Behavior change (individual)

Last updated

A behavioral change can be a temporary or permanent effect that is considered a change in an individual's behavior when compared to previous behavior. It is sometimes considered a mental disorder, yet it is also a strategy used to improve such disorders. This change is generally characterized by changes in thinking, interpretations, emotions, or relationships. These changes can be either good or bad, depending on which behavior is being affected. Often, it takes much more work to change behavior for the better than it does to experience a negative change. Medications can cause this change as a side effect. The interaction between physiological processes and their effect on individual behavior is the basis of psychophysiology. Several theories exist as to why and how behavioral change can be affected, including behaviorism, Self-efficacy theory, and the stages of change model. [1]

Contents

Behavioral change can be very beneficial to an individual. Two such theories on the subject include behavior modification theory and cognitive behavioral theory. Both of these seek to help a patient engage in a positive behavioral change. Both legal and illegal drugs have been shown to alter behavior, both acutely and chronically. In both cases, following common sense harm reduction strategies can potentially reduce these side-effects. With mental illness, behavioral change is a menace, with drugs it is expected, and with the right techniques it can be a method to improve quality of life. In recent decades[ when? ] there has been an increased knowledge of common causes of these changes, such as mental illness and drug use, while several psychological fields regarding the study of inducing beneficial changes in individuals have been developed and applied, resulting in a variety of novel solutions. [2]

Clinical and psychological impacts

While some behavioral changes can be beneficial, others can cause serious harm to the individual experiencing them. Sometimes, a change can be due to something as small as an environmental cue, whereas other cases may take a more multifaceted approach. [3] In those cases, there are several treatment options available. Behavior modification is one method used to correct harmful behaviors. This method is centered around the concept of using rewards and punishments in order to condition the patient out of the behavior. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be used in the effort to change the behavior of an individual. This type of therapy focuses in on challenging and changing maladaptive behaviors by utilizing emotional self-regulation, while also developing beneficial coping mechanisms. It requires the willing participation of the individual being counseled to be effective. Training of counselors and their interventions can increase the likelihood of behavioral changes in those they counsel. [4]

Similarly, medication can cause changes in people’s behavior. In some instances, the reaction to a medication is an expected effect. For example, someone who is taking an opiate for pain should expect to feel sleepy and relaxed. [5] In other instances, a behavior change may indicate that the dosage of medication is at a toxic level, or is an indication of hypersensitivity to the medication. For example, someone taking a stimulant medication should not experience depression. While this can be a very serious consequence, it is a concern that needs to be balanced with the effective dose of that medication. [6]  Geriatric patients are more susceptible to these effects. As a related note, various illicit drugs can also impact behavior change, without the benefit of having a medical professional to monitor the user. Drugs such as cannabis, opiates, stimulants, hallucinogens and barbiturates can have a very serious impact on one's behavior, with both acute and chronic usage leading to change. [7]

Non-medical causes

While behavioral change is often associated with issues of medical importance, there are many non medical reasons that behavioral change may occur. One example is the noted change that happens in an individual as they go through the stages of grief. [8] Despite a prolonged alteration in the way that one behaves, normalcy does usually return to an individual without any type of medical intervention. Another reason for such a change could be an altered schedule, or work-related stress. Such levels of stress may not qualify as medically necessary, and thus may be handled with preventative care. [9] Such preventative care can include exercise, a good social support group, and a nutritious diet. While this type of behavioral change does not always require medical attention, individuals should seek professional help if they notice that these behavioral changes are especially maladaptive, or if they last longer than usual. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stimulant</span> Drug that increases activity of central nervous system

Stimulants are a class of drugs that increase the activity of the brain. They are used for various purposes, such as enhancing alertness, attention, motivation, cognition, mood, and physical performance. Some of the most common stimulants are caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine,methylphenidate, modafinil.

Abnormal psychology is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion, and thought, which could possibly be understood as a mental disorder. Although many behaviors could be considered as abnormal, this branch of psychology typically deals with behavior in a clinical context. There is a long history of attempts to understand and control behavior deemed to be aberrant or deviant, and there is often cultural variation in the approach taken. The field of abnormal psychology identifies multiple causes for different conditions, employing diverse theories from the general field of psychology and elsewhere, and much still hinges on what exactly is meant by "abnormal". There has traditionally been a divide between psychological and biological explanations, reflecting a philosophical dualism in regard to the mind–body problem. There have also been different approaches in trying to classify mental disorders. Abnormal includes three different categories; they are subnormal, supernormal and paranormal.

