Perdev Answer PDF

11. It is the actual genuine information that we have about our motivations, strengths or weaknesses. a. Self-concept c. Self-knowledge b. Self-image d. Self-esteem 12. These types of people do not just watch the movie of their lives, they act and can control how they portray the character. However, they don’t have the control over the script. a. Moviegoers c. Actor-Scriptwriters b. Actors d. Scriptwriters 13. It is a technique that helps people improve self-awareness, interpersonal relationships and opportunity for personal development by giving or receiving feedbacks on each other’s strengths, weaknesses and blind spots. a. Johari Window c. Quadrants of Self b. Self-engagement d. Self-evaluation 14. It is a self that we aspire to be. a. Ideal Self c. Self-knowledge b. Actual Self d. Sense of self 15. This form of the self is what we and others see in us and the things we know about ourselves and others know about us a. Blind Self c. Unknown Self b. Hidden Self d. Known Self Lesson Knowing and Understanding 1 Oneself during Middle and Late Adolescence This lesson will help you understand the concept of knowing and understanding oneself. It explains the importance of understanding oneself to attain self-acceptance and better interpersonal relationships. It will help you to determine your strengths, weaknesses, passions as well as fears, dreams and desires. Knowing yourself enables you to determine your purpose in life. You will learn to appreciate your unique characteristics, habits and experiences. Who Am I? – A question that leads to a better Self-Awareness Adolescence is a stage where we may increasingly ask, “Who Am I?”. Don’t be bothered If you find yourself asking this question. You are on the right track! It is a normal part of the process that you need to go through as you advance to the next milestone – the adulthood. Once you have a concrete understanding of your entire being, your personality, strengths and weaknesses, you may emerge as a resilient individual who is prepared to be a responsible adult. Self-Awareness Once in our life, someone might have said to us “Be yourself!” or “Be true to yourself!” Actually, this is a very great advice. However, it is not as easy as it may seem to stay true to ourselves if we do not know exactly who we really are. Self-Awareness is a state of having the knowledge about our existence as unique individuals who are able to recognize our values, beliefs, traits, behaviors and feelings. The moment we are aware about ourselves, our strengths and weaknesses, only then we can experience ourselves as unique and separate individual beings. If we manage to become aware of who we are, we will become empowered to making changes by building our areas of strengths and at the same time by acknowledging areas of weaknesses where we would like to make improvements. Furthermore, Self- awareness is being significantly conscious of what we are good at while recognizing our flaws, limitations and imperfections. The Johari Window Self-awareness is a never-ending journey as there are still things that we do not know much about ourselves. Our awareness of ourselves can be improved by considering how others view us, their opinions about us and how they describe us as a person. It is true that sometimes, we don’t realize our behavior, good qualities and potentialities unless someone tells us. Johari Window is a technique that helps people improve self-awareness, interpersonal relationships and opportunity for personal development by giving or receiving feedbacks on each other’s strengths, weaknesses and blind spots. This was developed by American Psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955. The name “Johari” is formed from combining their first names. Basically, Johari Window has four quadrants or windows that provide the four basic forms of the self. These are the following: 1. Arena – or the Known Self. This form of the self is what you and others see in you. Things we know about ourselves and others know about us, like that of the talents and skills or even our weaknesses that we know about ourselves and others know about us. 2. Blind Spot – or the Blind Self. These are our actions and behaviors others know about us that we are not aware of. These can be positive or negative and may include hidden strengths and potentialities or areas for improvement. 3. Façade – or the Hidden Self. In this form of self, we hide things that are private about ourselves. These may include feelings, ambitions and opinions that we choose to hide due to fear of negative reactions from others. Reasons for hiding may be because we do not want our weaknesses to be exposed. 4. Unknown – This form of self is not known to others and not known to self. This includes skills, behaviors, undiscovered talents, etc. that are unknown to us and to others. If we explore and get ourselves involve in new activities with new groups of people will help us increase our self-awareness. Self-Concept According to Carl Rogers, a humanist psychologist. Self-concept is our general awareness about ourselves, the image that we have of ourselves. This image is influenced by our interactions with other people specifically those who are important to us. Carl Rogers believed that our self-concept is made up of three different parts, the actual self, the ideal self and the self-esteem. Source: https://tinyurl.com/5arjxxej The moment we go to school, to the mall or to a birthday party, we try looking ourselves in the mirror to check our appearance. What do you see as you look at yourself in the mirror? Do you see your actual self? Or your ideal self? Our Actual Self is our self-image, the one we actually see including attributes like our physical characteristics, personality traits and social roles. It is how we think and feel, behave or act. Our actual self is built on self-knowledge, which is the actual genuine information that we have about our motivations, strengths or weaknesses. On the other hand, our Ideal Self is the self that we aspire to be. The one we hope will possess the characteristics that we really want to have, like that of the image above. Now, what about self-esteem? Self-esteem is our overall subjective sense of value or personal worth. That is how we feel about our strengths and weaknesses. If we have healthy self-esteem, we feel good about ourselves. If we have low self-esteem, we have the tendency to put a little value on our ideas and opinions. Likewise, if we have low self-esteem, we might constantly worry about being not good enough. What is It Age Definitions of Adolescence Republic Act (RA) 10354, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Act of 2012 uses the term adolescents for people aged 10-19 years. This distinguishes the term from youth for those aged 15–24 years and young people, aged 10-24 years. In the Philippines, adolescents comprise 21.5% of the country’s population (NSO, 2010). The Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) divides the adolescence period into: Early adolescence (10-13 years old), Middle adolescence (14-16 years old), and Late adolescence (17-19 years old). At each stage, adolescents have different concerns. For example, girls in early adolescence may have just begun menstruating and are concerned with their menstrual hygiene. In comparison, girls in late adolescence are concerned with romantic relationships. Early adolescents who are attending school have unique concerns compared to late adolescents who are employed. What is Special about Adolescents? Adolescence stage is one of the most rapid and formative phases of human development. Adolescence is rooted in the Latin verb adolescere which denotes “to grow” or “to grow to maturity.” This stage signifies the period of growth: from childhood to adulthood. Apparently, there are distinctive physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and sexual developmental changes that take place during adolescence. Adolescents experience hormonal changes and puberty, new and complex sensations and emotions, and burst of emotional and physiological brain development. They also experience sexual awareness and gender identity. Gender identity refers to a person’s internal sense of gender, which may or may not match with the sex assigned at birth. They also experience evolving cognitive ability and context-influenced emotional impulse control. Cognitive ability enables adolescents to perform mental activities such problem solving and learning. Adolescents are also concerned about their physical identity. Physical identity refers to an individual’s awareness of his/her own appearance. Based on Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Stages, adolescents face the challenge as identity versus role confusion. They work at enhancing a sense of self by testing roles, then combining them to create a single identity. Adolescence stage is a milestone to all individuals since it serves as the metamorphosis in becoming an adult. In this stage, adolescents started to grasp various information, engage themselves to different groups and community, as well as explore the ways of life. These haps, however, pose some challenges to every adolescent such as striving to find an answer to the question “Who am I?” 5 Three Stages of Adolescence Early adolescence (10-13 years old) is the beginning stages of puberty where both sexes experience significant physical growth and increased sexual interest. Middle adolescence (14-16 years old) is a stage where puberty is already completed. In this stage, both sexes continue to experience growing capacity for abstract ideas. This is also where numerous social and emotional changes occur. Late adolescence (17-19 years old) is a mark of the final preparations for adult roles. The developmental demands of the late adolescence extend up to the period of young adulthood. Challenges of Middle and Late Adolescence Middle Adolescence (Ages 14-16) During this stage, adolescents become morally aware (Morality refers to the beliefs about what is right behavior and what is wrong behavior). They have the potential ability for abstract thinking which is characterized by the ability to apply concepts and to