Mentality and Survival

A coping style I find to be interesting is the coping mechanism of confidence by a patient in their chance for recovery via the biopsychosocial model.  For most patients and their families, a diagnosis of chronic illness causes feelings of anxiety and a sense of as they try to cope with changes and stresses in their lifestyle such as receiving treatment for the illness, managing the change in self esteem and ego-depletion in the patient because of the impact of the illness, and both the patient and the family’s ability to maintain a positive attitude towards treatment (Brannon & Feist, 2004; Snyder, 1999). 

Kirk (1992) conducted a study that found there were two types of confidence factors that can have a positive impact on patient’s emotional state and coping mechanism or style related to the biopsychosocial model. The first factor was the patient’s confidence in the level of chronic illness care they were receiving from their doctors and nurses. The second factor that positively contributed to a patient’s ability to cope was dependent upon nurses and doctors taking the time to talk to patients as if they are people, not patients,  by giving them confidence in their individuality (Kirk, 1992). These behaviors are consistent with the biopsychosocial model of care with regards to reducing stress (Lovallo, 2004).  This style of coping mechanism is more of an adaptive style and it is more directly related, in my opinion, to social psychology and the importance of community, family, and the security associated with those factors.

It is important not to allow chronic illness patients and their families to feel like they are numbers; they need to know that they are individuals so that they do not have an increase in the emotional distress they are already experiencing (Brannon & Feist, 2004). Chronic illness causes an increase of stress and it is the job of medical practitioners to do their best to psychologically assist their patients so that the patients do not experience maladaption because of the physical reactors to stress (Leidy, 1989). 

Further, Cohen, Kessler, and Gordon (1997) discuss the importance of mood has on influencing a person’s perception and response and clearly, if a chronically ill person is feeling confident their mood will escalate and hopefully contribute to their ability to cope with their illness and have a recovery or better lifestyle.

Brannon, L. & Feist, J. (2004). Health psychology: An introduction to behavior and health (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson.

Cohen, S., Kessler, R. C., & Gordon, L. U. (1997). Measuring Stress: A Guide for Health and Social Scientists. NY: Oxford  University Press

Kirk, K. (1992). Confidence as a factor in chronic illness care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 17(10), 1238-42

Leidy, N. K. (1989). A physiological analysis of stress and chronic illness. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 14(10), 868-76

Lovallo, W. (2004). Stress & Health: Biological and Psychological Interactions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications
Snyder, C. R. (1999). Coping: The psychology of what works. Oxford University Press