Single Mother With Health Issues

Written Assignment Unit 1

Psychology 1111

Deborah Nolan

Our assignment this week is to discuss the case of a single mother with health issues and how numerous factors may contribute to her lack of good health. This paper will discuss those factors and hopefully give some insight into possibilities for a better life for this mother.

From the assignment: She is a 30-year-old woman with 2 children, does not smoke, works long hours on her job, and mostly eats processed food with her children. She has what appears to be chronic fatigue syndrome and occasional chest pain, and now has been diagnosed with hypertension.

We can start by examining some of the factors that cause this young mother an inordinate amount of stress, and then we can look at

Thankfully she does not smoke, which would give her an additional risk factor and almost certainly would contribute to a further decline in her conditions. I would also venture a guess that she does not have good health insurance and even if she does, she probably finds it difficult to get time to see a doctor or to take care of

We have seen in multiple studies and research how stress can affect and directly even cause chronic health conditions, and that health psychology teaches us to look at our health in a unique way than the biomedical approach to disease. Other factors can contribute to a disease state such as diet and genetics. In order to treat the patient in the health continuum—a mind/body approach—it is necessary to look at all these factors as integral parts of the disease state. The mom and her physician can look at a variety of ways to help with her stress, such as dietary changes away from the processed foods and doing some research into ways to eat healthier foods on a budget. They can also look at medications to treat her hypertension, but along with that perhaps counseling is in order as well to help her deal with her stress. All these methodologies may contribute to her leading a healthier lifestyle and setting a good example for her