HealthScore Academy: Optimize Psychological Health

HealthScore Academy: Optimize Psychological Health

Did you know mental health problems confront the majority of Americans:

• Nearly 1 in 3 adults will experience an anxiety disorder in their lifetime

• more than 1 in 5 adults experiences a major depressive episode in their lifetime

• nearly 50% of adults are pessimistic

• 3 out of 4 adults say they don't have a clear sense of purpose

• the percentage of adults who live alone has tripled over the past century

• 45% of adults report feeling lonely

• nearly 1 in 4 older adults is socially isolated

• tobacco use remains the number 1 preventable cause of death among adults

• more than 1 in 4 adults admits to binge drinking alcohol in the past month; the average adult consumes 9 servings of alcohol per week, 2 more servings per week than is recommended

  
  

Did you know that mental health problems lead to overall shortened life span:

• Having an anxiety disorder increases risk of premature death by up to 68%

• Having depression increases risk of premature death by up to 71% and shortens life span by up to 10 years

• Being pessimistic increases risk of premature death by 14%

• Lacking a strong life purpose more than doubles risk of premature death

• Living alone raises risk of premature death by 32%

• Being socially isolated increases risk of premature death by 29%

• Feeling lonely increases risk of premature death by 26%

• Tobacco use leads to 4x higher risk of premature death, and up to a 10 year shorter lifespan

• Drinking more than 7 servings of alcohol per week increases risk of premature death by up to 53% and shortens lifespan by up to 4.5 years

  
  

Psychological health effects physical health in four ways

         1)  Direct harm from toxins

Tobacco and alcohol cause direct harm through ingestion. Tobacco contains an estimated 7,357 chemical compounds; 70 of these are confirmed carcinogens.  Tobacco creates systemic inflammation and directly damages cellular DNA, predisposing to cancer.  Alcohol consumption in excess of 7 servings per week raises blood pressure, which in turn raises risk of heart attack and stroke.

      2) Direct harm from the Stress Response

Those with Anxiety, Lack of Strong Life Purpose,  a Pessimistic outlook, are Lonely, Socially Isolated, or Live Alone, have higher levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Increased stress hormones, especially cortisol, results in a weakened immune system, heart disease, high blood pressure, and increased risk of diabetes.

       3) Direct harm from Inflammation

Those who Lack Strong Life Purpose, have a pessimistic outlook, have increased markers of inflammation. Higher levels of inflammation result in increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

       4) Indirect harm from Unhealthy Behaviors

The other pathway whereby psychological factors relate to health outcomes is indirectly, through behaviors.

Those who lack strong life Purpose, have a Pessimistic outlook, or are socially isolated tend to eat less healthy diets, and exercise less. They are also less likely to be getting sufficient sleep each night.

The chronic stress caused by these psychological factors is thought to effect behaviors due to weakened self-control. It's hard to stick to a diet, or exercise, or do other activities for your health that require willpower, when you are preoccupied with anxious or depressed thoughts, or preoccupied with the threat of rejection and the feeling of isolation. 

What to Expect from this Course

Is it all doom and gloom? Are psychological factors just something we are born with and can't change?

Absolutely not! In this course, Dr. Cohen, a primary care doctor in San Francisco, shares with you effective strategies for doing everything from quitting tobacco, to enjoying life more.

In this course, Dr. Cohen, a primary care physician, shares with you the most up-to-date findings in the medical literature on the psychological factors proven to optimize health and wellbeing.  You'll take an online assessment of your mental. health, learn about the importance of a variety of aspects of emotional health for physical health, and he'll share practical tips for taking action to improve your wellbeing.

The course begins with an introduction to psychological health.  Dr. Cohen explains the importance of mental health for physical health. He describes the prevalence of each of the factors in the U.S. population. Next you'll learn about the effect each factor has on overall health. You'll learn about the mechanisms whereby each factor causes harm. And he'll share with you tips that have worked for thousands of his patients and that he has applied in his own life for optimizing mental health. You'll hear the answers to frequently asked questions, followed by a summary of the information presented. 

The most important psychological factors to optimize for improved health and wellbeing.

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What you will learn

• The psychological factors in your control to optimize your mental health and wellbeing
• How your emotional health influences your physical health
• Practical steps you can take to improve your mental health

Rating: 5

Level: Beginner Level

Duration: 4.5 hours

Instructor: Nicholas Cohen, MD