 The mental of physical tension you feel when faced with changes  Natural part of living  Affect everyone at some point  Signs of stress  Anxiety  Fear  Conflict  Worry  More important = more stress  Some stress – exciting & stimulating

 Different ways  Some you cannot control  Heart - faster  Breathing – faster  Sweat – more  Muscle – tense  Mouth – dry  Stomach - knots  Once the event passes, body will return to normal  If stress/tension continues, more serious problems may occur  Headaches, stomach ulcers, heart disease & high blood pressure

 How does your body respond to stress?  How do you know?

 Learn to identify the events that cause you stress  Since change causes stress, try not to make a lot of changes at once  Plan  Find a way around stressful situations  Know your limits  Learn to say “NO”

 Some stress-cannot be avoid  Talk to someone  Talk about how you feel  When faced with a problem, try to find a solution  Keep body healthy & fit – helps w/everyday stress  Learn to relax  Listen to music  reading  Accept stress as a part of life

 An unsettling event or experience in a person’s life  Cause people to make changes  Change = stress  Thus crisis = stress  Most people will experience at least one crisis in their life

 Many families will face from time to time  Loss of job  illness  All members should be informed  Budget/Spending Plan  Needs come first  Keep a positive attitude  Shouldn’t complain  May only be temporary  Teens might add to income by a part time job/odd jobs  Rent movies instead of going out  Preparing food  May bring families closer together  Solving the problem together

 What are some ways right now that you could help out if you were to go home and find out that your family was in financial crisis??

 Includes unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors  Example: certain remarks about a person’s body  SERIOUS issue  Happens to you – TELL the person to stop  If continues, ask for help by someone you trust  Parent  Counselor  Supervisor  Write down what happens - record

 Who are some people that you could talk in this was happening to you?  What if you told your friend that you were being sexually harassed and asked them not to tell. A few days later, the police is at your door. How would you react?? Explain.

 A legal end to a marriage  U.S. almost 1 out of every 2 marriages will end  All members are affected  Usually does not happen suddenly  Hard for most, CHILDREN especially  Feel a mixture of fear, anger, depression, & guilt  Small – wonder what will happen  Older – angry at parents  Custody/child support  For some – divorce can actually help the family

 How would you handle if your parents got divorced or how did you handle it??  Who could you talk to??

 Very few are comfortable with the topic  Part of the life cycle  Learn to accept death as a reality of life  Sadness, loss, anger, & guilt – common emotions

 Denial  Refusing to believe the person has died  Anger  Directed at the person for dying or at others for not sympathizing  Bargaining  Trying to negotiate away the death  Depression  Feeling lonely and thinking about death  Acceptance  Understanding the death

 Some things you can do to help ease the pain of someone’s death  Accept comfort a friend & sympathy of people around you  Special support services  Talking about the death  Cry  Don’t shut people out  Once you accept that the person is dead, the healing process will begin

 Can be more tragic  Wondering why?  Did I cause this?  If I have just did…  A leading cause of death for young people  Attempt – usually a cry for help  Most teens don’t want to die  They want HELP  Don’t ignore the remarks, let them know you care  Suggest to them talking to their parents, counselor, an adult they trust  Suicide Hotline number: SUICIDE TALK

 How would handle if your best friend told you that he/she was thinking about committing suicide??

 Violence, drugs abuse, alcohol & unplanned pregnancy – examples  Violence – any act of harm to another person  Domestic violence – violence against family members Verbal, emotional, physical & sexual abuse Damaging to ALL  Dating violence – includes physical & emotional (insulting and/or humiliating) abuse  Gang violence – growing concern for many Gang – a group of people who join together for negative, hostile purposes Teens may be pressured to join Many innocent people are caught in the crossfire

 AT your table, discuss how you would handle if Rowan County had a problem with gangs?? Would you be afraid to go to school?? Wal- Mart??

 Run away from their problems  Runaway from home – new set of problems  Never solves anything  Try to escape through drugs & alcohol  Addicted or dependent  Another crisis will start  Will not solve the problem  Try to forget through dating relationships  Pressures of dating = new problems  Unplanned pregnancy could occur  Will not make your problems go away

 Discuss why would someone runaway??  List places that they would go??  How would they get money??  Does this help them with the problems?

 Reflect on why school is a challenge for individuals.  Include: Reasons – explanation Personal feelings about school

 So many sources available, use them  Talk to some one  Use the hotline  Teachers, counselors, family doctors, religious leaders  Yellow Pages of phone book  ASK FOR HELP