7th Grade Chapter 5 Lesson 1 PDF

What is Mental and Emotional Health? MAIN IDEA​ ​Mental/emotional health is the ability to handle the stresses and changes of everyday life in a reasonable way​. Raul thinks of himself as a pretty normal teen. He isn’t the most popular guy in his class, but he has a few good friends. They spend a l...

What is Mental and Emotional Health? MAIN IDEA​ ​Mental/emotional health is the ability to handle the stresses and changes of everyday life in a reasonable way​. Raul thinks of himself as a pretty normal teen. He isn’t the most popular guy in his class, but he has a few good friends. They spend a lot of time together hanging out and playing basketball. He likes most of his classes in school, especially science. He’s even thought about going to college and becoming a scientist some day. Most days, he’s in a good mood, laughing and joking with his friends. Sometimes, though, he feels sad or stressed out. When that happens, he shuts himself in his room listening to music until he feels better. Raul understands that feeling this way is just a normal part of being a teen. Raul shows many signs of good mental/emotional health. He gets along well with others, has an optimistic outlook about the future, and takes a strong interest in school. He has his problems, but they never bother him for long. Some signs of good mental and emotional heath are: Having a good attitude and a positive outlook on life Recognizing your strengths and working to improve your weaknesses Setting realistic goals for yourself Acting responsibly Being able to relax and have fun, both on your own and in a group Being aware of your feelings and expressing them in a healthy way Accepting constructive feedback from others without becoming angry or defensive Being able to accept yourself and others Knowing how to adapt to new situations Showing empathy—the ability to identify with and share other people’s feelings Having good mental and emotional health is an important part of your total health. Your mental and emotional heath can affect the other sides of your health triangle, and it can also be affected by them. For example, if your physical health is poor, you might often feel tired and sick. This could make it hard for you to feel good about yourself and your life. If your social health is good, by contrast, that means you feel connected to people you trust, such as friends and family. That makes it easier for you to deal with your problems in a positive way, because you always have someone to talk to about them. READING CHECK Give Examples​ What are two signs of good mental and emotional health? How You See Yourself MAIN IDEA​ ​Your personality and self-concept are two factors that determine your mental/emotional health. One of the most important elements of mental/emotional health is the way you see yourself. Mentally and emotionally healthy teens can accept themselves as they are. This does not mean that they think of themselves as perfect, but they are aware of their own strengths and know how to put them to good use. At the same time, they recognize their weaknesses and can work to improve them without feeling down on themselves. Self-Concept Suppose you had to write an essay describing yourself. How would you begin? You might say something like, “I’m a good student,” or “I’m a big sports fan.” Many qualities go into making you yourself. As a teen, you are in the process of learning about your own personality​.​ Many factors shape your personality. Heredity is one of them. For example, if your parents are outgoing, you may be the same. Your environment and life experiences also help form your personality. You learn some behaviors from other people, such as family members, friends and peers. Your culture, your background, and your role in your family also affect your personality. Your self-concept is not the same as your personality, but the two are related. Your personality is the way others see you, while your self-concept (also known as self-image) is the way you see yourself. Your self-concept is an important part of your mental and emotional health. It affects the way you relate to yourself and the world. For example, suppose you think of yourself as a person who plays by the rules. Now think about what would happen if you became friends with some teens who are popular at school, but are often getting into trouble. Trying to fit in with this group might go against your self-concept. This might cause you to feel anxious and unhappy. Self-Esteem A major part of your self-concept is self-esteem​.​ When you have high self-esteem, you like and value yourself. You take pride in your achievements, and you face new challenges with confidence​.​ Having high self-esteem can improve all three sides of your health triangle. When you value yourself, you are more likely to take care of your body—for example, by eating right and being physically active. Self-esteem can also boost your social life. When you feel confident about yourself, you are more likely to be friendly and outgoing, which will help you make friends. Also, when you have confidence in yourself, you have a positive attitude about the future. You are more willing to take on new challenges and to stick with them if you don’t succeed at first. This means that improving your self-esteem can make you more likely to succeed in all areas of your life. Many factors can influence your self-esteem. The messages you receive from your friends and family play an important role. Supportive and loving friends and family members can build your self-esteem. Critical or hurtful messages, on the other hand, can damage it. The media can also affect your self-esteem. It can influence your ideas about how you should look, what you should buy, and how you should act. However, these messages may not always be realistic. Finally, your own attitude affects your self-esteem. When you think about yourself in a positive way, you boost your own self-esteem. Building Self-Esteem Whether your self-esteem is high or low, it can always be improved upon. You can develop skills to build your self-esteem and feel good about yourself. These skills can increase your overall level of mental/emotional health. The skills you can practice include: Set realistic goals.​ These are goals that are reasonable to accomplish. Divide your larger goals into smaller goals. You can build on each smaller success to reach your overall goal. Focus on your strengths.​ Find something you like to do, such as a hobby, school activity, or sport. Work to improve your skills. Try to enjoy yourself, even when you make mistakes. This will help you develop more confidence as well as self-esteem. Ask for help.​ Recognize and accept when you might need help. This is especially true when you are learning something new. Find someone who can help guide you. Remember that no one is perfect.​ Everyone has different abilities. You may be better at writing or swimming than some of your friends. Recognize that there is always room for improvement. Identify your weaknesses without judging yourself and make a solid effort to improve them. If others give you constructive feedback, try to learn from it. Be proud of yourself when you succeed, but know that sometimes failure is out of your control. Mistakes can teach you what doesn’t work and push you to grow. Think positively.​ Even when you’re not entirely sure of yourself, a positive attitude can help you be more confident. Being positive also helps you relate better to others. You’re likely to be more honest and honorable and to respect others’ life experiences. READING CHECK Identify​ What are two factors that influence your self-esteem? Building Resilience MAIN IDEA​ ​Developing resilience can build your self-esteem and improve mental/emotional health. When you stretch a rubber band, it snaps back into shape as soon as you let it go. Some people are like that too. After a disappointment, they get right back on their feet and keep moving forward. This quality is called resilience​. Being resilient does not mean that you never have problems. It simply means that you can face your problems and seek positive solutions. Resilience also isn’t a quality that you are born with. It is a skill you have to develop and practice throughout your life. Here are some steps you can take to build self-esteem and develop resilience: Focus on your strengths.​ Everyone has special talents or skills. If you are good with your hands, you might try activities such as crafts or woodworking. If you are a good student, consider tutoring someone who needs help. Connect with others.​ Friends, family members, and others can be an important source of support in difficult times. Take the time to build good relationships. Be there for others so that they will be there for you. Motivate yourself.​ Set realistic goals and plan out the steps needed to achieve them. Each time you reach a goal, you gain a sense of accomplishment. Keep a positive attitude.​ If you are facing a problem, try not to see it as an impossible obstacle. Focus on what you want to happen, not what you are afraid might happen. Remember that no one is perfect.​ It is normal to make mistakes, and it’s okay to ask for help when you need it. Try not to be hard on yourself if you get something wrong. Instead, try to find a way to learn and grow from the experience. READING CHECK Define​ What is resilience? Caring Good friends show both sympathy and empathy. These two words don’t mean the same thing, but they are related. ​Sympathy means being aware of other people’s feelings and showing concern for them. ​Empathy is a bit more than that. It means actually sharing in another person’s feelings. If a friend’s dog has died, you might show sympathy by knowing that your friend is sad and offering a shoulder to cry on. However, if you have ever lost a pet yourself, then you can feel empathy as well.