UNIT 2: Aspects of Personal Development 3. Deal with the stressors.

MODULE 5: Coping with Stress in Middle & Late Adolescence 4. Learn to work under pressure or unusual conditions.

Two Common Sources of Stress: Change & Loss Relaxation is key – but most people must train themselves to relax when the
STRESS is the body’s response to anything that makes us feel threatened or pressure is on.
pressured. Some tips to relax when under pressure
Webster Definition: emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. •Stop for a moment and take a few deep breaths.
•Do a relaxing exercise.
Causes & Effects of Stress •Take a “power nap”.
Anxiety - fear or nervousness about what might happen •Find time to do things you enjoy.
-a feeling of wanting to do something very much •Leave your study area for a while to take a brisk walk.
Pressure - try to force (someone) to do something •Find a quiet place to read a magazine or novel during break time or at lunch.
Misery - extreme suffering or unhappiness •If possible, look at some peaceful images.
Strain - to injure (a body part or muscle) by too much tension, use, or effort •Look up.
Desperation - strong feeling of sadness, fear and loss of hope •Keep something humorous on hand.
Tension - a feeling of nervousness that makes you unable to relax
Anger Module 6: The Powers of the Mind
Panic The brain has three major parts
Dejection - sadness that is caused by failure, loss, etc. 1. Brain Stem
- Connects the spinal cord and the brain.
THE MORE YOU TRY TO HOLD YOUR EMOTIONS IN, THE GREATER THE PRESSURE - Controls functions that keep people alive such as breathing, heart rate, blood
BUILD-UP WILL BE. pressure and food digestion.
Everyday frustrations cause stress build-up 2. Cerebellum
Problems in our personal life can be devastating - Controls voluntary movement.
A common causes of stress is dealing with life’s transitions -(You form the thought and then an area in the cerebellum translates your will
STRESS RESPONSE into action).
Your stress response is the collection of physiological changes that occur 3. Cerebrum
when you face a perceived threat – when you face situation where you feel - The largest of three brain sections
the demands outweigh your resources to successfully cope. - Accounts for about 85 % of the brains weight, and has four lobes.
These situations are known as stressors. a. FRONTAL – determines personality & emotions.
b. PARIETAL – helps people understand what they see & feel.
When your stress response is triggered, a series of changes occur within your c. OCCIPITAL – vision functions
body. They include: d. TEMPORAL – hearing & word recognition
Redirection of blood away from extremities and instead to major organs.
The release of cortisol and other hormones, which bring other short-and long- Personal Preference
term changes. LEFT DOMINANCE RIGHT DOMINANCE
The stress response is intended to give you a burst of energy so you’re able to
fight off attackers or run away from them effectively. Classical Music Popular Music
“Keep stress under control”
Here are some suggestion that may help Being on Time A good times
1. Understand the causes of stress. Careful Planning To visualize the outcome
2. Analyze your stress factors and write them down.
 To consider -Advertisements are created to do one thing: convince you to buy or support a
To go with the first idea specific product or services.
alternative
-Advertisers will often construct an emotional experience that looks like reality.
Being thoughtful Being Active -Advertisers create their message based on what they think you will want to see
and what they think will affect you and compel you to buy their product.
Monopoly, scrabble,
Athletics, art, or music
or chess SELF-ESTEEM AND BODY ESTEEM
You can grow your Intelligence Self-Esteem is all about how much you feel you are worth and how much you feel
Brain is more like a muscle. Use it or Lose it. Inside the cortex of the brain are other people value you.
billions of tiny nerve cells, called Neurons. The nerve cells have branches Body Image is how you view your physical self – including whether you feel you
connecting them to other cells in a complicated network. Communication are attractive and whether others like your looks.
between these brain cells is what allows us to think and solve problems.
For many people, especially people in their early teens, body image can be closely
Neurons - basic functional units of the nervous system. linked to self-esteem.

