TO THE PROBLEM OF HEALTH PRESERVATION AND SELF-PRESERVING BEHAVIOUR OF THE INDIVIDUAL: A HEALTH-PRESERVING APPROACH

Abstract

The article examines the problem of health preservation and self-preserving behaviour of the individual. The purpose and scientific novelty outline the theoretical justification of the relationship between health preservation and self-preserving behaviour of the individual through the prism of the concept of “health” and the health-preserving approach. It is argued that the health-preserving approach serves as a scientifically grounded methodological basis for studying and developing individual self-preserving activity, as it integrates knowledge from medicine, psychology, pedagogy, social work, and recreation science. Based on an interdisciplinary analysis, the essential characteristics of the concept of “health” have been clarified, its multidimensional nature has been revealed, and the significance of health preservation as a strategic condition for physical, mental, and social well-being has been identified. It has been proven that self-preserving behaviour is a key mechanism for the implementation of health preservation, since it aims to maintain life resources, prevent risks, ensure adaptation, stress resistance, and personal resilience. The article reveals the structure of self-preserving behaviour, which is presented on five interconnected levels: physical, cognitive, emotional, value-motivational, and social-behavioural. It is demonstrated that each level performs specific functions in maintaining life balance, and their integration determines the overall effectiveness of human adaptive behaviour. Special attention is paid to the importance of health preservation in conditions of war and social instability, where self-preserving behaviour becomes a critical factor in maintaining psychophysical functioning, counteracting traumatic stress, and ensuring resilience. The prospects for further research have been substantiated in the direction of diagnosing self-preserving readiness, developing preventive programmes, and assessing the impact of social factors on the formation of lifestyle.

Keywords: health, health preservation, health-preserving approach, individual, self-preserving behaviour.

Problem statement. In contemporary academic discourse, there is a growing interest in concepts that reflect the human capacity to preserve, maintain, and reproduce one’s life potential under conditions of social instability, prolonged stress, war, economic risks, informational turbulence, and ecological uncertainty. Changes in lifestyle, the increasing number of psycho-emotional disorders, risks of deviant behavioural forms, professional burnout, social alienation, as well as rising levels of anxiety and trauma within the population, indicate the need to study mechanisms of self-preservation, psychological resilience, and