Applied psychology is the use of psychological methods and findings of scientific psychology to solve practical problems of human and animal behavior and experience. Educational and organizational psychology, business management, law, health, product design, ergonomics, behavioural psychology, psychology of motivation, psychoanalysis, neuropsychology, psychiatry and mental health are just a few of the areas that have been influenced by the application of psychological principles and scientific findings. Some of the areas of applied psychology include counseling psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, engineering psychology, occupational health psychology, legal psychology, school psychology, sports psychology, community psychology, neuropsychology, medical psychology and clinical psychology, evolutionary psychology, human factors, forensic psychology and traffic psychology. In addition, a number of specialized areas in the general area of psychology have applied branches. However, the lines between sub-branch specializations and major applied psychology categories are often mixed or in some cases blurred. For example, a human factors psychologist might use a cognitive psychology theory. This could be described as human factor psychology or as applied cognitive psychology. When applied psychology is used in the treatment of behavioral disorders there are many experimental approaches to try and treat an individual. This type of psychology can be found in many of the subbranches in other fields of psychology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drug rehabilitation</span> Processes of treatment for drug dependency

Drug rehabilitation is the process of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and street drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin or amphetamines. The general intent is to enable the patient to confront substance dependence, if present, and stop substance misuse to avoid the psychological, legal, financial, social, and physical consequences that can be caused.Citation needed

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anger management</span> Therapy for anger prevention and control

Anger management is a psycho-therapeutic program for anger prevention and control. It has been described as deploying anger successfully. Anger is frequently a result of frustration, or of feeling blocked or thwarted from something the subject feels is important. Anger can also be a defensive response to underlying fear or feelings of vulnerability or powerlessness. Anger management programs consider anger to be a motivation caused by an identifiable reason which can be logically analyzed and addressed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dialectical behavior therapy</span> Psychotherapy for emotional dysregulation

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that began with efforts to treat personality disorders and interpersonal conflicts. Evidence suggests that DBT can be useful in treating mood disorders and suicidal ideation as well as for changing behavioral patterns such as self-harm and substance use. DBT evolved into a process in which the therapist and client work with acceptance and change-oriented strategies and ultimately balance and synthesize them—comparable to the philosophical dialectical process of thesis and antithesis, followed by synthesis.

Self-medication, sometime called do-it-yourself (DIY) medicine, is a human behavior in which an individual uses a substance or any exogenous influence to self-administer treatment for physical or psychological conditions, for example headaches or fatigue.

Coping refers to conscious strategies used to reduce unpleasant emotions. Coping strategies can be cognitions or behaviors and can be individual or social. To cope is to deal with and overcome struggles and difficulties in life. It is a way for people to maintain their mental and emotional well-being. Everybody has ways of handling difficult events that occur in life, and that is what it means to cope. Coping can be healthy and productive, or destructive and unhealthy. It is recommended that an individual cope in ways that will be beneficial and healthy. "Managing your stress well can help you feel better physically and psychologically and it can impact your ability to perform your best."

Health psychology is the study of psychological and behavioral processes in health, illness, and healthcare. The discipline is concerned with understanding how psychological, behavioral, and cultural factors contribute to physical health and illness. Psychological factors can affect health directly. For example, chronically occurring environmental stressors affecting the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, cumulatively, can harm health. Behavioral factors can also affect a person's health. For example, certain behaviors can, over time, harm or enhance health. Health psychologists take a biopsychosocial approach. In other words, health psychologists understand health to be the product not only of biological processes but also of psychological, behavioral, and social processes.

Substance dependence, also known as drug dependence, is a biopsychological situation whereby an individual's functionality is dependent on the necessitated re-consumption of a psychoactive substance because of an adaptive state that has developed within the individual from psychoactive substance consumption that results in the experience of withdrawal and that necessitates the re-consumption of the drug. A drug addiction, a distinct concept from substance dependence, is defined as compulsive, out-of-control drug use, despite negative consequences. An addictive drug is a drug which is both rewarding and reinforcing. ΔFosB, a gene transcription factor, is now known to be a critical component and common factor in the development of virtually all forms of behavioral and drug addictions, but not dependence.

Child psychopathology refers to the scientific study of mental disorders in children and adolescents. Oppositional defiant disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder are examples of psychopathology that are typically first diagnosed during childhood. Mental health providers who work with children and adolescents are informed by research in developmental psychology, clinical child psychology, and family systems. Lists of child and adult mental disorders can be found in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Edition (ICD-10), published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). In addition, the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood is used in assessing mental health and developmental disorders in children up to age five.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder controversies</span> Controversies surrounding the topic of ADHDs nature, diagnosis, and treatment

Despite the scientifically well-established nature of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), its diagnosis, and its treatment, each of these has been controversial since the 1970s. The controversies involve clinicians, teachers, policymakers, parents, and the media. Positions range from the view that ADHD is within the normal range of behavior to the hypothesis that ADHD is a genetic condition. Other areas of controversy include the use of stimulant medications in children, the method of diagnosis, and the possibility of overdiagnosis. In 2009, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, while acknowledging the controversy, stated that the current treatments and methods of diagnosis are based on the dominant view of the academic literature.