The thought moves as an electrical signal from the nerve cell down the axon to a What influences a person’s Self-Esteem?
dendrite, which look like branches at the end of the nerve cells. The signal jumps
from the end of the dendrite on one cell across the space, called a synapse, to PUBERTY & DEVELOPMENT
the dendrite of another cell with the help of chemicals called neurotransmitters. MEDIA IMAGES & OTHER OUTSIDE INFLUENCES
FAMILIES & SCHOOL
The more you challenge your mind to learn, the more brain cells grow.
Mental Health Challenges
The key to growing the brain: Practice Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - is pretty common and can make it
•The more a person learns, the easier it gets to learn new things. hard to focus and sit still. ADHD makes it hard to finish things, and makes thoughts
jumping around.
Module 7: Mental Health and Well-Being In Middle and Late Adolescence People who have ADHD are just smart as other people. They can still do well in
school and in life.
Mental Health - It’s the way your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect your life.
Good mental health leads to positive self-image. Anxiety (Panic Disorder) - People who have panic attacks sometimes feel scared
Unfortunately, most young people with mental health problems to go to places because they are afraid of having an attack.
don’t get any treatment for them. Their daily life can be scary, but they can get help, get better and be okay.
Getting help is a matter of understanding mental health issues
and changing your mind about them. Autism Spectrum Disorder - Hard time talking about their feelings, understanding
people’s action, and being social.
STRATEGIES FOR BECOMING A CRITICAL VIEWER OF THE MEDIA Very sensitive about being touched.
When we effectively recognize and analyze the media messages that influence us, Being hugged can be scary and uncomfortable.
we remember that the media’s definition of beauty and success do not define our They can be very good at things like math or music.
self-image or potential They still make friends and learn how to work and play with others.

Remember: Bi-Polar Disorder - When people with bi-polar disorder experience intense
-All media images and messages are constructions. They are not reflections of -feelings of happiness it is called “mania.”
reality. -sadness and tiredness, it is called “depression.”
Talking to a mental health professional, friends and family can also help someone Spend time with the person, listen to his/her concerns.
with bi-polar disorder learn how to manage feelings and live a healthy life. Be hopeful; help them feel like their life will get better.
Stand by them. Invite your friend to things that you are doing.
Depression - Makes people very sad all the time. Learn as much as you can about mental illness so that you understand what is
But people with depression can get better too, and learn how to enjoy life. going on for them.
If you are a close friend or family member of someone with a mental health
Eating Disorder problem, make sure that you get help as well.
ANOREXIA – refers to weight loss that occurs from not eating Put the person’s life before your friendship.
BULIMIA – refers to eating large amount of food over a short period of time
followed by an attempt to get rid of the food. This getting rid of food is called Help How To’s:
“purging.” First Step: Reach out to people you trust
EXTREME OVEREATING - is marked by eating, and eating, and eating and then -Healing is a combination of helping yourself and letting others help you.
having feelings of guilt and shame. -Comfort and support, information and advice, and professional treatment are
A medical doctor, a mental health professional and a nutritionist are important forms of help.
helpers for this type of problem. -Think of all the people you can turn to for support.
Second Step: Take Action
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - Kids with PTSD might have very bad dreams The more you know, the easier it is - Libraries are an excellent source of
that seem real, or think something bad is going to happen again. information about mental health. Bookstores often have “selp-help” or
But kids who are diagnosed with PTSD can learn ways to handle their fears and “psychology” sections.
can live healthy and happy lives.
Nothing is worse than nothing - Untreated problems often continue and become
Schizophrenia - makes it hard for people to know what is real and what is not real. worse, and new problems may occur.
It can make the brain think it sees or hears things that aren’t really there. For example, someone with panic attacks might begin drinking too much alcohol
Usually people do not get this illness until their late teens or early adulthood, and with the mistaken hope that it will help relieve his or her emotional pain.
there are ways to make their lives better, like therapy and medication.
It’s all in the attitude – Sometimes being able to get the help, support, and
Mental Health Issues professional treatment you need is a matter of changing your mind about mental
Mental health problems affect one in five young people at any given time. health and changing the way you react to mental health problems.
Mental illness is second only to hearth disease as the leading cause of
disability worldwide. Here are some important reminders:
The first symptoms of mental illness generally appear between the ages of 15- • Mental Health is as important as physical health.
24. • Mental Health problems are real, and they deserve to be treated.
As estimated 50% of young people with mental illness are not getting help. • It’s not the person’s fault if he or she has a mental health problems. No one is
Fear of stigma and the resulting discrimination discourage individuals and to blame.
families from getting the help they need. • Mental Health problems are not a sign of weakness.
• Whether you are male/female, it’s ok to ask for help and get it.
SUICIDE PREVENTION • There’s hope 🙂
-Suicide is leading cause of death among young people ages 15-24.
-90 % of those who die by suicide have a mental illness. HEALTHY EATING AND MENTAL HEALTH
Healthy eating nourishes the body, including the brain, and supports mental health
Support Strategies/Community Mental Health Resources through:
Encourage the person to seek help and support from an adult. • Improved overall health and vitality
 Increased ability to concentrate • UNDERSTANDING HOW OTHERS FEEL AND WHY
Reduced irritability and mood swings • MANAGING EMOTIONAL REACTIONS
Lowered risk of mental illness • CHOOSING YOUR MOOD

