27 February 2013 - Why be healthy?

I opened up my psychology textbook after class today and scanning the index turned to the section which most interested me. I read the chapter in one sitting and was completely inspired by it's contents.

Healthy psychology - Theories of health behaviour and Health-compromising behaviours.

I believe it's worthwhile for everyone to take the time to think over the psychology of why we do the things we do regarding our health. In the textbook it talked about the factors that contribute towards an individual making the choices that they do about their health. We may base these choices on the imminence of any perceived risk or threat to our health; the level of pain and/or discomfort being experienced from a current ailment or illness; the ease with which we can make the choice within our current lifestyle, the perceived benefits and the support that is available to us.

As somebody who has in the past been a chain smoker, binge drinker, redbull guzzler and restrictive dieter (as well as every possible combination of the four) I understand the mentality of choosing not to care about being healthy. I had endless, and often persuasive, justifications for my bad behaviours.

The catalyst for my decision to change my ways permanently was in the pain and discomfort category. The habits I assumed I'd be paying for later in life were suddenly a very real problem in the here and now. And it didn't feel good. The view I held of these negative health behaviours changed completely and any justifications I'd made seemed downright foolish. At the thought of a cigarette I visualized the smoke travelling through my internal organs paving a path of destruction. I heard the groan of pain from my liver as it tried to cope with processing the high volume of alcohol it had been dealt in my short lifetime. I viewed the health issues I was having as my body's  cry for help, I regretted treating it so badly and decided to forge a new relationship with my body - one of admiration and respect.

Even with the powerful incentive of pain to motivate me I wouldn't have been able to turn things around without the final psychological element the textbook pointed to as being required to make decisions about healthy living.

Even if health risks are imminent, current pain and discomfort exists, its easy to fit the change into our current lifestyle, the perceived benefits are countless and we have everyone on our side supporting us health psychology supposes that we may still fail in our pursuit of healthiness if we don't believe that we can actually do it.

So my final word on being healthy? Make a conscious decision to do it before your body makes a painful cry for help (prevention is better than a cure!), and then follow that decision through with the steadfast belief that you will achieve what you are aiming for.