Psychological features of a healthy lifestyle. What rules should you follow to be healthy? Moderate exercise, sports and other activities also improve mental health

Content:

Most of us think about our health in physical terms. We are either sick or healthy, and we learn about our current state thanks to the signals that our body sends us. However, as the examples below demonstrate, health turns out to be as much a psychological as a physical problem.

1. Bob, a 22-year-old member of the tennis team, was advised to quit smoking because it undermined his strength during matches. He wants to quit, but has not yet been able to do so.
2. Lisa broke up with her boyfriend last week, and next week she has an important exam for a semester-long chemistry course. As a result, she came down with the flu.
3. Helen recently went to the doctor complaining of headaches. The doctor was indifferent to Helen's problem and, apparently, did not take her words seriously. She decided not to follow her doctor's advice, but to enroll instead in a relaxation training course: perhaps it would help her.
4. Mark, now 19 years old, has had diabetes since he was 12 years old. Although he knows that he should inject himself with insulin twice a day, he sometimes “forgets” about it; Over the past 6 months, this has already resulted in an ambulance being called four times and being taken to the hospital.

Psychology of health.

The realization that health is as much a psychological problem as a physical one served as an impetus for the development of a new field of psychology - health psychology.

Psychological health research concerns four main areas:

1. 1. improving and maintaining health;
   2. prevention and treatment of diseases;
   3. identifying causes and correlates of health and disease and other dysfunctions;
   4. improving the health care system and shaping health policies.

The most important lesson from health psychology is that health is not just a matter of physical well-being, but is also a biopsychosocial state. According to this biopsychosocial model, a person's health status is determined by the interaction of a number of factors: biological factors, such as genetic predisposition to certain diseases or exposure to the influenza virus; psychological factors such as stress; and social factors, such as the amount of social support a person receives from their friends and family. Once we recognize that in addition to biological factors, psychological and social factors are also involved in health and disease, it becomes clear that good health is achieved through conscious efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, rather than given to us from above.

Healthy lifestyle

Infectious diseases such as influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis have posed serious health threats in the past. Today medicine has defeated these diseases and brought them under control. The main health problems facing people in developed countries today are such “predictable” diseases as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. These diseases are called predictable diseases because they are, at least in part, the result of health behaviors that people can control. In particular, the number of annual cancer deaths could be reduced by 25-30% if people stopped smoking, the number of deaths due to heart disease could be reduced significantly if people stopped eating foods high in cholesterol, and also from smoking and would learn to cope with stress more effectively. The number of deaths from road accidents could be reduced by 50% if fewer drunk drivers got behind the wheel.

What is a healthy lifestyle?

Healthy lifestyle (health behaviors) expressed in the actions that people take to maintain or improve their health. These include eating healthy foods; regular exercise; refusal to use substances hazardous to health such as tobacco, alcohol and drugs; maintaining normal sleep duration; use of car seat belts; using sunscreen; using condoms; controlling your weight; and regular participation in screening and health prevention programs, such as vaccinations against infectious diseases and screening for highly common diseases such as lung cancer and coronary heart failure.

The importance of following the basic principles of a healthy lifestyle was illustrated in a classic study by Belloc and Breslow. Scientists have identified seven important habits that characterize healthy behavior: sleep at least 7-8 hours, do not smoke, have breakfast every day, drink no more than 1-2 glasses of alcoholic beverages per day, regularly do physical exercises, avoid additional food between regular meals and not allow your normal weight to be exceeded by more than 10%. They then interviewed over 6,000 residents of Alameda County, California, asking them to indicate which of these principles they regularly adhered to. Respondents were also asked to name their illnesses, rate their energy levels, and indicate how often they were sick (specifically, how many days of work they missed due to illness) over the past 6-12 months. The more healthy behavior principles people adhered to, the fewer different types of illnesses they named and the higher they rated their energy levels. Other studies have found similar results; they are shown in Fig. 1.

A study of University of Pennsylvania graduates in 1939 and 1940 shows that those who followed healthy lifestyle principles maintained their health longer. The graduates were categorized into low-, medium-, and high-risk groups based on their weight, physical activity, and tobacco use during their college years. For each person, upon reaching 67 years of age, a composite “helplessness index” was calculated; The basis for the calculation is the degree of independence of the individual in solving eight basic everyday tasks: dressing and putting one’s appearance in order, getting up in the morning, eating, walking, taking a bath and other hygiene procedures, the ability to reach objects, carry bags and perform basic duties. A score of 0.01 indicates some difficulty in performing one of the listed tasks. A score of 0.10 indicates some difficulty in completing each of the eight tasks. A maximum score of 0.30 indicates an inability to perform all eight tasks.

Unfortunately, not many people follow all the principles of a healthy lifestyle. While most of us practice some principles, such as not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight, we violate others, such as not getting enough sleep at night or exercising. Students are among the worst offenders. Why is this happening? We know that the greatest health problems are typical for older people, but they are not at all relevant for students. Therefore, students often treat illnesses as something that does not concern them. It may seem almost incredible that following healthy behavior in adolescence and young adulthood can influence health for many years to come. Nevertheless, it is so.

Attitude to health and healthy lifestyle

Because a healthy lifestyle plays such an important role in maintaining good health, it is important to understand the attitudes that lead people to engage in or neglect healthy behaviors. The desire to follow the principles of a healthy lifestyle is stimulated by the following five beliefs.

1. General values ​​related to health, including interest in health and concern for health.
2. Perception of severity health hazards various diseases.
3. Awareness of your personal vulnerability regarding diseases.
4. Confidence in one's own ability to take the necessary actions to reduce such a threat ( self-efficacy).
5. The belief that these actions will be effective in preventing such a threat (effectiveness of behavior).

