By Day 6

Respond to at least one of your colleagues’ posts and include one additional factor that may contribute to the health issues they selected, indicating how your factor fits in the biopsychosocial model.

Colleague post

I selected migraine headaches as I personally have dealt with this affliction. Biopsychosocial model, as the name suggests, looks at three parts of an issue including: biological, psychological, and social factors (Borrell-Carrie, et al., 2004). With migraine headaches, biological factors could include things such as iron deficiencies, or hormonal imbalances and even gender, and are important in identifying the root causes and possible relief approaches of the headaches (Lund & Lundeberg, 2008). If the biological factor is not assessed during the evaluation, treatment recommendations wouldn’t be accurate, and underlying issues such as a tumor could be missed.

Psychologically, it is important to assess how the person is feeling and what type of impact the affliction is having in their life. When I experienced migraines, I was unable to perform my work, and had the risk of losing my job which also lead to anxiety and depression. My neurologist was cognitive of these types of issues and was able to advocate on my behalf as well as share information on how to protect my role and reduce that stressor. Like the article on arts being therapeutic towards wellbeing, having open and honest conversations about the psychological impacts of my affliction provided relief (Davies, et al., 2016). Allowing me to be self-expressive about my experiences, feel that I am not isolated or suffering alone, and finding creative ways to plan for my migraines were ways to increase my positivity and overall wellness. The psychological factor assists in providing all encompassing care and treating not only the direct ailment but also any residual disruptions to the patient’s life.

Socially, it was important that I was able to have ways to share my disability and navigate what that means for my work, family, and educational needs. Borrell-Carrie, et al. (2004) emphasized that patient centered care provided guidance and care for living with illness I the patient’s daily routines. In the case of migraines, removing the stigma that the person is lazy because they need to nap in the dark during episodes for family members, or educating employers on migraine triggers and the resulting symptoms, allows for a more comfortable social atmosphere. Without these explanations and assistance, the patient will suffer from judgement and assumptions from outsiders during an episode.

The benefits of the biopsychosocial approach for treatment of migraine headaches are clear: correct diagnosis and discovery of triggers, uncovering affiliated psychological implications, and identifying possible social roadblocks that aggravate the issue.