create and comprehend generalizations. They also experience desire for independence, which is the freedom from the control or influence of other people. Late Adolescence (Ages 17-19) During this stage, adolescents attain increased independence and emotional stability, which enables a person to manage her emotions and life. Adolescents also attain the ability to think about ideas logically, make plans, and gain a firm sense of identity (Identity refers to the set of qualities and beliefs that make one person or group different from others). They are also concerned with romantic relationships. Stages of Healthy Adolescent Development Stage with Age Range Middle Adolescence Late Adolescence (Approx) (Ages 15 – 17 years) (Ages 18 -21 years) Physical Growth Secondary sexual Physical maturity and characteristics advanced reproductive off and 95% adult height reached ending Intellectual/ Cognition Growth in abstract Abstract thought thought; reverts to concrete established thought under stress Future oriented; able to Cause –effect relationships understand, plan and better understood pursue long range goals Very self-absorbed Philosophical and idealistic Autonomy Conflict with family Emancipation: predominates due to vocational/ technical/ ambivalence about college and/or work emerging independence adult lifestyle 6 Stage with Age Range Middle Adolescence Late Adolescence (Approx) (Ages 15 – 17 years) (Ages 18 -21 years) Body Image Less concern about Usually comfortable with physical changes but body image increased interest in personal attractiveness Excessive physical activity alternating with lethargy Peer Group Strong peer alliances – fad Decision values less behaviours influenced by peers Sexual drives emerge and Relates to individuals teens begin to explore more than to peer group ability to date and attract a Selection of partner partner based on individual preference Identity Development Experimentation – sex, Pursue realistic drugs, friends, jobs, risk- vocational goals with taking behaviour training or career employment Relate to family as adult Realizations of own limitations and mortality Establishment of sexual identity, sexual activity is more common Establishment of ethical and moral value system More capable of intimate, complex relationship Adolescents also experience challenges in peer, family, and romantic relationship. 1. Peer relationship includes relationships with friends, neighbors, teammates, and classmates; it enables an adolescent to have independence from their parents and to develop his/her own personal identity. 2. Family relationship involves relationship with immediate family members including parents and siblings. An adolescent with a good family relationship makes him/her feel secured and loved. 3. Romantic relationship is an interpersonal relationship that involves emotional intimacy and passion with the opposite sex. In the Philippines, many social challenges (problems that people are experiencing with their daily interaction with others) and issues such as poverty, lack of education, drug or substance abuse, sex crimes, and family problems continue to affect adolescents. 7 Example of social challenges during middle and late adolescence 1. Youth violence refers to the intentional use of physical force or power to threaten or harm young people. Examples are sexual assault, kicking, and bullying. Bullying refers to the abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone stronger or more powerful. Sexual assault is the illegal sexual contact that usually involves force upon a person without consent or is inflicted upon a person who is incapable of giving consent because of age or physical or mental incapacity. 2. Substance abuse is a long-term, pathological use of alcohol or drugs, characterized by daily intoxication, inability to reduce consumption, and impairment in social or occupational functioning; broadly, alcohol or drug addiction. 3. Malnutrition refers to faulty nutrition due to inadequate or unbalanced intake of nutrients or their impaired assimilation or utilization. 4. Reproductive Health is a condition in which the reproductive functions and processes are accomplished in a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. 5. Lack of education is a condition in which a person has a below-average level of knowledge in basic things in life due to little or no formal schooling. 6. Family problems involve conflict with family members, parenting issues, sibling rivalry, separation of parents, and financial problems. Source: “Adolescent Health and Development Program: Manual of Operations,” Department of Health. https://www.doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/publications/WHO_DOH_2017_12082017_full.pdf (accessed June 24, 2020). 8 13. Which of the following is an example of vulnerability? A. Asking someone out and scares you for possible rejection B. Being able to express ones emotion freely C. Fall into boring conversation because you don’t want to offend someone D. Being ashamed of standing out 14. Mental illness refers to ____________________. A. A behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. B. A physical aspect that causes one to feel distress or impairment of personal functioning. C. An emotional health that controls your feeling and behavior. D. A condition that describes how we feel, think, act and relate to ourselves. 15. The following good are ways to improve your mental health except one, which is it? A. Tell yourself something positive C. Open up to someone B. Eat a good meal D. Be Silent Lesson Challenges of Middle and 4 Late Adolescence This module will help you understand the challenges of middle and late adolescence. It explains how adolescents can balance the expectations of other people in their lives and personal goals. It helps you better understand the importance of facing and overcoming challenges during adolescence to clarify and manage the demand of teenage years. In this lesson, you will learn to appreciate that making affirmations helps one become more lovable and capable as an adolescent and can identify some ways to easily cope with stress during adolescence and maintain a mentally healthy being. 6 emotional, and sexual developmental changes that take place during adolescence. Adolescents experience hormonal changes and puberty, new and complex sensations and emotions, and burst of emotional and physiological brain development. They also experience sexual awareness and gender identity. Adolescents are also concerned about cognitive ability enables adolescents to perform mental activities such problem solving and learning and to their physical identity. Physical identity refers to an individual’s awareness of his/her own appearance. Based on Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Stages, adolescents face the challenge as identity versus role confusion. They work at enhancing a sense of self by testing roles, then combining them to create a single identity. Challenges of Middle and Late Adolescence Adolescence is not an easy time for children or parents. The only way to deal with needs and problems at this age is to know about them and be ready to face them. Parent-adolescent conflicts that cause insecure and unstable feelings have a linear association with pubertal maturity. Understanding and dealing with these conflicts positively could help your child be more responsible and social. Here is our list of the most common problems, and their solutions that adolescents have to deal with. Challenges of Middle and Late Adolescence Moral/ Physical Emotional Social Mental Spiritual Development Development Development Development Development Most girls Seeks privacy Friends Becomes Start to develop have and time become more better able to moral ideas completed the alone important set goals and and to select physical seek friends think in terms role models changes that share the of the future. related to same beliefs, puberty by values and age 15. interest Boys are still Is self- Explores Has a better An idealistic maturing and involved (may romantic and understandin sense of social gaining have high sexual g of complex justice and strength, expectations behaviors and issues fairness muscles mass and low self- with others and height & concept) completing the development of sexual traits. 9 Moral/ Physical Emotional Social Mental Spiritual Development Development Development Development Development Girls may May stress May be Spiritual start to feel over school influenced by formation is a conscious and test peers to try major about their scores and risky component in figure. expectation behaviors adolescents' from parents (alcohol, identity & teachers tobacco, sex) development The Shifts in Developing a experience of relationship stronger intimate with parents individual set partnership. from of values and dependency morals; and increase thinking more maturity and about “right” responsibilitie and “wrong”: s in the family & community May complain Start to have that parents more prevent him intellectual or her from activities doing things independently Starts to want both physical and emotional intimacy in relationships. Source: http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/49326/179_ftp.pdf Physical Development An individual physique, body and health are a significant part in assessing the over-all personality. Evidently, personality is not only influenced by internal factors such as one’s brain and emotions but it is influenced as well by our physique. Our image is a reflection of our lifestyle and the kind of lives we lead. The Dynamics of Physical Health According to the Biopsychosocial Model of Health (BPS) physical illness is caused by a complex interaction of biological, psychological (thoughts, emotions and behaviour) and sociocultural factors (socio-economic, socio-environmental and cultural).It reiterates that health is a result of the interplay between biological, psychological and social factors. Promoting Physical Health 1. Personal Hygiene The physical self is a significant element in one’s personality. Keeping it clean and hygienic creates a good image and allows one to feel good about him. It is not necessary to be updated as to what is currently the fashion statement but it is a requirement to be clean and presentable at all times. 