To understand these attitudes, let's look at the story of a student who took a course in health psychology several years ago. Bob was the only smoker in his class and therefore felt some pressure from the teacher and students to give up the habit. Despite his recognition that smoking was associated with both lung cancer and heart disease, he considered these links to be insignificant. In addition, because he was in good health and played a variety of sports, Bob was confident in his own invulnerability to these diseases. One day during the Thanksgiving holiday, when all the family members traditionally gathered together, Bob went home and was literally shocked by the news that his beloved uncle, a heavy smoker with a long history, had been diagnosed with lung cancer and that he had only one life to live. no more than a few months. Suddenly his own health took on an enormous importance to Bob that he had not previously realized. The illusion of his own invulnerability to lung cancer was dispelled by the fact that one of his family members fell ill with it. The young man learned from the example of a loved one how serious the consequences of smoking can be. Bob's attitude toward quitting smoking also changed radically. He concluded that quitting smoking can prevent the danger of disease (behavioral effectiveness). He also acquired a belief in self-efficacy, or the belief that he can quit smoking. After returning from home, Bob stopped smoking completely. These relationships are shown schematically in Fig. 2.
Overall health beliefs (health beliefs), predetermine such forms of healthy behavior as reducing/quitting smoking, physical exercise, preventive measures against skin cancer (for example, using sunscreen), regular brushing and flossing, monitoring the condition of your lungs through periodic fluorographic examinations screenings, avoiding sexual behavior that puts you at high risk for AIDS, using condoms, and controlling your weight through diet.


Rice. 2.

Theory of Intelligent Behavior

Another attitudinal component that predicts healthy behavior was identified by Fishbein and Ajzen (1980), who developed a model of reasonable behavior. Theory of Intelligent Behavior (theory of reasoned action) relies on the idea that an action is a direct consequence of the intention to perform it. Consider, as an example, reducing your intake of foods high in cholesterol. Imagine that your father is convinced that cholesterol is dangerous to health, and its excess in food is fraught with serious consequences (promotes a heart attack). Suppose he also believes that he can change his diet to be healthier and believes that this will reduce the risk of heart disease. However, he is still not ready to take decisive action. In this case, knowledge of intends whether he changes his diet or not will increase your ability to predict whether your father will actually take certain actions to change his diet. Knowing an individual's intention to take certain actions allows us to predict whether he will, for example, control his sexual behavior to reduce the risk of AIDS, use birth control pills, regularly check the health of his lungs during fluorographic examinations, apply sunscreen and exercise along with other healthy behaviors.

Feelings of self-efficacy or self-control also play an important role in implementing healthy lifestyles, and they predict behaviors as diverse as college students' condom use, exercise, and smoking cessation success. A woman trying to diet may unintentionally undermine her efforts with one thought: “I’ll never be able to do this” or “I’ve tried dieting many times before and it always failed.” Conversely, she will achieve success if she assures herself that her nutrition is completely under control and that she is able to change it if she wants.

Analyzing the determinants of healthy behavior allows us to better understand why so few people practice it. A smoker may find it very difficult to stop smoking (low self-efficacy). Those who do not do morning exercises may believe that physical exercise alone cannot reduce the risk of a particular disease (low behavioral effectiveness). An overweight individual may not understand that being overweight actually threatens his or her health (low threat perception). In order for any health-related action to be implemented in practice, all these ideas and beliefs must intersect at one point; In addition, each person also has a range of excuses and rationalizations for why a particular health-related action should not be taken.

Among other things, there are other factors that undermine the best intentions of following a healthy lifestyle. For example, many adolescent health-risk behaviors are not planned at all; they occur as a result of a combination of circumstances: smoking, drinking alcohol, unprotected sex and other risky activities. Other negative health behaviors may be caused by poor mood, as occurs in people who have disordered eating habits. Alcohol contributes to a loss of self-control and may increase the likelihood of smoking or having unprotected sex. Health-seeking actions are driven by expectations of positive or negative consequences, and these factors are also not fully captured by health attitude models. For example, people tan to get a beautiful skin color, but do not think about the risk of skin cancer or other negative consequences of exposure to the sun. Finally, attitude models are based on the assumption that people have considerable cognitive abilities and use them when making decisions regarding their health; however, quite often our conclusions or decisions are reached through the use of extremely simplified or heuristic processes rather than as a result of the systematic and sequential steps of the decision-making process that these models provide. Some researchers believe that the degree of identification of oneself with the category of people who practice actions aimed at preserving (destructing) health makes it possible to better predict the specific actions of an individual. So, for example, a teenage schoolgirl who considers herself similar to her friends who smoke, drink and break driving rules will be more likely to commit the same actions than a girl who does not associate herself with the prototypical image of a “loose” teenager. In other words, there are many other social psychological approaches to understanding the causes of health-damaging behavior; According to these approaches, attitudes and intentions to perform certain actions may play an important role only in relation to some forms of healthy behavior and only under certain conditions.

Health-damaging habits such as smoking are cited as leading causes of illness and death. Unfortunately, they are often acquired very early in life, before people begin to realize the danger they may face.

Assessing the conclusion that health beliefs are important determinants of healthy lifestyles must also take into account the fact that most of the research on this issue has been conducted among relatively affluent middle-class people receiving decent health care. When we look at the realities of poor families, we find that far more important determinants of healthy lifestyles than health beliefs are the cost of preventive health care, such as free mammograms and access to health care. Thus, many low-income families do not have the opportunity to regularly use medical services and therefore are forced to either resort to them in extreme cases or do without them altogether. These facts look even more sad in light of the fact that people with low incomes tend to have poorer health compared to those who are more affluent. The reason appears to be that members of minority groups and people with lower income, education, and occupational status are more likely to be exposed to highly stressful and negative life events. Contrary to what is desired, these social, class and ethnic differences tend to become even greater.

Changing health attitudes

Studying health attitudes is extremely useful not only because it helps us predict who will engage in a particular form of health behavior, but also because it identifies the conditions under which people may change their health behavior. Researchers believe this may be facilitated by persuasive messages that increase feelings of vulnerability while increasing feelings of self-efficacy and response effectiveness. How can you get the necessary information to people? One of the goals of promoting a healthy lifestyle is to reach as many people as possible through the media. We've all heard television and radio messages urging us to eat more fiber, lower cholesterol, or quit smoking. How effective are such messages? Unfortunately, the assessment of the results of the efforts made indicates very modest achievements in this area. Media messages can lead to changes in health attitudes, but their impact on actual behavior is small.

