Behavioral health sciences is a new emerging field that has been getting much more attention over the past few years. A great deal of research comes out every day that allows us to understand ordinary people and their habits better, and this information, when used and implemented properly, can massively improve the quality of life for many people, especially at work. Since it is such a new and exciting field of research, many people don’t know how interesting it is.
Combination of Multiple Sciences
Since behavioral health science covers the life of the average person on a day-to-day basis, it covers a lot of subjects, including physical, biological, mental, and emotional health. Experts have blended many of the most important principles across different fields and disciplines, including psychology, sociology, neuroscience, and so on, to paint a picture of how the average person lives his life. This allows us to identify and solve our problems easier.
Blending these disciplines and putting them in context is difficult for many other experts who have only specialized in one field. In behavioral health, however, all the pieces connect to make a whole.
Use of the BioPsychoSocial Model to Enhance Mental Health
The biopsychosocial model is one of the main principles that is used in the field of behavioral sciences. It suggests that human behavior and mental health are strongly linked to sociological, genetic, and environmental factors. People’s pasts and childhoods can be used to identify individuals at risk of mental illness or other afflictions. This model has made great strides in the past few years, with experts finding several breakthroughs in research, to the point that many companies have opted for behavioral health business process outsourcing services to be able to help their employees deal with mental health.
Contextualizes Different Cultures
There are countless cultures worldwide, and they each come with their own set of restrictions and pressures. More conservative societies place a lot of pressure on individuals to be withdrawn and control certain aspects of themselves, like their appearance. This can greatly affect mental health, but since it’s such a universal and broadly experienced feeling, it can often go unaddressed. However, behavioral health services can be used to explain and contextualize many of these issues faced by whole communities or even societies, and work is now being done to undo stigmas and pressures because of this field of research.
Interventions for Serious Illnesses
Behavioral health services are integral in identifying and treating individuals who need intervention for their mental illnesses. Experts rely on extensive research, including peer-reviewed studies conducted over years or decades, to find the results of specific treatments for patients over the long or short term. The brain has long been a mystery to scientists, but studies like these make it easier to understand how our brains are wired and how they respond to certain treatments. Over the years, with even more stringent research, more effective treatment plans and options will be available for everyone, all thanks to these experts.
Positive Psychology
Though behavioral health has gotten more attention recently, another very recently created principle of behavioral health is the idea of positive psychology. Behavioral health services tackle mental health issues and how to fix problems associated with these illnesses. However, positive psychology aims not to correct illnesses but to increase the quality of life in healthy individuals. Its focus is to change or improve physical, environmental, and social factors to allow human flourishing and the pursuit of happiness.
Positive psychology aims to build character, strength, and resilience in everyone. Though it is in its infancy, it already has a lot of suggestions and ideas that millions of people have used to improve their quality of life.
Conclusion
Behavioral health services have quickly risen to become one of the most important and esteemed disciplines in the world and for good reason. It has been adopted all over the world across institutions and governments to improve the quality of life of the average person and address issues of mental health in the population. As we continue to explore and expand our knowledge in behavioral health sciences, we gain valuable insights that can positively impact individuals, communities, and society as a whole.
Author: Elizabeth Howard
Lizzie Howard is a Colorado native who after graduating from the University of Colorado spends her time as a freelance writer. When Lizzie isn’t writing, she enjoys going on hikes, baking for her friends and family, and spending time with her beloved yellow lab, Sparky.
