I think the most beneficial aspect of this course was the variety of ways that information was presented. Though the lectures each week were a helpful way of learning information, it was also nice to learn from the novel and guest speakers. This way, the information was presented in ways that felt less cold and more applicable to daily life and the real world. Guest speakers like Dr. Hiller also made the information more applicable in that we were not being presented data or cold facts, but a real account of an experience with the issues that were presented in the lectures. Having these three sources of information really helped to tie the class together for me.
I also found the “meaningful breaks” to be very beneficial. Having a class time that is equivalent to two classes sometimes makes for a long day, but I enjoyed learning new ways to relax and take time for myself, especially because these are ways of stress management that I wouldn’t have necessarily tried by myself.
Overall, I think the main aspects of health psychology that I learned were the importance of managing stress and the understanding of health using the biopsychosocial model. Before this course, I thought of health more as the absence of disease, but I have learned from this course that an individual’s health is impacted by every aspect of life, not just biological issues. I knew before this class that stress can severely impact mental health, but was not aware that stress can cause significant long term damage to both the mind and the body. Especially after reading the novel, I learned that stress has a significant impact on longevity as well.
This course has made me much more conscious of my actions and surroundings. Though some fo the course focused on diseases and other ailments, the sections on stress, sleep, nutrition and positive psychology have helped me to better understand the ways that I can personally impact my own health and the health of those around me. I am also more aware of the way that health conditions can and should be treated. Rather than medications or protocols to solve every issue, it is important to think of all other aspects of the life of a patient in order to give them the best care possible.
I agree with your previous definition of health. I always assumed I was healthy because visiting the hospital was not an average outing. Therefore, I tended to ignore issues that I now know are labeled as unhealthy. From this knowledge, I have taken steps to make myself healthier holistically, not just because I am not constantly seeing a doctor. I have taken on meditation to reduce my stress as well as increased the amount of water I am drinking on a daily basis. Additionally, I have created a routine to go to the gym after learning the importance of working out on one’s health, both currently and in the long run. As I mentioned in my Career post, this course has opened my eyes to a holistic view of health. It is not just about the disease but also about the lifestyle that one lives. I never thought of that before this course, but after I can see the vast importance of this viewpoint. Overall, I agree with you about Health Psychology 300 opening my eyes to a different perspective of health.
Chloe:
I also feel that the “meaningful breaks” were a great component of the class. As someone who is frequently stressed it was nice to have time to relax during the day. I felt it helped to clear my head and definitely reduced some stress.
The guest speakers were also a great part of the course. It kept things interesting and really connected the textbook to the real world.
I wonder how long it will take for us to forget about the importance of the good habits discussed in the LP. Like you, I also am more aware about healthy living and have been trying to make a more conscious effort to think about what I can do to stay healthy. I recently bought a journal called the “5 minute journal” I am trying it out to see if it helps me be more mindful and be a better person to people around me. I really like it so far–you should check it out!
I agree with you that some of the talks, especially Dr. Hiller’s, added a refreshing perspective to what we were learning in class. The meaningful breaks (the meditative ones) were also enjoyable, since it’s not something many of us might otherwise make time for. They also did function quite well to break up the length of the class–which I wish was a twice a week class rather than 3 hours all at once haha.
You’re so right about stress, though. I’d known vaguely before this class how much chronic stress affected well-being, but I gained much more concrete knowledge about how exactly stress harms health. Hopefully we’ll all be able to apply that knowledge to our own lives!
I definitely agree that class speakers were a valuable part of this course! Dr. Hilliard’s talk was really sad but brought home to me the relevance of this course. As well, this class also made me more conscious of my own behavior and environment, with takeaways in my personal life! And I agree that I now consider treatments other than medications and procedures, with a greater focus on coping mechanisms and personal changes.
I completely agree that having the information presented in lab and in readings is made more real by the speakers who came in. I also think the TED talks gave a great holistic picture of our topics when they were used. I also can relate to what you said about understanding stress better, it is no longer a vague concept that makes you unhappy during finals but is now a tangible force with real physical and psychological effects.