Stages of attitude change

One reason why campaigns to change health attitudes do not always lead to behavior change is that people do not change overnight, but rather over several stages. Different methods of intervention give different results, depending on the stage at which the person with the negative habit is currently located. These stages with their corresponding processes are described transtheoretical model of behavioral change. Originally developed to work with addictive disorders such as smoking, this model is now applied to many healthy behaviors, including exercise and regular mammogram screenings.

Stage problem-free (pre-contemplation) existence The individual is characterized by his lack of intention to change his behavior in any way. Many at this stage are not even aware of the existence of a problem, although it may seem quite obvious to their relatives, friends, neighbors and workmates. An example would be a drinking person who usually does not notice the problems that he creates for his family. It is therefore not surprising that such individuals are bad targets for influence.

Stage contemplation occurs when an individual begins to recognize the existence of a problem and thinks about it, but is not yet ready to take any specific decisive steps to eliminate it. Many people may remain in the contemplation stage for years, such as a woman who smokes and recognizes the need to quit but is hesitant to do so. For people in this stage, intervention procedures that involve changing attitudes may be successful.

On preparatory stage, people form the intention to change their behavior, but may not yet begin to do so. In some cases, this is partly because similar attempts have not been successful in the past. Other individuals begin to change their target behavior already at the preparatory stage, for example, by reducing the number of cigarettes smoked per day, but, as a rule, do not yet make a commitment to completely stop a specific behavior. On the stage action) individuals change their behavior to cope with a problem. In order for behavior to truly change, individuals are required to make an investment of time and energy. On the stage maintenance people try to prevent the possibility of relapses and strengthen the results achieved. Typically, if a person is able to abstain from addictive behavior for more than six months, they can be considered to be in the maintenance stage.

The transtheoretical model is extremely useful because it takes into account the fact that specific interventions may work more effectively at one stage compared to another. In particular, informing individuals in the problem-free stage about their problem may help move them into the contemplation stage. An influence procedure can be used to move people from the contemplation stage to the preparation stage by getting them to evaluate the thoughts and feelings they have about themselves about the problem at hand and how solving it will change them. Interventions designed to encourage people to make commitments about when and how they are going to change their behavior can serve as a bridge between the preparation stage and the action stage. Interventions that rely on social support and practical skills will be most effective when working with individuals who have moved from the action stage to the maintenance stage.

Often, very often, at the end of the working day we are like a dead lemon. We complain of loss of strength, headaches, aches in tissues and joints, and are generally irritable and depressed. And there seems to be no reason for our ailments, although, by and large, we ourselves created all the ailments. We violate the laws of psychology of a healthy lifestyle.
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Modern life, with its exorbitant pace of life, with great demands on professional qualities, demands maximum efficiency, competitiveness, and, of course, health from a person. There is a concept in human psychology: the psychology of professional health is the science of the psychological conditions of health in any professional activity, of the methods and means of its development and preservation.

What are the signs of a healthy person? Among them, three main ones can be distinguished.

Firstly, the structural and functional safety of human systems and organs.

Secondly, individual adaptability to the physical and social environment.

Thirdly, the preservation and development of the potential physical and psychological capabilities of a healthy lifestyle and human activity.

Numerous studies prove that the true causes of the disease lie not in physiological features, but emotional conditions of human life. Primary the disease occurs against the background of daily negative emotions, which surrounds the modern professional.

Therefore, practical psychology should teach the rules and techniques of countering the negative emotional attacks of others, the complexities of the psychological microclimate in a team, the development of positive character traits that contribute to the competent art of communication and self-preservation of one’s psychological health.

Of course, the causes of illness are certain character traits, character traits.

So people who do everything with care, high quality, strive for success, are fanatical in their work, and have high emotionality towards all this, are most likely prone to cardiovascular diseases, increased arterial disease, heart rhythm disturbances, and attacks of radiculitis. These are Type A people.

But type “B” is prone to regularity, low levels of activity and performance, lack of emotionality in communication, reluctance to professional growth, and lack of goals. low self-esteem. All this leads to routine at work, and, accordingly, metabolic diseases, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, and gastrointestinal diseases.

Type “C” people, who are inferior in everything, are prone to melancholy, very strong emotionality, and even the desire to suppress it, to drive it into themselves, such people can get cancer.

Based on these generalizations, the volitional development of positive character traits is the prevention of diseases. And if you have acquired these diseases, then daily repetition of instructions to develop the necessary connections in your head, and then life rules, will lead to recovery.

This is very well described in the book by the American psychotherapist LOUISE HAY, “The Newest Encyclopedia of Health and Happiness.” For a long time it was my reference book. And, in my opinion, those who are now having a rather difficult time on the path to restoring their health should turn to this wonderful book.

It’s easy to read, at first glance it doesn’t seem serious, but I read it once, twice, and you look at many things differently. But most importantly, it restores optimism. Moreover, it is never too late to learn. The Russian people have a very clever proverb: “learn until the cartilage grows together.”

In her encyclopedia, Louise Hay sets the task for readers that by positive attitudes need to create a happy and healthy life every day. Figure out what dissatisfaction in life. In itself, a dissatisfied state is already an unhealthy state. The level of health and general dissatisfaction with life depends on:

Having a certain number of social connections and friendly contacts. It turns out that positive emotions from communicating with close, psychologically compatible people and generally good relationships allow you to overcome stressful situations.

It has been noticed that, unlike sociable people, lonely people more often resort to smoking and drinking alcohol to combat stress, which worsens their condition;
– a strong family and the presence of children in them;

– interesting and beloved work that brings moral satisfaction. It has been proven that unemployment has a negative impact on health, since the unemployed are constantly in a stressful state, which provokes various diseases; and not only illnesses - addiction to alcohol, this is also not a healthy state.

– a special personality type, which is characterized by the desire to work not only for one’s own material well-being, but also realizing the importance and necessity of one’s activities for society;

– presence of adequate goals, values, prospects in professional activity;

– optimism, faith in oneself, in the success of communicating with other people, and the prospects for the future.

It is well known that to maintain physical health it is necessary to perform a set of physical exercises. According to academician N.M. Amosov, a person should do at least 1000 movements a day, these can be different exercises. For example, general health, or with an emphasis on maintaining the health of the cardiovascular system, or preventing the musculoskeletal system.