10 2. Good Grooming It is a common notion that “First impressions lasts”. It is necessary to take pride in our appearance and dress appropriately. Careful grooming therefore is a significant factor in building self-esteem. One should stick to the basics and appreciate the following tips: For the Gentleman 1. Be clean. Take a shower, cut nails and pamper skin 2. Select the right wardrobe for the right event 3. Have sense of style. Clothing that feels comfortable but elegant. 4. Wear clean and shiny shoes that complement your attire. 5. Smell good by wearing mild perfume scent. 6. Check your bearing. Proper body posture adds confidence and appeal For the Ladies 1. Bathe, be clean and fresh always as it exudes confidence 2. Polish nails to add feminity and art. 3. Apply light make-up using colors that match your skin tone. 4. Choose the appropriate attire that suits the event 5. Use a mild feminine perfume scent that fits your personality 6. Wear clean shoes or sandals 7. Choose the best bag or clutch that complements your clothing 8. Wear smart face, chin up and keep proper smart posture. 3. Proper Bearing and Posture Posture is the position in which you hold your body upright against gravity while standing, sitting or lying down. One’s composure and bearing affects not only his physical self but his level of confidence as well. People who are sure and who believes in themselves conducts themselves well in front of others. Standing or sitting upright in a snappy and smart manner creates an aura of confidence and strength. 4. Proper Nutrition Diet or what we regularly eat and drink provides us with the fuel that powers our body and brain. We should be guided by the Food Pyramid and to determine what should be consumed less and what should be the bulk of what we take in. 5. Better Sleep Hours and Clean Environment Regular Sleep Time for 8 Hours/Night and Short Naps (20-30min) added in during week is very important. Here are the following routines for better sleep: Cool my room down to 60-67 degrees (F) Sounds: listen to relaxing music 30+ min before bedtime and/ or white noise for sleep Turn off electronics 1 hr before bedtime Use an app or setting on your computer/phone to decrease bluelight Read before bed Warm Bath/Shower before bed Use lavender or other oils to provide positive smells for nighttime 11 Social Development Personality as reiterated by Eric Erickson is a result of an individual’s relationship with the significant others as he goes along performing his everyday tasks. Merki (2020) stated that social health directly connotes relatedness with other people. These are the connections we establish with other groups of people. These are based on how one relates and acts which involves key skills of social health inclusive of communication, compromise and cooperation. Mental Development Personality is never measured by external factors alone. Mental ability forms part and parcel of one’s persona. People differ in several ways. Intelligence is one element that separates one from all others of same demographics. All other things equal, individuals have the ability and even the skills to learn. These learning’s whether significant or not becomes a basis for evaluating, analysing and making decisions pertinent to their everyday dilemmas. Cognitive Problems Memory problems Inability to concentrate Poor Judgment How do middle and late adolescence develop Intellectually? There are varied ways to enhance one’s intellectual ability. Everything begins with the motive to go forth and advance. As this is basically in the mental facet hence it becomes a necessity that the individual should not only possess the ability but the drive to learn, re-learn and unlearn. Learn about new things that may aid in the promotion of life skills, re-learn relevant elements that may continue to affect one’s behaviour and persona and to unlearn those antiquated and obsolete ideas and ways of a life that are no longer true and appropriate. Study Habits Education provides an individual a license that will equip him to achieve his future goals. Following are ways to deal with the everyday physical, emotional, and intellectual requirements in the school. 1. Have the right mindset 2. Practice Zero Navigation when preparing for the coursework 3. Choose the proper venue for studying 4. Make a reviewer 5. Bring only the things that you need Moral/Spiritual Development A holistic understanding of personality includes not only an understanding of what our senses can perceive. What underlies an individual’s decision should be scrutinized to have a better understanding of his persona. One’s 12 behaviour is determined by his mind which in turn is motivated by his spirit. Morality This is principle concerning how individuals distinguish what is right from what is wrong. Morality comes from the Latin word “moralitas” which denotes manner, character and proper behaviour. It is the differentiation of intentions, decisions and actions between those that are distinguished as proper and those that are improper the disjunction between right and wrong. Emotional Development Emotions comes the latin word “Emovere” which means to “move out”. Emotions are spontaneous responses to certain stimuli. It is a natural and random response to situations that may cause anger, sadness, happiness and fear. What kind of emotions affect you? A. Positive Emotions A classification of pleasant emotion which may include happiness, excitement, joy, relief, triumph, jubilation. It connotes an expression where one finds himself smiling or laughing with a feel of “elation”. These come from positive experiences especially when one is able to attain or satisfy his expectations and desires. B. Negative Emotions A classification of emotion involving sadness, disgust, annoyance, anxiety, anger, jealousy, fear and the like. It is shown through facial expression that is manifested in an unhappy face, tears, discomfort, pain and even psychosomatic illness. Emotional Symptoms Moodiness Irritability or short temper Agitation, inability to relax Feeling overwhelmed Sense of loneliness and isolation Anxiety Constant worrying Depression or general unhappiness Physiological reactions may result from certain emotional state that may even lead to mental illnesses such anxiety, depression, bipolar and eating disorder. What is Anxiety? The American Psychological Association (APA) defines Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure. 13 People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry. They may also have physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness or a rapid heartbeat. Anxiety disorders form a category of mental health diagnoses that lead to excessive nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worry. These disorders alter how a person processes emotions and behave, also causing physical symptoms. In DSM V Anxiety Disorder is an excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days than not for at. least 6 months, about a number of events or activities (such as work or school performance) What is Depression? In DSM V, depression otherwise known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression is a common and serious mood disorder. Those who suffer from depression experience persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. Aside from the emotional problems caused by depression, individuals can also present with a physical symptom such as chronic pain or digestive issues. To be diagnosed with depression, symptoms must be present for at least two weeks. The five main warning signs of mental illness are as follows: Excessive paranoia, worry, or anxiety. Long-lasting sadness or irritability. Extreme changes in moods. Social withdrawal. Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping pattern. Depression can be more than a constant state of sadness or feeling “blue.”Major depression can cause a variety of symptoms. Some affect your mood, and others affect your body. Symptoms may also be ongoing, or come and go. The symptoms of depression can be experienced differently among men, women, and children differently. Men may experience symptoms related to their: Mood, such as anger, aggressiveness, irritability, anxiousness, restlessness Emotional well-being, such as feeling empty, sad, hopeless Behavior, such as loss of interest, no longer finding pleasure in favorite activities, feeling tired easily, thoughts of suicide, drinking excessively, using drugs, engaging in high-risk activities Sexual interest, such as reduced sexual desire, lack of sexual performance cognitive abilities, such as inability to concentrate, difficulty completing tasks, delayed responses during conversations sleep patterns, such as insomnia, restless sleep, excessive sleepiness, physical well-being, such as fatigue, pains, headache, digestive problems 14 Women may experience symptoms related to their: mood, such as irritability emotional well-being, such as feeling sad or empty, anxious or hopeless behavior, such as loss of interest in activities, withdrawing from social engagements, thoughts of suicide cognitive abilities, such as thinking or talking more slowly sleep patterns, such as difficulty sleeping through the night, waking early, sleeping too much physical well-being, such as decreased energy, greater fatigue, changes in appetite, weight changes, aches, pain, headaches, increased cramps Bipolar The American Psychological Association said that Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes changes in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. People with bipolar disorder experience intense emotional states that typically occur during distinct periods of days to weeks, called mood episodes. Eating Disorders Eating disorders are a range of psychological conditions that cause unhealthy eating habits to develop. They might start with an obsession with food, body weight, or body shape. What Is Anorexia Nervosa? Many people worry about gaining too much weight. But in some people the worry becomes obsessive, resulting in a condition called anorexia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that can result in severe weight loss. A person with anorexia is preoccupied with calorie intake and weight. People with anorexia nervosa eat an extremely low calorie diet and have an excessive fear of gaining weight. They often feel better about themselves when they lose weight. They may also exercise excessively. Anorexia is most commonly diagnosed in adolescent women, but it’s been diagnosed in older and younger women and in men. What is bulimia nervosa? Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder, commonly referred to simply as bulimia. It’s a serious condition that can be life-threatening. It’s generally characterized by binge eating followed by purging. Purging can occur through forced vomiting, excessive exercise, or by taking laxatives or diuretics. People with bulimia often have an unrealistic body image. They are obsessed with their weight and are intensely self-critical. Research indicates that roughly 1.5 percent of women and.5 percent of men will experience bulimia at some point during their life. It is most common in women and especially common during the teenage and early adult years. Up to 20 percent 15 of college-age women report symptoms of bulimia. Performers are also at greater risk for eating disorders, as are athletes whose bodies and weights are closely monitored. And dancers, models, and actors may also be at a higher risk. What Is Mental Health? According to World Health Organization “Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” Managing Extreme Emotions and Live Mentally Healthy Handling stress and emotions vary from one person to another. This basically is in accordance with how a person looks onto his current circumstances. A number of variables may either aggravate or simplify the issue or concern to how well people can his stress and extreme emotions. 1. Seek help from those who understand your concern particularly with your family and those mental health professionals. 2. Explore on those issues that gives you much stress and is subjecting you to extreme emotions. Knowing everything about your issues and worries will shed light and provide you enlightenment. 3. Be Positive “Positive thoughts attract positive people and positive events according to the “The Secret”. One should start from an attitude of gratitude so he may see the things that he possesses rather than his deficiencies. 4. Practice proper breathing technique to relax your muscles your body and your mind. During moments of stress and extreme emotions by breathing in four counts (“inhale 1,2,3,4”) and exhale 8 counts (:exhale 1,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1). Repeat again and again and feel your system relaxing 5. Use Mantra look unto a mirror and do positive self-talk. Focus on your beauty, your strengths, your uniqueness and the things that you have. Practice deep breathing while doing this and start believing in you through positive self-talk. An example of these statements are: There’s no need to worry! Everything will be fine! I’ll cross the bridge when I get there One step at a time my dear! You’re the best, you can do it. 6. Humor is helpful in these circumstances. One should find comic relief by watching funny films and reading feel-good books. 7. Keep yourself busy. An idle person is subjected to more negativity as he is preoccupied more with these issues. Tendency is just to discuss more about his hurts and pains as there is nothing relevant pre-occupies him. 8. Protect yourself by improving your self-esteem. A person with high sense of self-esteem develops a shield that will secure him from greater pain. If one has a positive assessment of his over-all worth then he creates a positive outcome in his life. 16 B. Death of a loved one C. Watching your favorite TV show D. Conflict with your best friend 4. All, EXCEPT one, are signs of stress; which one? A. Excessive sweating B. Laughing C. Nausea D. Chest pains 5. All, but one, are other major causes of stress: a. Care of the elderly b. Drug and alcohol abuse c. Domestic violence d. Listening to your favorite song 6. True/False. Positive emotions usually cause stress. 7. True/False. Stress response can actually cause harm if it leads to a state of chronic stress. 8. True/False. Getting ready for prom/senior’s ball is an example of a positive stress situation. 9. True/False. It is not important to prioritize tasks and break them down into manageable steps. 10. True/False. Stress response is intended to give you a burst of energy so you are able to fight off attackers or run away from them effectively. Note: Please check your answers in the answer key section. If you got a perfect score of 10, you may skip the module but if you got 9 or lower, I suggest that you take the learning module earnestly. DO THIS! Recognizing Stress The first step of learning how to manage stress is to learn how to recognize it. Understanding how stress affects you helps you understand what you can do to manage your stress. Write your answer in your journal notebook. 1. Write down the stressors that are in your life right now. 2. Prioritize your stressors from most stressful to least stressful. 3 EXPLORE What do you understand about “stress?” Have you experienced stress? Dictionary definitions do not quite capture the meaning of stress as it is seen and experienced in the world of work. One of Webster’s definitions describes it as an “…emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension.” A practical way of defining stress is the feeling one gets from prolonged, pent-up emotions. If the emotions you experience are pleasant and desirable—joy, elation, ecstasy, and delight—you usually feel free to let them show. They are not suppressed. Therefore, positive emotions do not usually cause stress. Negative emotions, on the other hand, are more often held inside. They are hidden. You suffer quietly and you experience stress. Do not confuse positive situations with positive emotions. A wedding, for example, is a positive situation that often brings about the negative emotions of anxiety and tension. So stress can exist in great situations. KEEP THIS IN MIND Keep Stress Under Control There are many effective ways to handle stress. Of course, you can’t avoid stress—in fact, you wouldn’t want to avoid all stress, because you’d never grow. However, you can manage your life so that you survive the emotional down times without allowing stress to engulf you. Also, you can work to eliminate controllable stress factors, such as running late or not getting enough sleep. But when stress is constant or too great, your wisest option is to find ways to reduce or control it. You need not, and should not, live your life in emotional stress and discomfort. Stress can be successfully managed. Here are some suggestions that may help. Understand the Causes of Stress Understanding why you are under stress is important. This may seem obvious, but it requires deliberate, conscious effort to pause and simply ponder your situation. By now, you are familiar with the stress response, the emotional or physical symptoms of uncontrolled stress. Now you need to try to discover the stressors, the factors of which create the stress in your life. 4 Analyze your Stress Factors and Write Them Down Write down your response to stress. For example, you may write down, “I feel tired most of the time. My lower back seems to ache all through the day and night. I miss deadlines and run behind schedule.” Analyze stress responses and consequences, and consider each item, and ask why. “Why am I feeling tired? Why does my back ache? Why do I run behind schedule? Carefully consider each answer, because the answers will reveal stressors, such as deadlines, anxieties, trying to do so much, managing time or money poorly, or poor health habits. Deal with the Stressors Develop techniques to deal with the causes of stress. The longer you avoid dealing with the stress factors, the more the stress will build up. If tension comes because you have put off an unfinished task, restructure your priorities so you can get the task that you have been avoiding out of the way and off your mind. Learn to Work under Pressure or Unusual Conditions When you can’t reduce the stressors, you need to manage your stress response. Almost everyone, at least at some point, has to meet deadlines, keep several jobs going at once, resolve problems that come up, and do extra work when necessary. However, when the pressure mounts, you can relieve it. Relaxation is key—but most people must train themselves to relax when the pressure is on. Some tips to relax when under pressure are the following:  Stop for a moment (especially when you feel your muscles tightening up) and take a few deep breaths.  Do a relaxing exercise. Swing your hands at your sides and stretch.  Take a “power nap.” Lie down and totally relax for a few minutes.  Find time to do the things you enjoy.  Leave your study area for a while to take a brisk walk.  Find a quiet place to read a magazine or novel during break or at lunch.  If possible, look at some peaceful images such as forests, beaches, etc. These images can initiate a relaxation response.  Look up.  Keep something humorous on hand, such as a book of jokes. 