PSYCHOLOGY AND PATIENT'S HEALTH

Psychology and Patient's Health



Psychology and patient's health

Introduction

Patient interactions and treatment plans will be developed using the positive psychology approach. The human strengths of self-control and hope will be a main focus. Because individuals who have well developed skills and ability to control their internal states are less likely to succumb to negative effects of stress the fostering of self-control is essential to patient health.

Patients will partake in treatment plans to strengthen self-control thus inducing increased positivity towards their illness or medical regimens. Trouble areas will be identified, realistic target behavior or thought patterns will be set, benefits of these desired goals will be identified, possible obstacles will be identified with a plan for overcoming such obstacles and patients will participate in monitoring their progress. The patients social support network will be assessed and utilized as well. (Loftus, 2003)

Hope is perhaps the most powerful of the human strengths. Hope encourages optimism and optimism has shown to have influential effect on patient health. Individuals with high levels of optimism have been proven to suffer less distress from major surgical procedures than those possessing pessimistic attitudes.

Optimism also aids in the patient's behavior following surgery as optimistic patients tend to achieve milestones at a quicker pace than pessimistic patients by walking sooner or sitting up in bed which would lend merit to the idea that incorporating psychology in to patient treatment regimens would shorten hospitalization periods.



Discussion and analysis

Individuals who have hope are generally optimistic people who have a sense of control over their lives and circumstances. The patient who feels involved and has this sense of control will respond to illness and hospitalization more effectively than those who possess little hope. Therefore, the psychiatry division will place added emphasis on strengthening the feelings of self-control and hope with the patient. (Loftus, 2003)

Substance Abuse Counselor

The substance abuse counselor will be responsible for the coordination of the use of recovery programs for the substance abuse patient. In addition, the substance abuse counselor will work with a social worker to ensure after care plans are in place upon patient discharge. (Goodwin, 2008)

Those suffering from addiction must receive intervention which addresses both their physical dependence as well as psychological dependence. Withdrawal must be approached carefully and on a case specific level to ensure the least amount of physical discomfort and psychological distress. The substance abuse counselor will develop a plan of initial detoxification for the client which is case appropriate implementing various methods of treatment including medical assistance when necessary. Client readiness for change will be assessed prior to beginning treatment. (Barker, 2006)

Those individual's identified to be in the contemplation or preparation stage will be considered for intensive treatment plans which will consist of a detoxification process followed by intensive individual and group therapy sessions which the counselor finds suitable to the specific case. These group sessions will enable to patient to identify with other individual's also in the recovery process which can provide inspiration and hope to the ...