Both a sensory and emotional experience of discomfort; usually associated with actual or threatened tissue damage

Pain=penalty

1. Medical- influences help seeking, physiology, and financial costs of pain

2. Survival- the necessity of pain

3. Psychological and social- emotions and pain. Chronic pain as a way of life

conduct fast, sharp , shooting pain- myelinated

inhibitory effect on C-fibers

conduct slow aching, dull pain (small)- non-myelinated

Inhibitory effect on A-delta

Physical conditions: extent of injury, activity level

Emotional Conditions: anxiety, tension, depressions

Mental Conditions: Focusing on pain and boredom

Physical conditions: medication, heat or massage

Emotional conditions: positive emotions, relaxation; rest

Mental Conditions: distraction, involvement

Stress/anxiety reduction

lower blood pressure

pain reduction

length of hospital stay

post surgical complications

enhanced immune function

Psychological- feeling calmer, more serene, relief from anxiety, relief from pain, ease of sleep

Physiological Relaxation- indicated by reduction of blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate

Functional/evolutionary explanation- survival value, restorative function

Spiritual explanation- mortality, immensity, and connection/oneness

1900- 47.3 years

Today- 78

People are objectively healthier but they say they feel worse. People report more and longer lasting illness episodes. 

Today-2.12 per year lasting 19 days and 4.6 MD contacts

1920s- .82 per year lasting 15 days and 2.9 MD contacts

Less tolerance for pain/discomfort

More lifely to seek help that before

People live longer--more likely to suffer from chronic illness

People less willing to tolerate illness

Heightened awareness of health; more likely to notice symptoms

The "what if" emotion

False Evaluation of Actual Reality

Studies show that most things people worry about never occur

Gaining control over worry: create a "worry-slot"

Fatigue

Headache 

Dizziness

Back Pain

Responders with multiple symptoms tended to be female of low educational level, less often paid work, poorer childhood health and were more anxious and depressed

Compared to other people your age and sex, are your chances of getting lung cancer greater than, less than, or about the same as theirs?"

People always think less than for things like Alcoholism, heart disease, diabetes, drug addiction, heart attack, lung cancer, skin cancer, STD. People thought they were more susceptible to Ulcers

Belief that if the problem has not happened one is exempt from future risk

Problem is preventable by individual action

The disease is infrequent

Lack of experience with the disease

Awareness of symptoms varies as a function of competing stimuli to process

Inward and outward focus of attention

Excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness

Characterized by fears that minor bodily symptoms may indicate a serious illness, constant self-examination and self-diagnosis, and a preoccupation with one's body

Comes from greek words hypo and chondros (Below cartilage of the breast bone) coined by Hippocrates. Depression and anxiety causes their problems

belongs to a group of conditions called factitious disorders that are either made up or self-inflicted

A person feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma in order to draw attention or sympathy to themselves

Made-up histories

faking syndromes

self-harm

preventing healing

tampering with test results

Seeking treatment depends on noticing symptoms

The earlier people seek health care the less it costs and the better the chance for survival

There are patient and situational characteristics determine medical help seeking

Symptoms that produce pain are the ones that are most likely to lead people to seek treatment

the most common mental illness

1 out of 5 have a lifetime risk

80% of those with depression tend to develop physical health problems

Lack of social support, recent stressful life experience, previous history of depression, family history of depression, income, chronic medical condition, female, advanced age

Older americans with sever depression are nearly twice as likely to die during a given period that those without severe depression

Alter brain neurotransmitters

Prevent reuptake of serotonin thereby increasing the level of serotonin in the brain

Positive expectation for the future. A belief that something is obtainable

Hope: attend to and build upon the positives in the situation

Denial: try not to pay attention to the negatives in the situation

- "In uncertain times, I usually expect the best"

- "I hardly ever expect things to go my way"

Permanence: temporary vs. permanent

Pervasiveness: specific vs. global

Personalization: internal vs. external

Pessimistic people tend to attribute bad events to permanent, global and internal causes

1. Faster rates of recovery for optimists

Better physiological reactions to surgery

More likely to use active problem-solving

2. Students with optimistic style made fewer trips to health center and had fewer illnesses

3. Optimistic people have lower social and psychological impairments following spinal cord injury 

Optimism was related to less distress, more positive attitudes, fewer AIDS related concerns and more health behaviors

Optimists lived an average of 9 months longer than less optimistic

1. pessimists are passive and have more bad life events

2. Pessimists take fewer preventive health actions

3. Pessimists become depressed at a higher rate

4. The immune system of pessimists functions less well

5. Optimists are more stress-resilient

"On" cells: A-delta, C fibers (normally dominate)

"Off" cells: A-beta

Blocks the receptors for endorphins

Noloxone prevents the placebo effect

Optimism was related to more helper T-cells more cytotoxic T cells and more NK cells

Unrealistic optimism may lead to failure to engage in preventive health practices

Dispositional optimists may fare worse in the face of persistent, uncontrollable stress

Identify existing pessimistic cognitions

Replace with more hopeful/optimistic cognitions

PRACTICE!

PATHWAYS CHECKLIST- pretty much just practive different routes and rehearse what you want to do. Break goals up into smaller goals, if it doesn't work don't blame yourself

AGENCY CHECKLIST- talk to yourself in a positive manner, enjoy your goals and be happy

An inner sense or attitude of appreciation for some benefit received

Gratitude: Affirming goodness and recognizing sources

Knowing, recognizing, remembering, acknowledging

Gratitude group showed benefits

1. Psychological (alert, energetic, enthused)

2. Physical (more exercise, better sleep)

3. Interpersonal (more helpful and connected)

Peripheral disorders of the nervous system affecting anterior horn cells, peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junction and muscle

>300 diseases

Prevalence > 4 million

Significantly higher levels of positive emotions in gratitude

No difference in negative emotions

Significant effects for life appraisal items

More hours of sleep 7.58 vs. 7.05

Grateful people may elicit more support

Gratitude buffers people from destructive emotions

Grateful people take better care of themselves

Contributes to resilience in times of stress

Direct link to cardiovascular functioning

People who blamed their heart attack on others were more likely to have another one

People who look at the perceived benefits of being more appreciative of like were at a less likely risk to get another heart attack

Need to be trusted

Need to believe life is meaningful

Need to feel safe and secure where they live and go school

Need to be understood and loved

Short and longterm

Concrete and abstract

Have to have some probability of reaching

usually a mental target

People need meaning in life

Goals provide structure and purpose

Goals also provide a sense of identity

We cannot live without goals

The human brain cannot sustain purposeless living. It's systems are designed for purposive action

Goal striving and attainment produce positive emotions

Promote happiness and hope to others

Be yourself

appear intelligent

always be thankful

do what is pleasing to god etc.

1. Personal power- A desire to influence and impact others to achieve one's own goals

2. Avoidant Goals- goals that are framed negatively "not gain weight"

3. Conflicting goals- incompatible goals where the attainment of one interferes with the attainment of others

Intimacy

Spiritual 

Generative

Simultaneous activation of two or more incompatible goals

I want to go the movies but I also want to save money

Approach- Avoidance conflict

Can increase the likelihood of stress-induced disease

Approach- avoidance conflicts in rats lead to gastric ulcers and high blood pressure

In humans can lead to long term neuroendocrine and cardiovascular changes

Can undermine health behaviors

They begin with the end in mind (Purpose-driven)

They feel empowered/sense of control/optimistic

They have a fresh appreciation for life