Over time, you yourself will develop a complex for different tasks, and it will be correct. It is important to do all this gradually, systematically. And by the way, physical exercise will help create a good mood and satisfaction with life.

Likewise for the development and maintaining positive character traits that contribute to the formation of health psychology, it is important to master psychotechnical exercises. Here are some of them:

« Kind smile" Start each day with a positive mindset. Imagine that you radiate warmth, light, goodness. Smile at yourself with an “inner smile”, wish good morning to “your loved one”, to your loved ones. No matter how busy you are, try to greet others throughout the day with the same kind, sincere, friendly smile, because only positive emotions emanate from you, do not allow yourself to be “infected” by the negative emotions of others. Maintain this state throughout the working day, and in the evening analyze how you felt. Your health will improve dramatically.

."I'm glad to see you" When meeting any person, even someone you don’t know at all, your first phrase should be: “I’m glad to see you!” Say it from your heart or think it and only then start a conversation. If during the conversation you feel irritated or angry, then every 2-3 minutes say mentally or out loud: “I’m glad to see you!”

« Nice conversation" If the issue that causes you unpleasant emotions is not very important, try to make communication with the person as pleasant as possible. Whether your interlocutor is right or wrong (now this does not matter), try. So that this person feels good, calm, and has a desire to meet and communicate with you again.

"Contemplator"" Learn to treat everything that happens to you, like an Eastern sage, contemplatively, that is, before reacting to the words or actions of people around you, ask yourself: “What would a calm, experienced, wise person do in my place? What would he say or do? So, tune yourself to a philosophical perception of reality, contemplatively think about the problem for a few minutes and only then make decisions and act.
These psychotechnical exercises must be performed systematically, preferably daily, and then a positive result will not be long in coming, and you will find a positive mood and open up new opportunities for cooperation with people.

Preserving, strengthening and preventing mental health is of great importance for a healthy lifestyle. The psycho-emotional state is one of the determining factors of our health, which manifests itself in the ability to control emotions, think positively, and maintain a balance between spiritual and physical development.

In this lesson, we will introduce you to the basics of mental and psychological health, consider the mental characteristics of children and adolescents, and also offer some useful recommendations for maintaining mental balance and training stress resistance.

What is mental health

The World Health Organization defines mental health (spiritual or emotional, sometimes mental health) as follows:

It is a state of well-being in which a person is able to realize his or her own potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to their community.

This term is quite broad, so several criteria are usually identified to determine mental health:

• awareness of the continuity, constancy and identity of one’s physical and mental self;
• a sense of constancy and identity of experiences in similar situations;
• criticality of oneself and one’s own mental production (activity) and its results;
• correspondence of mental reactions (adequacy) to the strength and frequency of environmental influences, social circumstances and situations;
• the ability to self-manage behavior in accordance with social norms, rules, laws;
• the ability to plan one’s own life activities and implement these plans;
• the ability to change behavior depending on changing life situations and circumstances.

In everyday life, these criteria are manifested in the degree of integration of the individual into society, the harmony of their assistance, balance, spirituality, inclusion in the system of life values ​​of following the principles of kindness and justice, and the desire for self-development. In other words, mentally healthy person adequately assesses reality, shows interest in the world around him, coordinates his behavior and reaction to what is happening with environmental conditions, and is capable of introspection and reflection.

In cases where a person does not have these qualities, one can judge mental illness. It manifests itself in personal disorientation, avoidance of responsibility, dependence on bad habits, passivity, increased anxiety, loss of self-confidence, and hostility towards others.

But mental health cannot be approached only formally, because quite often adherence to certain behavioral norms can be determined by a set of factors on the basis of which it is inappropriate to judge mental disorders. Among them are socio-cultural characteristics, customs, traditions and foundations of different societies, and features of professional activity.

Mental and psychological health

A distinction should be made between mental and psychological health. Most generally, human mental health can be said to be a set of mental attitudes that allow one to adequately respond and adapt to environmental conditions. This is the correspondence of subjective ideas to objective reality, adequate perception of oneself, the ability to think critically and much more. Despite the frequent use of the term “mental health” as a synonym for mental health, there are differences between them. Psychological health in its definition is a broader concept; it characterizes the personality as a whole, takes into account the characteristics of volitional, motivational, cognitive, emotional activity.

Why is it important to pay attention to your mental health?

Many have probably heard the catchphrase: “All diseases come from nerves.” When a person has the flu or a cold, he takes pills, medicines, and undergoes a course of treatment. However, in a state of stress and anxiety, he does nothing. Business trainers and practicing psychologists note that if company employees who work a busy schedule under constant stress, from time to time take courses to strengthen stress resistance and get rid of anxiety, their productivity increases significantly. This has a positive effect not only on work, but also on relationships at all levels within the team, and contributes to a healthy atmosphere in the company.

It is known that when people receive appropriate mental health care, they are less likely to seek medical care overall. For example, in the USA, observation of people suffering from anxiety disorders showed that people who received help from a psychiatrist began to spend 35% less money on treatment for various diseases than those who did not turn to specialists. There is further evidence that people with unresolved mental health problems visit doctors twice as often as those receiving mental health care.

Excessive worry and stress can contribute to the development of certain heart diseases and weaken the immune system. Psychological problems also increase the likelihood of poor behavioral choices, which manifest themselves in addiction to smoking and drugs, and alcohol abuse. According to unofficial estimates, even in the United States, a country with developed psychiatry, approximately every 4th adult suffers from diagnosable mental disorders.

To summarize, or why mental health is important:

1. There is a close relationship between the psyche and physical condition of a person. Feelings of anxiety, constant stress and worry can lead to deterioration in health (sleep disturbances, weakened immune system).
2. Addiction specialist, psychiatrist, MD D. Sack notes that people who take care of mental health tend to achieve greater success in their careers and earn more.
3. Mental health is very important in terms of communication, especially in the family. It allows you to maintain a healthy atmosphere among loved ones, raise children correctly, giving them the necessary care and a psychological model to follow.
4. Mentally healthy people are less likely to be influenced by negative social factors and less likely to commit illegal actions.
5. In 2012 in " British Medical Journal“The results of a study were published showing that the average life expectancy of mentally healthy people is higher than that of people with disorders. Moreover, the risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases is 94% higher in those who are subject to persistent depression and anxiety and cannot cope with them.

