Download Amber: Chronic Illness

Chronic Illness
PSYC 4080
Health Psychology
Example
► Cardiovascular
Disease
 cardiac rehab
 improved diet, exercise, wt loss, lower stress
 need to be _________, come to terms with
the fact that your body can’t take the lifestyle
you have been leading
Example
► Cancer
 Surgery
 Radiation
 Chemotherapy
Example
► Diabetes
– an insulin _______ disorder
 strict diet & exercise
 medical monitoring (frequent & regular Dr.
visits)
 insulin injections (if more serious)
Diabetes – Type I
► An
________ disease
 Immune system attacks the insulin-making
cells
► Unable
to produce insulin -> insulin
dependent
► A control – not a cure
Diabetes – Type II
► Previously
called ________
 Develops in children as well
► Often
develops in individuals who are
 Overweight
 Sedentary
 Poor
Diabetes
► Long-term
complications
 Cardiovascular disease
►Damaged
blood vessels
 Blindness
►Damaged
retina
 _______ disease
►Leads
to renal failure
Example
► Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
 HIV-1 (AIDS in US)
 HIV-2 (AIDS in Africa)
► Acquired
(AIDS)
Immune Deficiency Syndrome
 Weakened immune system
 Leaves the body defenseless
AIDS
► Patients
are living longer
 Diagnosed in 1984 -> 11 months to live
 Diagnosed in 1995 -> 46 months to live
► More
effective drug therapies
► Early detection
► Lifestyle changes
Example
► Alzheimer’s
Disease – a degenerative
disease of the brain
 Affects almost ½ of people over 85 in US
 Definitive diagnosis via autopsy
►Behavioral
symptoms of cognitive impairment
 _______ & tangles of nerve fibers
Alzheimer’s Disease
► Early-onset
 Before age 60
 Quite rare
 Due to genetic defect
► Late-onset
 After age 65
 Related to __________
Example
► Alzheimer’s
Disease
 worst in early stages when patient realizes
 after that it is increasingly hard on the family
as they watch their loved one deteriorate
 patient longer able to recognize others, may
not function towards end
The Impact of Chronic Illness
► Chronic
illnesses have _________ acute
diseases
 Most CI are not severe or life threatening, but
it fatal, cause death only after a lengthy
period of illness
 CI requires adaptation to the way patients live
► Attempts
Crisis Theory
to explain impact of disruptions
► We need to operate in a state of
__________
► When interrupted by illness, we rely on
previously successful ways of responding
Crisis Theory
► Crisis
-> anxiety, fear, stress -> need to
normalize
► Results: Healthy adaptation or Unhealthy
adjustment
► The __________ is neither healthy or
pathological
Impact on the Patient
► Being
treated as a “nonperson”
► Worse social & physical functioning
► Poorer mental health
► Greater ____
► But these vary with the type of illness &
patient’s response
Impact on the Patient
► Changes
in self-perception
► Develop an understanding of the illness
► _______ it into their life
► Often find a positive aspect to the situation
8 Issues
1)
Control
“I’m tired of this, I want my life back”
“Diabetes is controlling my life”
 Reestablish control
8 Issues
2) Self-image
“I’ll never be the same”
“I’m damaged goods”
 __________ & redefine the self
8 Issues
3)
Dependency
“I’ve always been independent; I hate asking for
help”
“Since he got sick, my husband won’t do anything
for himself”
 ________ self-reliance & acceptance of some
physical dependency
8 Issues
4)
Stigma
“Everywhere I go, I feel that people are staring
at me”
“People at work are avoiding me”
 Develop self-acceptance & _________ to
deal with others’ reactions
8 Issues
5)
Abandonment
“I’ll have no one to take care of me”
“My son has deserted me in this nursing
home”
“I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t care for
my husband myself”
 Face difficult decisions with _______&
sensitivity to others’ needs
8 Issues
6) Anger
“I have a scream inside me waiting to get out”
 Identify & redirect anger; release _________
energy
8 Issues
7)
Isolation
“Why don’t my friends call me?”
“I just want to get away by myself”
 Appropriate level of meaningful contact
8 Issues
8) Death
“What kind of life will I have if I can’t function?”
“I need someone to talk to about dying”
 Existential acceptance & emphasis on quality
of life in ____________
Coping Strategies
POSITIVE
Focus on the positive
Seek social support
Distance self
_________ from the
disease
NEGATIVE
Cognitive/Behavioral
avoidance
Substance abuse
Impact on Couples
► Couples
with flexible roles adapt better
► Treatment is not major source of problem
 It’s the ________ patient & partner’s view of
the problem
► Couples
can get closer but less satisfied
 Dependency
 Invisible support is more effective
Impact on the Family
► Adults
if sick
 Illness redefines
identity
 Lose authority to
discipline
► Children
if sick
 Illness factors in
identity formation
 Need extra emotional
support
 Lead to _________