5 Source: The Nemours Foundation, available from kidshealth.org Stress Management Stress and change are part of our lives. We all talk about stress, but we are not always clear about what it is. This is because stress comes from both the good and bad things that happen to us. If we did not feel any stress, we would not be motivated to do anything. Too much stress, however, can negatively impact our mental wellness. It also may put students at greater risk of becoming involved in risk-taking behaviors. In senior high, students are becoming increasingly more responsible for their own use of time. Often, they are beginning to learn how to manage multiple tasks and expectations e.g., academic work, extra-curricular activities, family, friends and work. Learning how to prioritize tasks and breaking them down into manageable steps are important skills to learn for managing stress. Causes and Effects of Stress Just as there is great variety of emotions you might experience, there are many possible manifestations of stress – in your private life and in your working life. The following are some words that describe the emotions associated (as cause and effect) with stress:  Anxiety  Tension  Pressure  Anger  Misery  Panic  Strain  Dejection  Desperation Prolonged stress can be devastating; burnout, breakdown, and depression are some of the potential results of long-term, unmanaged stress. By wearing a mask, you may expect to hide stress caused by problems in your personal life and not let them influence your performance on the job. This will probably not work. The more you try to hold your emotions in, the greater the pressure buildup will be. Everyday frustrations cause stress buildup From the time you wake up until you go to sleep, you may be confronted with a succession of stressful situations. Managing to get yourself (and possibly a spouse and children) out of bed and ready to face the day can be a challenge to your patience and ingenuity. Driving to school or work can be harrowing – e 6 specially if you are running late. You may experience frustration in arranging to get the car repaired. You may face conflicts in school or at work, such as coping with unrealistic deadlines, equipment failures, or unexpected bad weather. If part of your job is selling, you may experience feelings of rejection when most of your customers say “no.” A series of stressful and frustrating experiences throughout the day can cause you to lie awake at night in an emotional turmoil – unable to get needed rest. You face the next day with less emotional and physical stamina. After another stressful day and another night without rest, you may have even less emotional strength and stability. Therefore, stress buildup, if not resolved, continues day after day. Problems in our personal life can be devastating Surviving the normal, everyday stress described earlier can be difficult. But far more serious and painful circumstances can create long- term stress. More serious stressful circumstances may include separation from loved ones, personal illness or illness of a loved one, death of someone you care about, or conflict with a spouse or close friend. Other major causes of stress are problems with drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, care of children and elderly relatives, chronic mental illness, injury, physical handicaps, and even moving to a new home, if you have lived in the same place for more than 10 years. The list goes on. Managing your personal finances can be another stressful experience. This can be a problem no matter your income level, but it is especially difficult if you must support a family and do not earn enough to live comfortably. Unpaid bills, unwise use of credit, and budget limitations can make life difficult. A common cause of stress is dealing with life’s transitions This is especially true when a person must cope with too many transitions all at once. For example, Ellen has just completed a program in fashion merchandising. She is eager to get started on her new job. Her mother is ill and requires care. Her father died a few months ago. Ellen’s new job requires that she relocate to a town 100 miles from home. The move, a new career, and a change in family relationships may cause excessive stress for her. Too many changes have arrived at the same time. Source: Personal Development for Life and Work, 8th Ed., by Wallace, H.R. & Masters, L.A., 2001. 7 Stress Response Your stress response is the collection of physiological changes that occur when you face a perceived threat—when you face situations where you feel the demands outweigh your resources to successfully cope. These situations are known as stressors. When your stress response is triggered, a series of changes occur within your body. They include the following:  Redirection of blood away from extremities and instead to major organs.  The release of cortisol and other hormones, which bring other short- and long-term changes.  The stress response is intended to give you a burst of energy so you are able to fight off attackers or run away from them effectively.  This helped our ancestors, who faced numerous physical threats, to stay safe.  However, now our threats tend to be less physical and more associated with our way of life—a challenge to our status, a demand for performance, etc. In addition to giving us a set of changes that may not match our needs as well (it might be more effective for us to have a burst of mental clarity or wisdom than a burst of physical strength, for example), the stress response can actually cause harm if it leads to a state of chronic stress—that is, if our stress response is triggered, and then our body doesn’t go back to its normal state via the relaxation response. APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED Growing Up Stressed Direction: We all have certain things, situations, or people that cause us to lose our composure from time to time. Determine what causes stress for you by completing this activity. When you begin to identify your stressors, you can become skilled at preventing negative consequences. Place an X next to each factor that causes you stress. There are blank spaces provided so you can add your own. Write your answer in your journal. 8 cope with future stressors. Have all students stand with comfortable space between each other or seated in a chair. Give the following directions: 1. Stand straight with feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Relax your arms and hands. 3. Relax your body. 4. Close your eyes. 5. Focus on lower abdomen (belly) and imagine a small balloon in that space. 6. Breath in slowly and deeply through nostrils, imagining the balloon inflating (getting bigger/larger/growing) slowly, hold a few seconds. 7. Slowly exhale through the mouth, imagining the balloon gently deflating (getting smaller, shrinking); blow out of the mouth as if blowing out a candle. 8. Tip: Place a hand over the lower abdomen to feel it go up and down, and make sure you’re not breathing with the chest. 9. Repeat at least 10 times. How different does your body feel after the exercise? (Are you more relaxed/calm? Do you feel lighter? Great? Tired?) **Belly breathing is one of the strategies that one can do in stressful situations, but there are others too. Source: http://www.healthiersf.org/resources/pubs/stressRed/StressReductionActivities.pdf REFLECT! PORTFOLIO NO. 5 Stress Survival Kit People deal with stress differently. Survival kits are essential to prepare before a crisis. Sometimes, we also need to prepare survival kits for stressful situations, before they happen. In this activity, you will be making your own survival kits that will help cope with stress within your everyday lives. Write your responses in your journal. 10 1. Choose 3 objects or symbols that make you feel relaxed to include in your kit.  You can make symbols.  You can use words or pictures.  You can use an object from your home. 2. Think about how the symbol helps you when you are dealing with stress and stressful situations. 3. Write a paragraph for each symbol or object in your kit and how it helps you cope with stress in your everyday life. 4. Sharing a part of your kit with peers may be a follow-up activity. Source: Mental Health Kit Manual, Junior High School, Alberta Health Services (https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/programs/ps-7344-full-manual.pdf) GLOSSARY The following terms used in this module are defined as follows: Anxiety - apprehensive uneasiness or nervousness usually over an impending or anticipated ill Frustration - a deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled need Life’s transition - periods in life involving lots of change to your lifestyle. They might also be a result of important events that make you stop and evaluate your life Stimulus - an agent (such as an environmental change) that directly influences the activity of a living organism or one of its parts (as by exciting a sensory organ or evoking muscular contraction or glandular secretion) Stress - one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium Stressor - a stimulus that causes stress ANSWER KEY TRY THIS! 10. True 5. d 9. False 4. b 8. True 3. c 7. True 2. a 6. False 1. c 11 EXPLORE In the next lesson, we will talk about new scientific discoveries about the brain, and how these affect learning. But first, kindly answer the following questions in your journals. 1. What is the brain and how does it work? 2. What happens inside your brain when you learn something new? KEEP THIS IN MIND BRAINPOWER: COMPLEX ORGAN CONTROLS YOUR EVERY THOUGHT AND MOVE By now, you already have an idea about why and how you came here. You got to this article because that jelly-like mass topping off your spinal cord fired electrical signals to your hand telling it how to move. You got to this article because your brain stored information about using a computer and the definition of words that you learned years ago. You got to this article because your brain is working. Keep reading to find out how it functions, if it repairs itself and if the effects of drug use are permanent. The Power to Act The brain has three major parts -- the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the brain stem. The brain stem connects the spinal cord and the brain. It controls functions that keep people alive such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and food digestion. Those activities occur without any thought. You aren't telling yourself, "Inhale. Exhale. Inhale." You're just breathing. Things are different in the cerebellum. That region controls voluntary movement. When you want to lift your fork, wave your hand, brush your hair or wink at a cutie, you form the thought and then an area in the cerebellum translates your will into action. It happens so quickly. Think about how little time passes between your desire to continue reading this sentence and the time it takes your eyes to move to this word or this one. It seems automatic, but it isn't. Neurons, the basic functional units of the nervous system, are three-part units and are key to brain function. They are