Thus, when a person is free from depression, anxiety, excessive stress and worry, as well as bad habits, he is able to live fully, be fully realized and enjoy.

Prevention and stress resistance

The pace of modern life and conditions in many areas of employment are such that people are constantly exposed to stress. If you do not know how to cope with them and neutralize their negative impact, the likelihood of depression, anxiety and restlessness increases. And they, in turn, are fraught with more serious mental disorders. But how can you determine your mental health status? Unlike Western countries, in our country visits to psychiatrists and psychologists are not so common, and people do not always have the opportunity to visit expensive specialists. You can determine your exposure to negative influences and your ability to cope with them by a set of some important symptoms. If you are constantly irritated, anxious and have trouble sleeping, constantly feel dissatisfied or angry, or are subject to sudden mood swings, this may indicate a stressful state and its negative impact on your body. The first thing to do in such a situation is to seek advice from a specialist doctor. You should also check out some tips to help maintain mental health and balance.

Most of us are familiar with the word stress resistance from lists of required qualities from job advertisements. This requirement means the ability to concentrate in tense situations and endure significant intellectual, volitional and emotional stress without harm to oneself and one’s activities. We propose to look at this skill in a little more detail in order to determine the aspects necessary for the development of such an important quality. Let's look at popular techniques that illustrate this problem.

The famous writer, psychologist and teacher Dale Carnegie in his book “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living” offers readers the following advice:

1. Your concerns should be focused only on today, since we cannot accurately predict the future or change the past.
2. “Keep busy. A person suffering from anxiety must lose himself completely in his work, otherwise he will wither away from despair.”
3. “Do not allow yourself to be upset over trifles that should be despised and forgotten. Remember that “life is too short to waste on trifles.”
4. “Study the facts. Ask yourself, “What are the chances, according to the law of large numbers, that the event I’m worried about will ever happen?”
5. "Face the inevitable."
6. “Let the past bury its dead. Don't cut sawdust."

Here are some modern ways to prevent mental health and reduce stress:

Method 1

1. Determine the nature of your stress: find the root causes. Try to look at the problem globally. If you don't have enough money, then the problem is most likely not in a small salary, but in a job that you don't like. Take time to be alone with yourself and write down in a notebook everything that causes you anxiety.

2. Make a plan to reduce the impact of stress in your life. This is necessary to make dealing with stress methodical. Include mandatory rest in your daily routine. Once you have identified sources of stress, try to spend less time on them. For example, if interacting with certain people causes tension, reduce it to a minimum. Don't overload your schedule with work. Find time to pursue hobbies and communicate with loved ones and friends. Recognize that you can't control everything. There will always be stressful elements around you in life, but their impact can be minimized. By eliminating the causes of stress that depend on you, you can learn to overcome external negative elements.

3. Share your problems with other people. These could be relatives, friends or work colleagues. This way, you won't have to deal with your stress alone, and an outside perspective will help you find an effective solution to the problem.

Method 2

1. Eliminate stress, resolve disturbing situations immediately. Don’t harbor grudges against friends and loved ones - immediately openly discuss all controversial issues with them. Likewise, resolve work conflicts and quarrels immediately. If stress is caused by uncertain events and scenarios, think through them in detail and make decisions as quickly as possible.

2. Avoid communicating with people who cause you stress. If you are dating a person who only causes you pain and resentment, it is time to end the relationship. If relationships with work colleagues cause stress, keep communication with them to a minimum. In general, spend less time hanging out with negative people and make friends with positive people. They can make your life happier.

3. Minimize the occurrence of stressful situations. If you feel uncomfortable in crowded clubs, you shouldn't go there with friends just for company. If the commute to work is annoying, listen to light music on the way. Don't rush, give yourself enough time to prepare important events (weddings, vacations).

4. Learn to cope with stress. In conflict situations, always think before you speak. Remember that other people are also influenced by various negative factors, be kinder and more forgiving. It is better to be happy than to be right, so you need to be able to remain silent at a certain moment and refuse criticism.

Method 3

1. Engage in physical activity. This will help you be healthier and in control of your life. Swimming relaxes your thoughts, yoga teaches you to keep your mind under control, team sports promote communication and mutual understanding, hiking brings you closer together, strengthens your spirit, and helps you be closer to nature.

2. Meditate. Set aside 20 minutes a day for meditation. Relax completely at this time, concentrate on breathing, clear your mind of restless, negative thoughts.

3. Get a massage. It's great for relaxing after a busy day. You can stretch your neck and shoulders yourself, or you can ask a family member to massage you or go to a session with a specialist.

4. Eat right. Meals should be balanced. It is important to get enough energy at breakfast. You should avoid excessive consumption of caffeine and alcohol, and if possible, it is better to give up bad habits altogether.

5. Follow a sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Most people need at least 7 hours of sleep a day. Don't watch TV before bed, read a good book instead.

If you feel that you are unable to use these tips and cope with the problems in your life on your own, be sure to seek professional help. This will help you avoid the possible negative effects of stress.

Coping strategies test

Stress is most often viewed by many people from the negative side. But you must understand that stress is a natural reaction of the body, which helps it mobilize all its forces in a short period of time (this is connected specifically with the first two stages).

Stress is sometimes considered beneficial. For example, you've probably heard that a person develops when he leaves his comfort zone. This is a kind of stressful state. And existentialists believe that a person reveals himself precisely in borderline situations. We encountered this in our search for an answer to the question about the meaning of life in lesson No. 6 of our course.

Despite all the beneficial properties of stress, it is very important to be able to avoid moving from the second stage of resistance to the stage of exhaustion. To do this, there are various ways to cope with stress, which in psychotherapy are called coping strategies (from the English “cope” - cope, withstand, cope).

Coping strategy- this is an adaptive form of behavior that maintains psychological balance in a problem situation, these are ways consciously produced and aimed at overcoming a stressful situation.

To get acquainted with the types of coping strategies, we suggest you take a short test. To do this, click “Next”.

