Expressing emotions in a healthy ways Mental Health Unit

How are you feeling today?

What are emotions? Emotions – signals that tell your mind how to react

With your partner/group List the basic emotions on your small dry erase board

Emotions and body language

What are they feeling?

Range of emotions Using the Emotions word list - List the range for each basic emotion Happy Sad Fear Love Anger Guilt Surprised Shy Excited

What happens when emotions become overwhelming? Defense Mechanisms – are strong mental processes that protect individuals from strong or stressful emotions and situations.

Examples of Defense Mechanisms Repression - involuntarily pushing unpleasant feeling out of ones mind. Regression – returning to behavior characteristic of a younger age, rather than dealing with problems in a mature way. Denial – Unconscious lack of recognition of something that is obvious to others

Examples of Defense Mechanisms Suppression – consciously and intentionally pushing unpleasant feelings out of ones mind. Rationalization – making excuses to explain a situation or behavior, rather than taking responsibility for it. Compensation - making up for weakness and mistakes through gift giving, hard work, or extreme efforts

Examples of Defense Mechanisms Projection – Attributing your own feelings or faults to another person or group.

How to express emotions in a healthy way Identify the feelings Take a break /relax Find someone to talk to Keep a journal Channel your energy in a different direction Try to keep a sense of humor

Unhealthy ways to respond to emotions Ignore the feeling Keep feeling bottled up Isolate yourself or don’t talk to anyone. Express feeling in a violent way. Eat to feel better. Drink alcohol or do drugs Criticize other to make yourself feel better Blame others for the way that you feel.

The grieving process /stages of grief Denial or numbness - difficult to believe that the loss has occurred Emotional release – the loss if recognized Anger – may feel that things are unfair Bargaining - may promise to change if the loss can be returned,

Stages of grief Depression – sadness, isolation, alienation, and hopeless Remorse – thought of how the loss could have been prevented Acceptance – faces the reality of the loss, has closure Hope – remembering the loss becomes less painful; the person begins to look ahead to the future.

Managing anger How do you know that you are angry?

Feeling Angry Faster heart rate and breathing Hostile Tension in muscles Upset stomach Flushed face Clenched jaw Headache Raised voice Body language - -crossed arms, fists Wanting to leave

Anger Triggers What makes you angry ?

Unhealthy response to anger Yelling, hitting, breaking things, violent behavior Sarcasm or making mean jokes or comments Passive- aggressive behavior Speeding rumors or gossiping Avoiding the person or thing that makes them angry

Controlling Impulses Notice the impulse – What's your emotion urging you to say or do? Stop and think before you act.- Consider what the consequences of the impulsive behavior might be. Count to 10. – Delaying your response can often help you control it better. Walk away- Get away from the person or the situation until you're able to cool down and think clearly. Don’t give up – It takes time to change behaviors.

When someone is anger with you Don’t mirror the anger – for example, if the other person is yelling, speak quietly. Acknowledge the other persons anger – “I can see the you're angry with me.” Focus on Solving the problem If you feel unsafe, walk away or get help. Change the relationship. – Limit time together. Modify your expectations.

Responding to angry in a healthy way Reframe your thinking – look at things from another perspective or point of view * Did I misinterpret the situation? * Is there another explanation? * Is important enough to get angry about? * Did I contribute to the problem? * Who/What/Why am I angry? *Will expressing angry make a difference?

Responding to angry in a healthy way Get support – talk Stop and think before you act Delay response – count to ten, etc, Identify your triggers – and a make a plan to deal with them. Be assertive not aggressive Focus on the problem – at some point you need to stop expressing your anger and solve the problem. Use I messages

Role Play Your friend is late again for the movies. You are very angry, he/she didn’t call and it was a movie that you were really looking forward to see.

I Messages I-messages are ways to communicate in a healthy way. Using the word “I” helps you to take responsibility for your emotions. I-messages don’t blame the other person

Ways to improve communication When you speak: Use I messages - Be assertive, not passive or aggressive Check your body language and tone of voice When you listen: Pay attention and show that you are listening Acknowledge what the other person is saying Ask questions to clarify ( I heard, correct me if I am wrong, I don’t understand, can you repeat…) * Take turn listening and speaking… we have two ears and one mouth.