Mental disorders are classified as a psychological condition marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, and emotions to seriously impair the normal psychological and often social functioning of the individual. Individuals diagnosed with certain mental disorders can be unable to function normally in society. Mental disorders may consist of several affective, behavioral, cognitive and perceptual components. The acknowledgement and understanding of mental health conditions has changed over time and across cultures. There are still variations in the definition, classification, and treatment of mental disorders.

Cue reactivity is a type of learned response which is observed in individuals with an addiction and involves significant physiological and psychological reactions to presentations of drug-related stimuli. The central tenet of cue reactivity is that cues previously predicting receipt of drug reward under certain conditions can evoke stimulus associated responses such as urges to use drugs. In other words, learned cues can signal drug reward, in that cues previously associated with drug use can elicit cue-reactivity such as arousal, anticipation, and changes in behavioral motivation. Responses to a drug cue can be physiological, behavioral, or symbolic expressive. The clinical utility of cue reactivity is based on the conceptualization that drug cues elicit craving which is a critical factor in the maintenance and relapse to drug use. Additionally, cue reactivity allows for the development of testable hypotheses grounded in established theories of human behavior. Therefore, researchers have leveraged the cue reactivity paradigm to study addiction, antecedents of relapse, craving, translate pre-clinical findings to clinical samples, and contribute to the development of new treatment methods. Testing cue reactivity in human samples involves exposing individuals with a substance use disorder to drug-related cues and drug neutral cues, and then measuring their reactions by assessing changes in self-reported drug craving and physiological responses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College health</span> Health of individuals enrolled in college

College health is a desired outcome created by a constellation of services, programs and policies directed at advancing the health and wellbeing of individuals enrolled in an institution of higher education, while also addressing and improving both population health and community health. Many colleges and universities worldwide apply both health promotion and health care as processes to achieve key performance indicators in college health. The variety of healthcare services provided by any one institution range from first aid stations employing a single nurse to large, accredited, multi-specialty ambulatory healthcare clinics with hundreds of employees. These services, programs and policies require a multidisciplinary team, the healthcare services alone include physicians, physician assistants, administrators, nurses, nurse practitioners, mental health professionals, health educators, athletic trainers, dietitians and nutritionists, and pharmacists. Some of the healthcare services extend to include massage therapists and other holistic health care professionals. While currently changing, the vast majority of college health services are set up as cost centers or service units rather than as parts of academic departments or health care delivery enterprises.

Neuroticism is a personality trait associated with negative emotions. It is one of the Big Five traits. Individuals with high scores on neuroticism are more likely than average to experience such feelings as anxiety, worry, fear, anger, frustration, envy, jealousy, pessimism, guilt, depressed mood, and loneliness. Such people are thought to respond worse to stressors and are more likely to interpret ordinary situations, such as minor frustrations, as appearing hopelessly difficult. Their behavioral responses may include procrastination, substance use, and other maladaptive behaviors, which may aid in relieving negative emotions and generating positive ones.

Fear appeal is a term used in psychology, sociology and marketing. It generally describes a strategy for motivating people to take a particular action, endorse a particular policy, or buy a particular product, by arousing fear. A well-known example in television advertising was a commercial employing the musical jingle: "Never pick up a stranger, pick up Prestone anti-freeze." This was accompanied by images of shadowy strangers (hitchhikers) who would presumably do one harm if picked up. The commercial's main appeal was not to the positive features of Prestone anti-freeze, but to the fear of what a "strange" brand might do.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polysubstance dependence</span> A type of substance use disorder