This test was created on the basis of the methodological development of scientists R. Lazarus and S. Folkman in 1980 - the Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC) questionnaire. The test is designed to determine ways to overcome difficulties in various areas: difficulties in work, difficulties in learning, difficulties in communication, difficulties in love, etc. Within the framework of this concept, overcoming difficulties is possible with the help of 8 strategies (behavior styles), which you will learn about after the test.

To correctly interpret the answers, you should follow several rules while taking the test:

• Based on the statements described, evaluate how often these types of behavior manifest themselves in you in difficult life situations.
• Answer as honestly as possible, only what is true for you, do not try to impress others.
• The test data will be recorded after you answer the last question and see confirmation of the end of the test. If you finish the test before the last question and close the page, the data will not be saved.
• The test can be taken any number of times, but remember that only the last one is saved. If you have already taken this test, a sign will appear in the left menu.

Mental health of children and adolescents

The psyche of children and adolescents is unstable and at a developing stage, so it is very important to try to protect their vulnerable mental health from negative impacts. The transition from late childhood to adolescence is accompanied by emotional ups and downs against the backdrop of hormonal changes in the child's body. Many teenagers are unable to cope with this condition on their own, so they need adult help.

School psychologists conduct educational activities in this direction. Their work includes the prevention of deviant behavior, preservation, strengthening and development of the psychological health of students through their acquisition of specific knowledge and skills. However, much also depends on the degree of parental involvement in the process of upbringing, motivation, and the formation of the child’s psycho-emotional state. They must understand that teenage depression manifests itself not only in a bad mood, but can sometimes lead to serious problems: drug addiction and alcoholism, hatred of oneself and the world around us, early pregnancy, violence and even suicide.

It is important to identify mental problems in children in a timely manner and protect them from undesirable consequences through participation, advice, and, if necessary, seeking qualified help. The following symptoms may indicate the presence of such problems in a teenager: sadness, hopelessness, irritability, anger, hostility, tearfulness, loss of friends, loss of interest in activities, changes in sleep and eating patterns, anxiety, agitation, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, lack of enthusiasm and motivation , fatigue or lack of energy, difficulty concentrating. The presence of these symptoms does not provide 100% evidence of mental illness. The best way to prevent undesirable consequences is to constantly monitor the teenager and record the manifestations of symptoms, as well as compare his actions with the behavior of his peers. The line between “diseases of age” and mental disorder is often not obvious to unprepared parents, therefore, only by paying due attention to children and participating in their lives can one identify susceptibility to depression.

You can and should learn to cope with many of the difficulties of adolescence by following some expert advice:

1. Constantly take an interest in your child's affairs. Be for him not a mentor, but a friend who does not force him to do something, but advises him on how best to act.
2. Encourage physical activity while taking your teen's interests into account. Both attending sports classes and walking a bike or taking a dog in the park will be useful.
3. Encourage your teen to be socially active. Observe whether your child spends enough time communicating with friends and peers “live”, and not through social networks, whether he is involved in extracurricular activities, participates in olympiads or competitions. Computer games and aimless surfing on the Internet should be kept to a minimum.
4. From an early age, children should be instilled with the desire for a healthy lifestyle, showing a negative attitude towards bad habits (smoking, alcohol, drugs), best by example.

The issue of mental health of children and adolescents depends on many factors: upbringing, environment, and the child’s occupation. By consciously controlling these elements of teenage life, responsible parents can effectively promote the normal psychological development of their children.

Positive thinking

Any situation in life can be assessed differently: someone is critical of everything and notices shortcomings even in the most pleasant event, while someone, on the contrary, tries to paint what is happening in cheerful colors and finds positivity in the most difficult situation. The ability to easily and humorously experience all the problems that arise will help you maintain your mental health and protect you from the negative effects of stress and anxiety. You will learn to look for positive moments in any situation, treat what happened as a life lesson, and not as a mistake or bad luck, extract experience and new opportunities from what is happening, and not become discouraged and depressed when obstacles and difficulties arise.

An excellent example of a positive thinking person is the famous philosopher Socrates, who treated any situation with humor. It is known that his wife Xanthippe was a terribly grumpy woman and one day, in a fit of anger, she splashed hot water in Socrates’ face, which left him with a scar. Later, one of the philosopher’s students, knowing about the problems in the sage’s personal life, asked him a question about whether he should get married. The scientist, without thinking for a minute, answered unequivocally: “It’s worth it.” If you are lucky, you will be happy, and if not, you will become a philosopher.”

1. Avoid negative influences. Learn to say “no” to what you don’t like and what makes you uncomfortable. Surround yourself with positive people.
2. Look at things from different angles. Learn to extract useful experience from any situation and see bright moments in everything.
3. Smile more often. Remember that even smiling for no reason will definitely lift your spirits.
4. Make time to do what makes you happy and gives you pleasure. Walking, shopping, reading, watching a movie will help maintain a positive mood.
5. Find something that motivates you and lifts your spirits. For example, a good quote that you can print out and put in your wallet, or a favorite song that, listening to it, will help you move through life more cheerfully and easily.
6. Set and achieve them. Start small, gradually switching to larger ones. This will make your life interesting and meaningful.
7. Don't be afraid of failure. As F.D. Roosevelt said: “The only thing to fear is fear itself.”
8. Do not give up. Persistence certainly contributes to achieving positive results.

Of course, it is impossible to collect in one lesson all the principles and techniques for maintaining a healthy mental state of a person, so we advise you to pay attention to the one dedicated to psychology, where you will find a lot of useful and interesting things.

Test your knowledge

If you want to test your knowledge on the topic of this lesson, you can take a short test consisting of several questions. For each question, only 1 option can be correct. After you select one of the options, the system automatically moves on to the next question. The points you receive are affected by the correctness of your answers and the time spent on completion. Please note that the questions are different each time and the options are mixed.

