Health psychology investigates psychological factors related to wellness and illness, including stress, coping mechanisms, and their effects on health. Stress can be categorized as cataclysmic events, personal stressors, or background stressors, and has physiological effects like increased hormone secretion and immune system weakening. Hans Selye's general adaptation syndrome theory describes the three stages of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion in response to stressors. Psychoneuroimmunology studies the relationship between psychological factors, the immune system, and the brain in relation to stress outcomes. Coping strategies include problem-focused or emotion-focused coping, and effective coping involves turning threats into challenges or changing goals.

1. Health Psychology

18. Psychological Aspects of Illness and Well-Being