comprised of a nerve cell body, axon and dendrite, and they power the rapid-fire process that turns thought into movement. The thought moves as an electrical signal from the nerve cell down the axon to a dendrite, which looks like branches at the end of nerve cells. The signal jumps from the end of the dendrite on one cell across the space, called a synapse, to the 5 dendrite of another cell with the help of chemicals called neurotransmitters. That signal continues jumping from cell to cell until it reaches the muscle you need to wave, wink or walk. The cerebrum is the largest of the three brain sections, accounts for about 85 percent of the brain's weight, and has four lobes. The lobes-frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital -- each have different functions. They get their names from the sections of the skull that are next to them. The parietal lobe helps people understand what they see and feel, while the frontal lobe determines personality and emotions. Vision functions are located in the occipital lobe, and hearing and word recognition abilities are in the temporal lobe. A Critical Age Because the brain's healthy functioning is essential to living and determines quality of life, doctors emphasize protecting the organ from injury and chemical abuse. There is a consensus among researchers that brain cells regenerate throughout life, said Doug Postels, a pediatric neurosurgeon in New Orleans, but that new growth happens very slowly after a certain age. "The size of the brain doesn't increase much after 3," Postels explains. During the first three years of life, the brain experiences most of its growth and develops most of its potential for learning. That's the time frame in which synaptogenesis, or the creation of pathways for brain cells to communicate, occurs. Doctors generally accept that cut-off point for two reasons, Postels said. First, in situations where doctors removed parts of the brains of patients younger than 3 to correct disorders, the remaining brain sections developed to assume the role of the portions those doctors removed. But when physicians performed the same surgery on older patients, that adaptability function did not occur. Second, "We know from experiments that if you deprive people of intellectual stimulation and put them in a dark room, that it produces permanent changes in the brain," Postels said. "That occurs most dramatically before age 3. After that age, it's impossible to ethically do a study." Previous research produced information about the effects of stimulation deprivation, but modern ethical guidelines prohibit such research on people because of the potentially harmful outcome. Drug Damage Because so little recovery occurs to brains damaged after age 3, the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain might be lasting. Doctors know what inhalants, steroids, marijuana, cocaine and alcohol do to the brain when people use them. "The question scientists can't answer now is if the damage is permanent," said Sue Rusche, co-author of "False Messengers," a book on how addictive drugs change the brain. Inhalants, such as glue, paint, gasoline and aerosols, destroy the outer lining of nerve cells and make them unable to communicate with one another. In 1993, more than 60 young people died from sniffing inhalants, according to National Families in Action, a drug education center based in Atlanta. Studies have found that marijuana use hinders memory, learning, judgment and reaction times, while steroids cause aggression and violent mood swings. 6 Ecstasy use is rising among young people, Rusche said, and scientists have found that drug destroys neurons that make serotonin, a chemical crucial in controlling sleep, violence, mood swings and sexual urges. While doctors and scientists know about some effects drugs have on the brain, they don't have a full picture, Rusche said. "When people start using a drug, the scientists know nothing about it. These people are volunteering to be guinea pigs," said Rusche, who is co-founder and executive director of National Families in Action. "Once enough people take it, scientists apply for grants and start studying it. People are inventive. They find new drugs or new ways to take old drugs-like crack from cocaine. "There's a lot we won't know about until later," she said. "The classic example is cigarettes. We allowed people to smoke for 100 years before we knew about all the horrible things that nicotine will do. http://edition.cnn.com/fyi/interactive/news/brain/structure.function.html THE DOMINANT SIDE OF THE BRAIN Researchers believed that brain dominance determines a person’s preferences, problem-solving style, personality characteristics, and even career choices. For example, a right-brain individual will quickly get a feeling for a situation, while a left-brain person will usually ask a lot of questions first. The following chart reflects additional difference between left and right-brain dominance. PERSONAL PREFERENCE LEFT DOMINANCE RIGHT DOMINANCE Classical Music Popular Music Being on Time A good times Careful Planning To visualize the outcome To consider alternative To go with the first idea Being thoughtful Being active Monopoly, scrabble, or chess Athletics, art, or music There is nothing good or bad about either preference. Both orientations can be equally successful in accomplishing a single task; however, one may be more appropriate over the other depending on the situation. RESEARCH STUDY “THE BRAIN’S LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES SEEM TO WORK TOGETHER BETTER IN MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED MIDDLE-SCHOOL YOUTH” WASHINGTON- There really may be something different about the brains of math-heads. Mathematically gifted teens did better than average-ability teens and college students on tests that required the two halves of the brain to cooperate, as reported in the April issue of Neuropsychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA). 7 In the study, a joint effort of psychologists at the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences at Fort Benning, Ga. and the University of Melbourne, Australia, researchers studied 60 right-handed males: 18 mathematically gifted (averaging nearly 14 years in age), 18 of average math ability (averaging just over 13), and 24 college students (averaging about 20). Math giftedness seems to favor boys over girls, appearing an estimated six to 13 times more often. It's not known why but prenatal exposure to testosterone is suspected to be one influence due to its selective benefit to the right half of the brain. The gifted boys were recruited from a Challenges for Youth-Talented program at Iowa State University. Whereas the average Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) math score for college-bound high-school seniors is 500 (out of 800), the mathematically gifted boys' average SAT math score in middle school was 620. The boys viewed letter patterns flashed on the left or right sides of a computer screen, and had to indicate whether two patterns matched or not - a simple way of learning how the brain responds to data put before either the left or right visual field, corresponding to processing in the right or left brain because the input generally crosses over to the other side. The letter patterns were presented in three conditions - one-sided, to the right hemisphere (left eye); one-sided, to the left hemisphere (right eye); or bilaterally (both eyes). There were two types of tasks -- "local," saying two letters matched or mismatched on the small letters that went into making big letters (for example, a big T whose two strokes were made of smaller T's), and "global," saying two big letters matched or mismatched. For the average teens and college students, the left brain hemisphere was faster for local matches and the right brain hemisphere was faster for global matches. This fit prior research, which has indicated that the left hemisphere is adept at processing visual "parts," in this case the letter details, while the right hemisphere is more adept at analyzing visual "wholes," in this case the global shapes of the big letters. However, the mathematically gifted boys showed no such hemispheric differences. Those who were precocious in math were equally good at processing global and local elements with either hemisphere, suggesting more interactive, cooperative left and right brains. In addition, whereas average-ability boys and college students were slower on cooperative trials, which presented letter patterns on both sides of the screen, the math-gifted showed the opposite pattern. They were slower on one-sided trials, but when a task "asked" both sides of the brain to work together, they were considerably faster than the other boys. The study supports the growing notion that the mathematically gifted are better at relaying and integrating information between the cerebral hemispheres. Says co-author Michael O'Boyle, PhD, "It's not that you have a special math module somewhere in your brain, but rather that the brain's particular functional organization - which allows right-hemisphere contributions to be better integrated into the overall cognitive/behavioral equation -- predisposes it towards the use of high-level imagery and spatial skills, which in turn just happen to be very useful when it comes to doing math reasoning." 8 carried out using the technique. The colors and the used will help children to organize their ideas and thoughts. They can be very simple or, quite detailed depending upon the age of the children and the complexity of the subject. Because creating the mind map involves the use of the left and right brain, remembering the information becomes easier! How to draw a mind map: 1. Turn the page on its side (landscape). Use plain paper. 2. Draw the central image using different colors. The central image should encapsulate the subject of the map. 3. Add the branches representing the subject’s main topics or themes using key words or images. 4. Add detail with more key words and images. Use color. 5. Print the words clearly. 