. –More addictive than cocaine or heroin. –1 in 3 who try get hooked! –Suppresses appetite, reduces sensitivity to pain, calms anxiety, and boosts awareness. Withdrawal: The discomfort and distress that follows discontinuing the use of an addictive drug such as nicotine. Symptoms include: insomnia, anxiety, craving, irritability

10 Guidelines to Quitting Smoking: (Half try to quit each year, success rate is 14%) 1. Set a specific quit date. 2. Inform others of your plans. 3. Get rid of all cigarettes. 4. Review previous attempts to quit & anticipate challenges. 5. Use a nicotine patch or gum. 6. Be totally abstinent. 7. Avoid alcohol. 8. Quit with family or friends who also smoke (especially those at home or work ). 9. Avoid places where others smoke. 10. Exercise regularly. Which of the above do you feel is most important?

Overcoming Illness-Related Behaviors: Obesity & Weight Control Module 14: Promoting Wellness What is obesity, and what physical and emotional health risks accompany this condition?

Body Mass Index (BMI) A person’s weight in kilograms divided by their squared height in meters. –U.S. guidelines: BMI should be below 25. –W.H.O. (world health org): obesity defined as a BMI of 30+ Risks of Obesity: –Increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, gallstones, arthritis, sleep disorders, certain types of cancer, etc.

How have socially acceptable looks, in terms of weight, changed?

Fat Cells Average adult has 30 billion fat cells –If you take in more calories than you need, the cells enlarge. If they reach a certain size they divide into new cells. –One pound of fat = 3500 calories. Dieting – Reduces the size of the cells (not number)

Set Point The point at which an individual’s “weight thermostat” is supposedly set When the body falls below this weight, increased hunger and a lower metabolic rate may act to restore the lost weight. METABOLIC RATE Body’s resting rate of energy expenditure Rate varies from person to person with genetic influences

Tips for Losing Weight Reduce exposure to tempting foods cues. Boost your metabolism. Be patient, realistic, and moderate. Permanently change the food you eat. Control your portions. Don’t skip breakfast and lunch. Set attainable goals.

Important Questions So…why can’t a person just cut out 3500 calories and lose a pound? How does you weight affect your psychological and physiological health?