The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, is home to mental health experts—health psychologists—who specialize in supporting people with both acute and chronic illnesses. Our specialists focus on more than just treating a disease—we care for the entire individual.
What is health psychology?
Illness can dramatically affect our bodies and how we navigate everyday life. It can also be mentally and emotionally taxing. Nearly one-third of people with an acute or chronic illness develop depression, and many more struggle with anxiety, other mental health concerns or how to make necessary behavior changes. Working with a mental health professional alongside your medical provider can be beneficial when learning to manage an illness, whether you are recently diagnosed or have lived with one for years.
Health psychology bridges the gap between physical wellness and mental health and focuses on the psychological and emotional impact that health and illness can have on your life.
Typically, those who specialize in health psychology can provide care in these areas:
- Health-promoting behaviors or behaviors that interfere with health
- Adjusting to the news that you have been diagnosed with an acute or chronic condition
- Critical support for those with chronic illness
- Modification of lifestyle choices necessary to manage symptoms or slow disease progression
- Developing coping skills to prevent illness or health problems
At Ohio State, health psychologists provide comprehensive assessments and evidence-based psychological interventions for those coping with various acute and chronic health conditions. We see people at the bedside who are admitted to the hospital as well as provide outpatient care. We also receive referrals from providers in the community whose patients are living with chronic illnesses.
Conditions seen by Ohio State’s health psychology specialists
We can work with people to manage their mental and emotional well-being as it relates to any disease. However, our health psychologists have built practices around, and have special expertise in, these conditions and medical areas:
- Cancer
- Cardiac conditions, including hypertension, heart attacks and heart failure
- Diabetes
- Pulmonary diseases, such as asthma
- Sleep disorders
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Bariatric surgery
- Transplant surgery
- Smoking
- Weight loss
- Pain
- People with neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and sports concussion are seen by specially trained therapists in the Ohio State Neuropsychology Clinic.
Who might be a candidate to see a health psychologist?
Anyone who might be dealing with one of the above conditions can benefit from seeing a health psychologist. Our expertise lies in helping change behaviors.
Treating your mental health alongside your physical health has been shown to improve outcomes and lead to fewer complications, including fewer emergency department visits and lower mortality rates. Here are some examples of when you may want to ask your doctor about seeing a health psychologist:
- You’ve been recently diagnosed with a chronic disease, such as heart failure, diabetes or cancer.
- Your doctor is asking you to make difficult behavior changes to improve your health, such as quitting smoking or dramatically changing your diet, and you’re struggling to do those on your own.
- You’re receiving an organ transplant, donating an organ (living donation) or you’re considering bariatric surgery.
- You or loved ones notice you’ve lost interest in hobbies, you’re avoiding people or activities, or exhibiting other symptoms of a mental health condition since you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic illness.
- You’re in pain and you want support on how to manage it, such as learning not to overexert yourself when you do feel well.
- You need help identifying realistic goals for your care. For example, what the next 10 years will look like or how to deal with end-of-life care.
- You’re struggling to adhere to your medication and treatment regimens, and you need help figuring out why and modifying your behavior (or at times, the treatments).
Benefits of being treated by a health psychologist
Health psychology can have many benefits for people, especially those who have been living with chronic illness for some time. They include:
- Improved medical outcomes – This type of care can lead to fewer complications, fewer hospital visits and even lower mortality rates. Also, by changing behaviors, such as quitting smoking, your overall health can improve.
- Prevention – Being treated by a health psychologist can prevent future medical issues and mental health conditions.
- A better understanding of your condition – A main role of a health psychologist is to help you understand exactly what’s going on with your disease, sometimes by putting what your doctor has said into plainer language.
- Quality of life enhancements – Getting mental health treatment while managing a chronic illness can help improve your relationships, outlook and overall ability to enjoy life.
Making an appointment with a health psychologist
To make an appointment with one of our health psychologists, call Mental and Behavioral Health at 614-293-9600. Tell the schedulers you have a chronic illness and you’d like to see someone in our Health Psychology Program.
You can also talk to your primary care physician or diagnosing doctor about us, and they can refer you to our care.