1. Getting Help with Troublesome Feelings

2. Skills for developing Good Emotional Health Communicating emotions appropriately. Developing healthy, supportive relationships with peers and adults. Knowing how to cope with stressful situations. Setting short-term and long-term goals and taking action to achieve them. Advocating for health and helping others.

3. Explain In the last class, you learned about communicating emotions appropriately. Today you are going to learn about developing supportive relationships with peers and adults and helping others.

4. Ask and Discuss Turn back to your “Emotion Words” worksheet. Choose 8 words from the list of Emotion Words that would describe a person who is in trouble emotionally and might need help. Share some of the words you chose with the class.

5. Explain Sometimes it’s difficult to observe these emotions in others. But there are some signs and symptoms of troublesome emotions that you should be aware of.

6. What are some of these signs and symptoms?

7. Signs and symptoms of troublesome feelings include: Acting very emotional or crying a lot Loss of appetite or weight loss Being more moody or depressed than usual Always feeling tired or run down Loss of interest in daily activities Using alcohol or other drugs to deal with feelings Unusual anger or violent behavior Withdrawing from friends and wanting to be left alone Talking about suicide

8. Complete and Share You are going to have an opportunity to identify strategies for helping yourself or others who might be experiencing these signs and symptoms. Get in to groups of 4 (2 girls, 2 boys) and take out your “Help for Troublesome Feelings” worksheet. Fill out the sheet with your group.

9. What to do when friends are experiencing troublesome feelings: Don’t ignore the signs and symptoms. Listen and be supportive. Let your friend know you will help. If your friend is using alcohol or other drugs encourage him or her to stop. Encourage your friend to talk to a trusted adult. Help your friend get to school or community resources such as counselors. Don’t keep it a secret from others who can help.

10. You can best help by not keeping a friend’s problem a secret!

11. HOMEWORK!! A good way to protect yourself when you experience troublesome feelings is to develop a network of friends and trusted adults who can help. Take out your “Getting Support” activity sheet.