6. Use arrows to connect linked ideas. SOURCE: http://aysinalp.edublogs.org/files/2013/09/TheBrainandLearning- 1f6e16y.pdf YOU CAN GROW YOUR INTELLIGENCE New Research Shows the Brain Can Be Developed Like a Muscle. Many people think of the brain as a mystery. They don’t know much about intelligence and how it works. When they do think about what intelligence is, many people believe that a person is born either smart, average, or dumb—and stays that way for life. But new research shows that the brain is more like a muscle—it changes and gets stronger when you use it. And scientists have been able to show just how the brain grows and gets stronger when you learn. Everyone knows that when you lift weights, your muscles get bigger and you get stronger. A person who can’t lift 20 pounds when they start exercising can get strong enough to lift 100 pounds after working out for a long time. That’s because the muscles become larger and stronger with exercise. And when you stop exercising, the muscles shrink and you get weaker. That’s why people say “Use it or lose it!” But most people don’t know that when they practice and learn new things, parts of their brain change and get larger a lot like muscles do when they exercise. Inside the cortex of the brain are billions of tiny nerve cells, called neurons. The nerve cells have branches connecting them to other cells in a complicated network. Communication between these brain cells is what allows us to think and solve problems. When you learn new things, these tiny connections in the brain actually multiply and get stronger. The more that you challenge your mind to learn, the more your brain cells grow. Then, things that you once found very hard or even impossible 10 to do—like speaking a foreign language or doing algebra—seem to become easy. The result is a stronger, smarter brain. How Do We Know the Brain Can Grow Stronger? Scientists started thinking that the human brain could develop and change when they studied animals’ brains. They found out that animals who lived in a challenging environment, with other animals and toys to play with, were different from animals who lived alone in bare cages. While the animals who lived alone just ate and slept all the time, the ones who lived with different toys and other animals were always active. They spent a lot of time figuring out how to use the toys and how to get along with the other animals. Figure 3: Effect of an Enriched Environment The Key to Growing the Brain: Practice! From the first day they are born, babies are hearing people around them talk—all day, every day, to the baby and to each other. They have to try to make sense of these strange sounds and figure out what they mean. In a way, babies are exercising their brains by listening hard. Later, when they need to tell their parents what they want, they start practicing talking themselves. At first, they just make googoo sounds. Then, words start coming. And by the time they are three years old, most can say whole sentences almost perfectly. Once children learn a language, they don’t forget it. The child’s brain has changed—it has actually gotten smarter. This can happen because learning causes permanent changes in the brain. The babies’ brain cells get larger and grow new connections between them. These new, stronger connections make the child’s brain stronger and smarter, just like a weightlifter’s big muscles make them strong. 11 Figure: Growth of neuron connections in a child from birth to 6 years What Can You Do to Get Smarter? Just like a weightlifter or a basketball player, to be a brain athlete, you have to exercise and practice. By practicing, you make your brain stronger. You also learn skills that let you use your brain in a smarter way—just like a basketball player learns new moves. But many people miss out on the chance to grow a stronger brain because they think they can’t do it, or that it’s too hard. It does take work, just like becoming stronger physically or becoming a better ball player does. Sometimes it even hurts! But when you feel yourself get better and stronger, all the work is worth it! SOURCE: http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/C7BD7406-040C-42FA- B44C2FCF72EB819C/0/GrowYourIntelligenceArticleandActivity.pdf © 2010 Mindset Works APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED Task 2: MAKE A MIND MAP Direction. Read the following steps for you to create your own mind map. Write your mind map in your journal. 1. Choose a subject or activity that you do well (for example, math, basketball, playing the guitar, painting, cooking, or computer games). 2. Make a mind map of the chosen topic, following the procedure described earlier. 3. Explain your mind map and how you worked on it. Write your explanation below the mind map that you produced. Note: Check the rubric below that will be used in evaluating your work. 12 Mental health is fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life. On this basis, the promotion, protection and restoration of mental health can be regarded as a vital concern of individuals, communities and societies throughout the world. Mental health promotion involves actions that improve psychological well- being. This may involve creating an environment that supports mental health. Source: World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact- sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response 10 WAYS TO ENHANCE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH We all like to help others. But, when it comes to mental health, what steps can we take to support ourselves? Psychological research has revealed a range of approaches that can help you stay mentally healthy and make the most out of your life. 1. Connect with others Having deep, meaningful relationships helps mental health. Build a rich social network by flexing your communication skills. Really listen to others and be genuine, sharing your thoughts and feelings. Your relationships need not be just about sharing difficulties. Celebrate everyday positive experiences with friends. Research shows doing this boosts well-being by helping you savor good things and make great feelings last longer. 2. Keep your perspective Avoiding difficult emotions or keeping feelings to yourself reduces well-being. Those able to process their emotions well typically experience better mental health. Emotion processing involves being open to experiences and accepting all your feelings and thoughts, including the difficult ones. It helps to look for constructive solutions, think flexibly and see situations from different perspectives when you are confronted by everyday problems. 3. Develop positive habits Positive psychology has introduced the concept of ‘flourishing’. This is when you enjoy positive emotions, healthy relationships, meaning and purpose in life, and a sense of accomplishment. What can help you flourish? Research suggests acting with kindness, generosity, forgiveness and compassion towards others, cultivating a sense of gratitude and appreciation, savoring things you love, knowing and using personal strengths, being creative and feeling optimistic. 4. Live up to your values Living a life consistent with your values leads to improved well-being. Be aware of your own values – of how you would like to lead your life, behave towards 6 others, and treat yourself. Then find ways to ensure your life is in keeping with those ideals. This is better for your well-being than responding to events habitually, without awareness or purpose. 5. Be kind to yourself Treat yourself with the same kindness, concern and support you’d show a good friend facing struggles. Rather than reproaching yourself, recognize that life is full of mistakes and inadequacies. This is the essence of self-compassion, which fosters resilience in the face of adversity. 6. Improve your work-life balance We all have many roles in life. You might be a parent, a partner, an employee, a student, a daughter, a son or a sibling. It is easy to feel pulled between responsibilities and it can be tempting to sacrifice important parts of your life. This can leave you less satisfied and more stressed. Researchers suggest that working towards greater balance fosters well-being. Taking time to wind down and enjoy relaxing activities is an important part of a balanced life and helps to reduce stress. Relaxing activities, such as gardening or reading, listening to music, walking or singing, should be an important part of your routine. 7. Laugh loud, laugh often Laughter really is good medicine. Humor that expresses positive emotion and messages (rather than humor that puts yourself or other people down), is good for your mental health. It has been found to release ‘feel good’ hormones, increase optimism, improve your mood over time, and improve relationships by increasing connection and intimacy. 8. Look after your body A good lifestyle supports mental health. Research suggests that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, and regular moderate exercise, boosts your well-being. Making sure some of your exercise occurs in green spaces outside has extra benefits to mental health. Eat a well-balanced nutritious diet, exercise regularly, get out into nature, read books, avoid excessive use of alcohol, and avoid drugs. 9. Get enough sleep Getting quality sleep, and enough of it, is essential for physical and mental health. Stress, worries, big life events, changes to shift work or daily routines and changes in home life can affect our sleep. Using electronic devices such as tablets, mobile phones or even the TV before bed, can disrupt sleep, as can caffeinated drinks, cigarettes, alcohol, and some medications and drugs. Your bedroom can affect your sleep, as temperature, light and noise can all disrupt sleep. 10. Seek help when needed There are many effective treatments available for people experiencing mental health difficulties. Psychologists have a range of approaches that can help you with difficulties you may face – and they are backed by evidence. 