Polysubstance dependence refers to a type of substance use disorder in which an individual uses at least three different classes of substances indiscriminately and does not have a favorite substance that qualifies for dependence on its own. Although any combination of three substances can be used, studies have shown that alcohol is commonly used with another substance. This is supported by one study on polysubstance use that separated participants who used multiple substances into groups based on their preferred substance. The results of a longitudinal study on substance use led the researchers to observe that excessively using or relying on one substance increased the probability of excessively using or relying on another substance.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an eight-week evidence-based program that offers secular, intensive mindfulness training to assist people with stress, anxiety, depression and pain. Developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in the 1970s by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn, MBSR uses a combination of mindfulness meditation, body awareness, yoga and exploration of patterns of behavior, thinking, feeling and action. Mindfulness can be understood as the non-judgmental acceptance and investigation of present experience, including body sensations, internal mental states, thoughts, emotions, impulses and memories, in order to reduce suffering or distress and to increase well-being. Mindfulness meditation is a method by which attention skills are cultivated, emotional regulation is developed, and rumination and worry are significantly reduced. During the past decades, mindfulness meditation has been the subject of more controlled clinical research, which suggests its potential beneficial effects for mental health, athletic performance, as well as physical health. While MBSR has its roots in wisdom teachings of Zen Buddhism, Hatha Yoga, Vipassana and Advaita Vedanta, the program itself is secular. The MBSR program is described in detail in Kabat-Zinn's 1990 book Full Catastrophe Living.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders</span> Association of PTSD and substance dependencies

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect about 3.6% of the U.S. population each year, and 6.8% of the U.S. population over a lifetime. 8.4% of people in the U.S. are diagnosed with substance use disorders (SUD). Of those with a diagnosis of PTSD, a co-occurring, or comorbid diagnosis of a SUD is present in 20–35% of that clinical population.

References

  1. ↑ Bandura, Albert (1977). "Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change". Psychological Review. 84 (2): 191–215. doi:10.1037/0033-295x.84.2.191. ISSN   1939-1471. PMID   847061. S2CID   7742072.
  2. ↑ Fjeldsoe, Brianna S.; Marshall, Alison L.; Miller, Yvette D. (February 2009). "Behavior Change Interventions Delivered by Mobile Telephone Short-Message Service". American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 36 (2): 165–173. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2008.09.040. ISSN   0749-3797. PMID   19135907. S2CID   19903927.
  3. ↑ Rogers, Yvonne; Hazlewood, William R.; Marshall, Paul; Dalton, Nick; Hertrich, Susanna (2010). "Ambient influence" (PDF). Proceedings of the 12th ACM international conference on Ubiquitous computing. New York, New York, USA: ACM Press. pp. 261–270. doi:10.1145/1864349.1864372. ISBN   978-1-60558-843-8. S2CID   207182441.
  4. ↑ Hill, Clara E.; Baumann, Ellen; Shafran, Naama; Gupta, Shudarshana; Morrison, Ashley; Rojas, Andrés E. Pérez; Spangler, Patricia T.; Griffin, Shauna; Pappa, Laura (2015). "Is training effective? A study of counseling psychology doctoral trainees in a psychodynamic/interpersonal training clinic". Journal of Counseling Psychology. 62 (2): 184–201. doi:10.1037/cou0000053. ISSN   1939-2168. PMID   25602603. (Retracted, see doi:10.1037/cou0000701, PMID   37747530 . If this is an intentional citation to a retracted paper, please replace {{ Retracted }} with {{ Retracted |intentional=yes}}.)
  5. ↑ Angarita, Gustavo A.; Emadi, Nazli; Hodges, Sarah; Morgan, Peter T. (2016-04-26). "Sleep abnormalities associated with alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and opiate use: a comprehensive review". Addiction Science & Clinical Practice. 11 (1): 9. doi: 10.1186/s13722-016-0056-7 . ISSN   1940-0640. PMC   4845302 . PMID   27117064.
  6. ↑ Brown, Thomas Markham. (1998). Psychiatric side effects of prescription and over-the-counter medications : recognition and management. American Psychiatric Press. OCLC   607060373.
  7. ↑ Armitage, Christopher J.; Conner, Mark; Loach, Justin; Willetts, David (1999-10-01). "Different Perceptions of Control: Applying an Extended Theory of Planned Behavior to Legal and Illegal Drug Use". Basic and Applied Social Psychology. 21 (4): 301–316. doi:10.1207/15324839951036326. ISSN   1532-4834.
  8. ↑ Shuchter, Stephen R.; Zisook, Sidney (1993), "The course of normal grief", Handbook of Bereavement, Cambridge University Press, pp. 23–43, doi:10.1017/cbo9780511664076.003, ISBN   978-0-511-66407-6
  9. ↑ Chiesa, Alberto; Serretti, Alessandro (2009). "Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis". The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 15 (5): 593–600. doi:10.1089/acm.2008.0495. ISSN   1075-5535. PMID   19432513. S2CID   14217123.
  10. ↑ Bröer, Christian; Besseling, Broos (June 2017). "Sadness or depression: Making sense of low mood and the medicalization of everyday life". Social Science & Medicine. 183: 28–36. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.04.025. ISSN   0277-9536. PMID   28458072.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.