Protecting one's own health is the immediate responsibility of everyone; he has no right to shift it to others. After all, it often happens that a person, through an incorrect lifestyle, bad habits, physical inactivity, and overeating, by the age of 20-30 brings himself to a catastrophic state and only then remembers medicine. Health is the first and most important need of a person, determining his ability to work and ensuring the harmonious development of the individual. It is the most important prerequisite for understanding the world around us, for self-affirmation and human happiness. An active long life is an important component of the human factor. A healthy lifestyle (HLS) is a way of life based on the principles of morality, rationally organized, active, labor, hardening and, at the same time, protecting from adverse environmental influences. According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), “health is a state of physical, spiritual and social well-being, and not just the absence of disease and physical defects.” In general, we can talk about three types of health: physical, mental and moral (social) health: Physical health is the natural state of the body, due to the normal functioning of all its organs and systems. If all organs and systems work well, then the entire human body (a self-regulating system) functions and develops correctly. Mental health depends on the state of the brain; it is characterized by the level and quality of thinking, the development of attention and memory, the degree of emotional stability, and the development of volitional qualities. Moral health is determined by those moral principles that are the basis of human social life, i.e. life in a particular human society. Distinctive signs of a person’s moral health are, first of all, a conscious attitude to work, mastery of cultural treasures, active rejection of morals and habits that contradict the normal way of life. Therefore, social health is considered the highest measure of human health. Morally healthy people are characterized by a number of universal human qualities that make them real citizens.

Health is the most valuable thing we have. It cannot be bought for any money. Health needs to be strengthened and preserved. The formation of a healthy lifestyle depends only on ourselves, our preferences, beliefs and worldviews.

In our time, during the scientific, technological and industrial revolution, almost everything is done for a person by machines, depriving him of motor activity. The main share of physical activity comes from sports and physical education. For which we, as always, do not have the opportunity, time, energy, desire, etc. Hence poor health, lethargy, illness, obesity and other ailments.

A healthy lifestyle can be described as an active activity of people aimed, first of all, at maintaining and improving health. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account that the life expectancy of a person and family does not develop on its own depending on circumstances, but is formed throughout life purposefully and constantly.

A healthy lifestyle includes the following basic elements:

1. schedule
2. rational work and rest regime, rational nutrition
3. breath
4. sleeping mode
5. eradication of bad habits,
6. optimal motor mode,
7. fruitful work,
8. personal hygiene,
9. massage
10. hardening, etc.

Let's look at some of them.

An integral part of a healthy lifestyle are high moral, moral and ethical values ​​of a person. Much attention must be paid to the formation of the consciousness of the individual as a social unit. The integrity of the human personality is manifested, first of all, in the interrelation and interaction of the mental and physical forces of the body. The harmony of the psychophysical forces of the body increases health reserves and creates conditions for creative self-expression in various areas of our lives. Academician N. M. Amosov proposes to introduce a new medical term “amount of health” to denote the measure of the body’s reserves. Let's say that a person in a calm state passes through the lungs 5-9 liters of air per minute. Some highly trained athletes can arbitrarily pass 150 liters of air every minute for 10-11 minutes, i.e. exceeding the norm by 30 times. This is the body's reserve. Likewise, there are hidden reserves of the kidneys and liver. They are detected using various stress tests. Health is the amount of reserves in the body, it is the maximum productivity of organs while maintaining the qualitative limits of their function.

Labor, both physical and mental, is not only not harmful, but on the contrary, a systematic and well-organized labor process has an extremely beneficial effect on the nervous system, heart and blood vessels - on the entire human body. Constant training during labor strengthens our body. Those who work hard and well throughout their lives live long; on the contrary, idleness leads to muscle weakness, metabolic disorders, obesity and premature decrepitness.

In the observed cases of overstrain and overwork of a person, it is not the work itself that is to blame, but the incorrect work regime. It is necessary to correctly and skillfully distribute forces while performing work, both physical and mental. Smooth, rhythmic work is more productive and beneficial for the health of workers than alternating periods of downtime with periods of intense, hasty work; interesting and favorite work is done easily, without stress, and does not cause fatigue and exhaustion. It is important to choose the right profession in accordance with a person’s individual abilities and inclinations.

The next component of a healthy lifestyle is rational nutrition. When talking about it, you should remember two basic laws, the violation of which is dangerous to health.

First law: balance of energy received and energy expended. If the body receives more energy than it expends, that is, if we receive more food than is necessary for normal human development, for work and well-being, we become fat. Now more than a third of our country, including children, is overweight. And there is only one reason - excess nutrition, which ultimately leads to atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and a number of other ailments.

Second law: nutrition should be varied and meet the needs for proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Many of these substances are irreplaceable because they are not formed in the body, but come only with food. The absence of at least one of them, for example, vitamin C, leads to illness and even death. We get B vitamins mainly from wholemeal bread, and the source of vitamin A and other fat-soluble vitamins are dairy products, fish oil, and liver.

The first rule in any natural nutrition system should be:

Eat food only when you feel hungry.

Refusal to eat in case of pain, mental and physical malaise, fever and elevated body temperature.

Refusal to eat immediately before bed, as well as before and after serious work, physical or mental.

The most beneficial for children and adolescents of school age is a four-meal diet:

• I breakfast - 25% of the daily ration
• II breakfast - 15% of the daily ration
• lunch - 40% of the daily ration
• dinner - 20% of the daily ration

Lunch should be the most satisfying. It is useful to have dinner no later than 1.5 hours before bedtime. It is recommended to always eat at the same hours. This develops a conditioned reflex in a person, at a certain time he develops an appetite. And food eaten with appetite is better absorbed. It is very important to have free time to digest food. The idea that exercise after eating helps digestion is a grave mistake. Rational nutrition ensures proper growth and formation of the body, helps maintain health,

To maintain the normal functioning of the nervous system and the entire body, proper dream. The great Russian physiologist I.P. Pavlov pointed out that sleep is a kind of inhibition that protects the nervous system from excessive tension and fatigue. Sleep should be long enough and deep. If a person sleeps little, then he gets up in the morning irritated, tired, and sometimes with a headache. It is impossible for all people, without exception, to determine the time needed for sleep. The need for sleep varies from person to person. On average, this norm is about 8 hours. Unfortunately, some people view sleep as a reserve from which they can borrow time to do certain things. Systematic lack of sleep leads to impaired nervous activity, decreased performance, increased fatigue, and irritability.