7 Remember, delaying treatment or dropping out too early can make recovery slower. What’s more, other problems can creep in, such as relationship problems, issues with work, and other stresses. So, don’t delay. If there is seem to be a problem, see your doctor or look for a psychologist with experience in addressing your issues. Adapted from: PSYCHLOPAEDIA, https://psychlopaedia.org/top-tips/10-ways-to-help-your- mental-health/ SUPPORT STRATEGIES/COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES Here are some strategies for supporting someone with mental health concerns: Encourage the person to seek help and support from an adult. Spend time with the person, listen to his/her concerns. Be hopeful; help them feel like their life will get better. Stand by them. Invite your friend to things that you are doing; keeping busy and staying in touch with friends will help your friend feel better, when they are ready. Learn as much as you can about mental illness so that you understand what is going on for them. If you are a close friend or family member of someone with a mental health problem, make sure that you get help as well. Talk to someone about what is happening. This will help you be a better support person. Put the person’s life before your friendship. If the person mentions thoughts of suicide, don’t keep it secret, even if the person has asked you to. Source: APA Help Center, American Psychological Association, https://www.apa.or.talking - Teens 8 GLOSSARY The following terms used in this module are defined as follows: Emotional – relating to emotions. Mental Health - state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. Mental well-being - in general, is the state of thriving in various areas of life, such as in relationships, at work, play, and more, despite ups and downs. It’s the knowledge that we are separate from our problems and the belief that we can handle those problems. Physical - relating to the body of a person. Psychological – of or relating to the mind (mental). Psychological Well-being -at the most basic level, psychological well-being (PWB) is quite similar to other terms that refer to positive mental states, such as happiness or satisfaction, and in many ways it is not necessary, or helpful to worry about fine distinctions between such terms. If I say that I’m happy, or very satisfied with my life you can be pretty sure that my psychological well-being is quite high! Self-care activities - are the things you do to maintain good health and improve well-being. Social - relating to or involving activities in which people spend time talking to each other or doing enjoyable things with each other. Spiritual - of or relating to a person's spirit; having similar values and ideas. Well-being - the state of being happy, healthy, or prosperous. 11 ability to recognize rhythm, cadence, and tone. Athletic, artistic, and mechanical abilities are other types of intelligence. One important type of intelligence is emotional intelligence. DIFFERENT KINDS OF EMOTIONS 1. Afraid: feeling fear and worry 2. Angry: feeling mad with a person, act, or idea 3. Ashamed: feeling bad after doing wrong 4. Confident: feeling able to do something 5. Confused: feeling unable to think clear 6. Depressed: feeling sad, blue, discouraged, and unhappy 7. Embarrassed: feeling worried about what others may think 8. Energetic: feeling full of energy 9. Excited: feeling happy and aroused 10. Glad: feeling joy and pleasure 11. Jealous: feeling upset when someone has something that you would like to have or they get to do something you wanted 12. Lonely: feeling alone and that nobody cares 13. Proud: feeling pleased for doing well 14. Relaxed: feeling at ease and without worry, calm 15. Stressed: feeling tense, tired, uneasy, and overwhelmed 16. Joyful: happy, glad, lighthearted, pleased 17. Grateful: thankful, appreciative 18. Peaceful: relaxed, serene, at ease 19. Interested: engaged, attentive 20. Hopeful: wishful, expecting good things 21. Proud: beaming, satisfied, confident, accomplished 22. Amused: humorous, fun-loving, playful, silly 23. Inspired: creative, uplifted 24. Amazed: awed, part of something larger than ourselves 25. Loving: loved, compassionate, caring, kind Positive vs. Negative Emotions Emotions (feelings) are a normal and important part of our lives. Some emotions are positive. Think of happiness, joy, interest, curiosity, excitement, gratitude, love, and contentment. These positive emotions feel good. Negative emotions — like sadness, anger, loneliness, jealousy, self-criticism, fear, or rejection — can be difficult, even painful at times. That's especially true when we feel a negative emotion too often, too strongly, or we dwell on it too long. 6 Negative emotions are impossible to avoid, though. Everyone feels them from time to time. They may be difficult, but we can learn to handle them. Here are three steps that can help you handle negative emotions. Step 1: Identify the Emotion Learning to notice and identify your feelings takes practice. In addition to focusing on your feelings, check in with your body, too. You may feel body sensations with certain emotions — perhaps your face gets hot, for example, or your muscles tense.  Be aware of how you feel. When you have a negative emotion, such as anger, try to name what you're feeling.  Don't hide how you feel from yourself. You might not want to broadcast your feelings to other people (like your ex, for example, or that guy in your study group who is making you mad). But don't suppress your feelings entirely. Simply naming the feeling is a lot better than pretending not to have it — or exploding without thinking.  Know why you feel the way you do. Figure out what happened that got you feeling the way you do.  Don't blame. Being able to recognize and explain your emotions isn't the same as blaming someone or something for the way you feel. Your ex probably isn't seeing someone new as a way to get back at you, and the guy who takes credit for your work might not even realize what he is doing. How you feel when these things happen comes from inside you. Your feelings are there for a reason — to help you make sense of what's going on.  Accept all your emotions as natural and understandable. Don't judge yourself for the emotions you feel. It's normal to feel them. Acknowledging how you feel can help you move on, so don't be hard on yourself. Step 2: Take Action Once you've processed what you're feeling, you can decide if you need to express your emotion. Sometimes it's enough to just realize how you feel, but other times you'll want to do something to feel better.  Think about the best way to express your emotion. Is this a time when you need to gently confront someone else? Talk over what you're feeling with a friend? Or work off the feeling by going for a run? 7  Learn how to change your mood. At a certain point, you'll want to shift from a negative mood into a positive one. Otherwise your thinking may get stuck on how bad things are, and that can drag you down into feeling worse. Try doing things that make you happy, even if you don't feel like it at the time.  Build positive emotions. Positive feelings create a sense of happiness and well-being. Make it a habit to notice and focus on what's good in your life — even the little things, like the praise your dad gave you for fixing his bookshelves or how great the salad you made for lunch tastes. Noticing the good things even when you're feeling bad can help you shift the emotional balance from negative to positive.  Seek support. Talk about how you're feeling with a parent, trusted adult, or a friend. They can help you explore your emotions and give you a fresh way of thinking about things. And nothing helps you feel more understood and cared for than the support of someone who loves you for who you are.  Exercise. Physical activity helps the brain produce natural chemicals that promote a positive mood. Exercise also can release stress buildup and help you from staying stuck on negative feelings. Step 3: Get Help with Difficult Emotions Sometimes, no matter what you do, you can't shake a tough emotion. If you find yourself stuck in feelings of sadness or worry for more than a couple of weeks, or if you feel so upset that you think you might hurt yourself or other people, you may need extra help. Talk to a school counselor, parent, trusted adult, or therapist. Counselors and therapists are trained to teach people how to break out of negative emotions. They can provide lots of tips and ideas that will help you feel better. 8 ASSESSMENT Date: ___________________ I am most happy when _______________________________________________. I feel embarrassed when______________________________________________. I think negative thoughts about myself when ______________________________. I am _______________________ when __________________________________. I feel _________________________ when ________________________________. I think ________________ about _________________ when _________________. I am ___________________ when ______________________________________. I feel___________________ when _______________________________________. I think _____________ about _________________________ when _____________. GLOSSARY The following terms used in this module are defined as follows: Aggressive- behaving in an angry and violent way towards another person Assertive - disposed to or characterized by bold or confident statements and behavior an assertive leader Broadcast- to make widely known Difficult emotions such as anger, fear and sorrow, negative emotions. But there is actually no such thing as a negative emotion. Disclose -to make known or public Doormat- one that submits without protest to abuse or indignities Emotion- a strong feeling such as love or anger, or strong feelings in general. Emotional quotient-the level of a person's emotional intelligence, often as represented by a score in a standardized test. Mementos - an object that you keep to remember a person, place, or event. Passive -often disapproves, not acting to influence or change a situation; allowing other people to be in control. Positivity- the quality of having a positive attitude. Self-disclosure the process of passing on information about yourself to someone else – whether you intend to or not! The details can range from the superficial, such 11

Document Details

Tags

Related

Summary

Full Transcript

Upgrade to continue