Sleep and Mental Health Types of Responses

Most teens need 9-11 hours of sleep every night. Passive Response - Behaving passively means not expressing your own needs
Problems from not being fully rested include: and feelings, or expressing them so weakly that they will not be addressed.
• Irritability A passive response is not usually in your best interest, because it allows other
• Difficulty concentrating & learning people to violate your rights.
• Don’t move information from short-term to long-term memory as well There are times when being passive are the most appropriate response.
• Falling asleep in class It is important to assess whether a situation is dangerous and choose the
• Mood swings and behavior problems response most likely to keep you safe.
• More accident prone
• More prone to depression Aggressive Response - Behaving aggressively is asking for what you want or
saying how you feel in a threatening, sarcastic or humiliating way that may offend
Suggestions for getting a good night sleep: the other person(s).
• Stay away from stimulants like caffeine in the evening.
• Do not go to bed hungry, have a light snack. An aggressive response is never in your best interest, because it almost always
• Turn off any TV’s, computers, or cellphones, or just do not have electronics in leads to increased conflict.
the bedroom.
• Disengage from any stimulating activities like exercise, computer games or Behaving assertively means asking for what you want or saying how you feel in an
talking on the phone for at least 30 minutes prior to bedtime. honest and respectful way that does not infringe (to wrongly limit/restrict) on
• Reading is much more relaxing and may help you fall asleep. another person’s rights or put the individual down.
• Taking a warm bath or shower helps prepare the body for sleep.
• Try a cup of hot milk. Assertive Response - An assertive response is almost always in your best
• If you are not feeling rested and functioning at your best most days, talk to interest, since it is your best chance of getting what you want without offending
your parents. You may need to speak to a doctor if you are having problems the other person(s).
sleeping in spite of trying the above tips.
At times however, being assertive can be inappropriate. If tempers are high, if
Module 8: Emotional Intelligence people have been using alcohol or other drugs, if people have weapons or if you
• Ability to understand, use, and manage our emotions. are in an unsafe place, being assertive may not be the safest choice.
• EQ helps us build strong relationships, make good decisions, and deal with
difficult situations.
• EQ, it’s part of being people-smart.
• Understanding and getting along with people help us be successful in almost
any area of life.
• Some studies show that EQ is more important than IQ when it comes to doing
well in school or being successful at work.

Improving your EQ
• Emotional Intelligence is a combination of several different skills:
• BEING AWARE OF YOUR EMOTIONS