Become a Psychologist

Do be honest

Talk candidly with your physician. Approximately 60% of visits to a physician have a significant psychological or behavioral component. Talk honestly with your physician about stressors in your life as well as your personal habits or health related behaviors. It all relates to your overall health status and it is important for your physician to be aware of all your risk factors in order to address them properly.

Do find integrated health care settings

These are health care settings where physicians and psychologists work side by side and develop treatment plans together (that include the factors listed above) as it relates to your overall health. Admittedly, most settings are not fully integrated. If you cannot find one near you, the next best thing is to not only get physicals and talk with your physicians, but also get a mental health check up from a psychologist. This allows you to address all four factors and learn more tools when it comes to managing your health care.

Do familiarize yourself with health psychology

Health psychologists specialize in promoting medical health by helping to prevent disease or lessening the impact of the disease utilizing psychosocial tools, alongside medical interventions provided by a patient’s physicians. They work with medical patients in a number of different ways including but not limited to: Providing psychosocial pain management techniques for people with chronic back pain, working with patients to help them stick to a healthy exercise and diet based on their triggers for unhealthy eating and inactivity, providing various techniques to patient with with borderline hypertension to manage their hypertension, and so forth.

Do develop a quality social network

How many people you have in your social support network can be important. However, quality is important too. You may have many friends and family, but if the people in your support system are unhealthy or toxic, it may not be useful to your health. Positive social support can help lead to better mental and medical health. Try and surround yourself with people whom you enjoy spending time with, whom you trust and who care about you.