Mike Tyson: A Psychosocial and Biological Analysis

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Health Psychology In the past few decades, clinical treatment has moved on from biomedical approach to the biopsychosocial approach. Scientists now believe that health of an individual is not merely due to physiological conditions but may also depend on psychological and socio-cultural perspectives(Engel, 1977). The term health psychology was developed by the American Psychological Association to describe health and wellness issues that arise from psychological problems. Health psychology stems from Systems theory, which says that human events such as injury and illness exist within several interconnected systems, such as our peer relationships, childhood experiences, personality and other factors (Schwartz, 1982). Mike Tyson is one of the most famous boxers in world history, but despite his achievements in the boxing ring, he is infamous for his violent behaviour outside the ring. More than his critics, Tyson himself has been one of the biggest detractors of his illustrious career. He is a perfect candidate to elucidate the principles of health psychology. Mike Tyson rose up from throes of poverty and became the youngest heavyweight champion the world had ever seen. However, his violent past caught up with him and he went through several personal and financial crisis that eventually took a toll on his career Michael Gerard Tyson was born in 1966, his mother, Loma Smith Tyson was never married to his biological father Jimmy Kirkpatrick. By the time Tyson was born, Kirkpatrick had left Loma to fend for herself and her kids. Loma Tyson and her children (Rodney, Mike and Denise) started living in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Growing up in a ghetto neighborhood as a child of a single mother was difficult for young Mike. Due to his big... ... middle of paper ... ...He has effectively undergone rehabilitation and no longer uses alcohol or drugs. We can safely say that due to the stability of his inter-personal bonds and increased family-support, Tyson is on a path of recovery. It may be too late for the boxer but a new beginning for the little boy from Brooklyn. References Engel, G. L. (1977). The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Science, 196(4286), 129–136. Hoffer, R. (1998). A savage business: the comeback and comedown of Mike Tyson. Simon and Schuster. Jefferson, T. (1996). From “little fairy boy”to the “compleat destroyer”: subjectivity and transformation in the biography of Mike Tyson. Understanding Masculinities, 281–301. Schwartz, G. E. (1982). Testing the biopsychosocial model: The ultimate challenge facing behavioral medicine? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50(6), 1040

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