To create conditions for normal, sound and restful sleep, you need to stop intense mental work 1-1.5 hours before bedtime. You should have dinner no later than 2-2.5 hours before bedtime. This is important for complete digestion of food. You should sleep in a well-ventilated area. You need to turn off the lights in the room and establish silence. Nightwear should be loose and not impede blood circulation; you should not sleep in outerwear. It is not recommended to cover your head with a blanket or sleep face down: this interferes with normal breathing. It is advisable to go to bed at the same time - this helps you fall asleep quickly. Neglecting these simple rules of sleep hygiene causes negative effects. Sleep becomes shallow and restless, as a result of which, as a rule, insomnia and certain disorders in the activity of the nervous system develop over time.

Gymnastics

Nowadays, gymnastics is a system of specially selected physical exercises and methodological techniques used for comprehensive physical development, improvement of motor abilities and health improvement. Gymnastics has many varieties, and we will begin our acquaintance with them with exercises. “There is no better cure for illness, do exercises until you are old,” says an ancient Indian proverb. And exercise is usually called 10-15-minute morning hygienic exercises.

Morning exercises

Morning exercises are physical exercises performed in the morning after sleep and contribute to an accelerated transition of the body to a vigorous, working state. During sleep, the human central nervous system is in a peculiar state: rest from daytime activities. At the same time, the intensity of physiological processes in the body decreases. Performing physical exercises causes flows of nerve impulses from working muscles and joints and brings the central nervous system into an active, active state. Accordingly, the work of internal organs is also activated, providing a person with high performance, giving him a noticeable surge of vigor. Exercise should not be confused with physical training, the purpose of which is to obtain a more or less significant load, as well as to develop the physical qualities necessary for a person.

Stress can have both a mobilizing and a negative impact on activity, up to its complete disorganization (distress). Therefore, optimization of any type of activity should include a set of measures to prevent the causes of stress. One of them, and probably the most significant, is physical culture and sports.

Which young person doesn’t want to be strong, agile, resilient, have a harmoniously developed body and good coordination of movements? Good physical condition is the key to successful studies and fruitful work. A physically trained person can handle any job. Not all people are blessed with these qualities by nature. However, they can be acquired if you become friends with physical culture and join it from childhood.

Physical culture is an integral part of general culture. It not only improves health, but also relieves some congenital and acquired ailments. Physical culture is needed by people for both physical and mental work. But it is especially necessary for children and adolescents, since at their age the foundation for physical development and health is laid.

Physical education and sports are becoming especially important now, in the age of the technical revolution, when mechanization and automation are being introduced into industry and agriculture at a rapid pace. The work of many workers is gradually reduced to operating machines. This reduces the muscular activity of workers; without it, many organs of the human body work at a reduced rate and gradually weaken. This muscle load is compensated for by physical education and sports. Scientists have found that physical education and sports have a beneficial effect on labor productivity.

Physical education and sports also provide an invaluable service in developing high moral qualities in young people. They experience will, courage, perseverance in achieving goals, a sense of responsibility and camaraderie.

There is a lot of talk about a healthy lifestyle now. In addition to the fact that this trend is actively gaining momentum in Russia, the summer season is ahead, when every second person strives to get in shape before going out in open outfits and swimsuits. But, fortunately, more and more people are beginning to think not only about the short-term effect that, for example, diet gives, but also about a more comprehensive approach to their lives. Let's figure out what this approach includes.

What is a healthy lifestyle?

It is a way of life in which a person strives for a state of physical, mental and social well-being. Health here is perceived not just as a physical aspect, i.e. absence of diseases, but as an opportunity to live a full, active life and enjoy it. The physical factor here, of course, also plays an important role, because when there is a disease, the desire to get rid of it comes to the fore. But this does not put an end to everything else. Many famous nutritionists, such as Howard Hay, Paul Bragg, Katsuzo Nishi, have gone their own long way of fighting and defeating the disease with the help of natural nutrition, on the basis of which they created their own systems and philosophy of a healthy lifestyle.

We've heard a lot about the benefits of drinking green juice in the morning, combining cardio and strength training, walking a lot and avoiding chips and fried potatoes. We have known some principles since childhood, we learn about others from friends, read on blogs and news feeds, and come to some conclusions from our own experience. But most often this information is scattered. We grasp individual principles that do not add up to a single system. And most importantly, we often don’t understand why we need it.

We understand that a healthy lifestyle involves special nutrition and regular physical activity. Many strive for this and stop there. But in reality, this is not all. In addition to the physical aspect, the psychological aspect is also important. Much begins with our psychology, attitude towards ourselves and understanding of our needs.

A healthy lifestyle is not about oatmeal for breakfast and going to the gym 3 times a week. No. First of all, a healthy lifestyle is about love and self-care. We can go on a low-carb diet, deprive ourselves of sweets, drive ourselves crazy to exercise and train our body. As a result, we will get a beautiful and relief reflection in the mirror, we will feel lightness and satisfaction with the result. But will this make us happier? Will we begin to enjoy life, enjoy every moment and love what we do? Will this make us healthier in the broad sense of the word?

It is unlikely if we do this without love and respect for ourselves. Self-care begins when we care not only about how we look, but also how we feel, whether we satisfy our needs, and whether we follow our hearts.

And, of course, we should not forget about the social aspect. We live in society, interact with people and build relationships. When we start taking care of ourselves, how we live and how we can improve it becomes important to us. We begin to improve relationships with loved ones, strive for mutual understanding, spend less energy on quarrels and insults, and bring more warmth and trust into relationships. This could be just a compliment to a colleague or a smile to a passerby, words of gratitude or a sincere conversation.

But the social aspect is not limited only to the circle of our acquaintances. We can also help those who need it, we can take care of nature. A good deed, helping homeless animals or sorting garbage - every small step leads us to a more harmonious relationship not only with ourselves, but also with the world around us.

Man is a unique being, which should be considered in the “body-mind-soul” system. By concentrating on one area and developing only it, we come to a certain imbalance when other areas begin to suffer, which can be expressed in dissatisfaction, lack of interest in life and apathy. While taking care of all three aspects makes us a complete person.

We can take care of our body through healthy eating and physical activity, our mind through self-knowledge and self-development, and our soul through doing what gives us joy and pleasure. This approach gives us a systematic view of ourselves and the ability to develop, taking into account all aspects. This path is more difficult, but it also brings us energy, strength, vigor, the opportunity to grow and create, build harmonious relationships, love and be happy. For me, this is what a healthy lifestyle is.