Mental and Emotional Health CHAPTER 3

NC Healthful Living Standards 9.MEH.1 Create positive stress management 9. MEH.2 Create help seeking strategies for depression and mental disorders

Mental and Emotional Health Mental/Emotional Health – the ability to accept yourself and others, express and manage emotions, and deal with the demands and challenges you meet in your life General Characteristics Happy Confident Flexible Resilient Comfortable spending time alone or with others Able to cope with a wide variety of feelings

Characteristics of Good Mental and Emotional Health Traits of mentally healthy people Sense of belonging Sense of purpose Positive outlook Self Sufficient Healthy self esteem

Self-Esteem Self-esteem - how much you value, respect, and feel confident about yourself Healthy self-esteem encourages Feel proud of yourself and your abilities, skills, and accomplishments. Confidence to try new things

Ways to Improve Self-Esteem Choosing friends who value and respect you Focus on positive aspects about yourself Work towards accomplishments rather than perfection Consider your mistakes learning opportunities Try new activities to discover new talents Write down goals Exercise regularly Volunteer to help someone Accept the things you can’t change

Personal Identity Personal Identity -Your sense of yourself as a unique individual Influences : Likes or dislike Relationships Experiences Opinions Values Interests Goals

Definitions to know Personality – a complex set of characteristics that makes you unique Character – the distinctive qualities that describe how a person thinks, feels, and behaves Integrity – a firm observance of core ethical values Constructive Criticism – non-hostile comments that point out problems and encourage improvement

6 Traits of Good Character Respect Trustworthiness Responsibility Fairness Caring Citizenship

Understanding Your Emotions Emotions – signals that tell your mind and body how to react Hormones – chemicals produced by your glands that regulate the activities of different body cells Empathy – the ability to imagine and understand how someone feels

Understanding Your Emotions Knowing how to recognize your emotions can help you manage them in healthy ways Common emotions – happiness, sadness, love, fear, guilt, and anger

Ways to manage your emotions Do something to relax - take deep breaths, listen to music, read a book Walk away from the situation – take time to think Channel your energy – go for a run, play an instrument, write Talk with someone you trust – parents, friends, teacher, coach, counselor

Understanding Stress Stress – reaction of the body and mind to everyday challenges and demands Stress can affect you in both positive and negative ways Feeling stressed is a natural part of life Perception – the act of becoming aware through the senses Stressor – anything that causes stress

Body’s response to stress Stressors activate the nervous system and hormones Three stages: Alarm - Your mind and body go on high alert. This “fight-or- flight” response prepares you to defend yourself or to flee from a threat. Resistance - If exposure to a stressor continues, your body adapts and reacts to the stressor. This stage lasts for a brief period. Fatigue- If exposure to stress is prolonged, you begin to tire and lose the ability to manage other stressors effectively.

Body’s Response to Stress Adrenaline is the emergency hormone that prepares the body to respond to stress Ongoing stress affects all aspects of your health Physical symptoms of stress Faster heart rate and pulse Increase in perspiration Rise in blood pressure Increase in muscle tension Release of blood sugar, fats, and cholesterol Digestive disorders Weakened immune system Headaches Mental/Emotional and Social Effects of Stress Difficulty concentrating Irritability Mood Swings

Strategies for avoiding/ limiting stress Managing Stress Chronic stress – stress associated with long term problems that are beyond a person’s control Strategies for avoiding/ limiting stress 1st step – identifying what is stressful Use refusal skills Plan ahead Think positive Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs Practice relaxation techniques Redirect energy Seek support Get enough sleep Eat healthy Exercise

Overcoming Test Anxiety

Overcoming a loss Acknowledging a loss is one way to help begin the healing process. Everyone experiences loss during their lives and the grief that it brings. Stages of Grief - A variety of reactions that may surface as an individual makes sense of how a loss affects him or her

The Grieving Process During the Denial or Numbness stage of grief, it may be difficult to believe the loss has occurred. During the Emotional Release stage of grief, the loss is recognized. This stage often involves periods of crying. During the Anger stage of grief, the person uses anger because he or she feels powerless and unfairly deprived. During the Bargaining stage of grief, the reality of the loss sets in and the person may promise to change if what was lost can be returned.

The Grieving Process During the Depression stage of grief, there are feelings of sadness. In addition, feelings of isolation, alienation, and hopelessness may occur. During the Remorse stage of grief, the person may become preoccupied with thoughts about how the loss could have been prevented. During the Acceptance stage of grief, the person faces the reality of the loss, and experiences closure. Closure - the acceptance of loss During the Hope stage of grief, remembering becomes less painful, and the person begins to look ahead to the future. Coping - dealing successfully with difficult changes in your life