Week 11 discussion
Discussion 1: Stress, Health, and Social Support
Do you ever wonder why many people generally feel better
after talking through problems with a trusted friend or family member? Aside
from the benefits of having more than one mind working to solve a problem,
social support has been shown to buffer the adverse effects of stress. In
addition to making you feel better, social support positively influences
mortality and morbidity.
Belonging to a social network increases the feeling of self
worth with a sense of belonging. The increased confidence it provides allows
for better creative thinking and boosts motivation. In terms of behavior,
social support encourages informed choices and positive change including
healthy practices such as exercise and healthy eating.
With all this good news regarding social support, you might
think that hugs can make everything better. However, there may be some negative
correlation between depression and social support as well as anxiety and social
support. An individual’s perception of social support and how it matches a
given stressor play a part in that support’s effectiveness. This might help to
explain why social support does not always prevent or resolve episodes of
depression and anxiety.
For this Discussion, review this week’s Learning Resources.
Then research literature in the Walden Library on social support and its effect
on the health condition. Consider how different populations may be at risk for
reduced social support.
With these thoughts in mind:
Post by Day 3 a brief explanation of the effects of social
support on the health condition. Then describe two populations that are at risk
for reduced social support and explain why. Finally, explain two ways you might
bridge the gap between the need for and utilization of social support for the
populations you selected. Be specific.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific
references to the Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.
Respond by Day 5 to at least one of your colleagues’
postings in one or more of the following ways:
• Ask a probing question.
• Share an insight from having read your colleague’s
posting.
• Offer and support an opinion.
• Validate an idea with your own experience.
• Make a suggestion.
• Expand on your colleague’s posting.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the
responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any
insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.
Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for
entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.
DQ2
Discussion 2: Aligning Stress Management Techniques With
Populations and Emerging Trends/Research in Stress Management
Often in the face of extreme stress or an external crisis,
it is not uncommon to focus on being grateful for your health in an attempt to
minimize the situation’s impact. However, as previous weeks of this course
indicate, health is far more than just an absence of disease or injury. Rather,
health includes a continuum of wellness influenced by many life
characteristics.
Managing stress is as personal as the stressor itself. The
populations health psychology professionals serve are changing, making the need
for a variety of stress management techniques even more crucial to maintaining
health. For example, people are living longer and require more chronic disease
management. Also, there is an increase in the number of ethnic minority groups,
those living with disabilities, and those living in poverty. As a result of
merging cultures, health issues ripple across the globe.
Public policy, education, training, research, advocacy, and
program development and application are all ways in which health psychology
professionals can promote positive social change. As a future health psychology
professional you should begin thinking about how you can apply topics within
stress and coping to promote positive social change. Based on your interests
you may choose to develop an education program on sleep hygiene or become an
advocate for CAMs.
For this Discussion, review this week’s Learning Resources.
Search the Walden Library for a stress management technique you have not
previously researched in this course. Consider possible barriers to the
effectiveness of this technique. Then select a topic within the area of stress
and coping and consider how you might apply this topic to positive social
change.
With these thoughts in mind:
Post by Day 4 a brief description of the stress management
technique you selected that was not covered in this course and explain why it
might be effective. Then describe at least one possible barrier to the
effectiveness of this technique and explain how you might address that barrier.
Be specific. Then, post a brief description of the topic you selected and
explain how you might apply the topic to promote positive social change. Be
specific and provide examples.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific
references to the Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.
Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues’ postings
in one or more of the following ways:
• Ask a probing question.
• Share an insight from having read your colleague’s
posting.
• Offer and support an opinion.
• Validate an idea with your own experience.
• Make a suggestion.
• Expand on your colleague’s posting.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the
responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any
insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.
Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for
entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.
ScholarMatic: Explanation & Answer
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