Health psychology is a field within psychology that focuses on the interactions between an individual's psychological, biological, and social factors and the impact it has on their physical and mental health. It uses a bio-psycho-social model for conceptualizing wellness, and acknowledges that each of those areas affects one another. For example, if you are experiencing severe pain (biological factor) that prevents you from going to a birthday party with your friends and family that you were excited about (social factor) you may feel angry, frustrated, dejected, or hopeless (psychological factor), which in turn may actually make your pain worse (back to biological).
By encouraging behaviors that promote wellness, and modifying previous behaviors that may have contributed to poor physical and/or mental health, health psychologists can help you get back on track to a healthier life.
