Mental and Emotional Health

What is Mental Health Generally having a positive outlook, being

comfortable with yourself and other, and being able to meet life’s challenges and demands.

Self-Esteem The confidence and worth that you feel

about yourself

How is it formed? Feedback-messages from others that indicate

what they think you are or what they think you are like

Self-Talk – feedback from yourself

Roadblocks to Mental Health All or Nothing Thinking

Expecting the Worst

Being a Perfectionist

Letting your actions or words betray your values

Needs and Personality

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

The Physiological Needs The need for:

Food Water Shelter Clothing

Security Need The need for social security in a family and

a society that protects against hunger and violence

Love & Belonging Need The need for:

Belonging Receiving Love Giving Love Appreciation Friendship

Esteem Need The need to be a unique individual with

self-respect and to enjoy general esteem from others

Self- Actualization Experiencing purpose,

meaning and realizing all

inner potentials

Question:

What are the 5 steps of Maslow's Hierarchy of

Needs?

Personality A complex set of characteristics that makes you

unique and sets you apart from everyone else. Heredity Environment Personal Behavior

Two personality types: Type A- Competitive, High Achievers Type B- Laid-Back

Modeling Copying the behaviors of those you are

exposed to

Emotions

What are Emotions? Signals that tell your mind and body how to

react. They are neither good nor bad

Identifying Emotions http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/index.shtml

Mixed Emotions- Mixed Emotions

Changes Emotions Cause Endorphins can be triggered causing “fight

or Flight” mechanism Release of chemicals that cause good

feelings and promote mental health Increase in HR, perspiration, tightening of

stomach muscles.

Love All humans need to give and receive (Maslow) Includes strong affection, deep concern, respect,

supporting growth & individual needs, and respecting that persons boundaries and values

Ways to express: Words, Actions, Facial Expressions, touch, and good

deeds Forms:

Caring for family/friends, loyalty to siblings, deep connection to your country

Empathy The ability to imagine

and understand how someone else feels

“walk in someone else’s shoes”

Anger A strong feeling of

displeasure

Fear Physical reaction to a life-threatening

situation. Can be rational or irrational (phobias) Can be inherited or instilled Sympathetic Nervous System-reacts by

preparing your body for necessary actions.

Guilt An emotional response when you think you

have done something wrong.

Handling Emotions Ask yourself: What is this feeling really

about? Do I have any control over the cause?

Consider whether or not this feeling or situation will really matter tomorrow, next week, or next year.

Remind yourself that feelings are just feelings.

Handling Emotions Use positive feelings to inspire you and

upsetting ones to motivate you to change.

Remember that you are not alone.

If the feeling doesn’t go away, seek help from a parent, trusted adult, or professional.

Defense Mechanisms Repression- Involuntary, unconscious

pushing of unpleasant feelings below the surface and out of conscious thought

Suppression- Conscious, intentional pushing of unpleasantness from one’s mind

Defense Mechanisms Rationalization- Making excuses to try to

explain a situation or behavior rather than directly taking responsibility

Regression- Turning back to behaviors more characteristic of an earlier stage of development rather than dealing with conflict in a mature manner

Defense Mechanisms Denial- Involuntary lack of

acknowledgement of something in one’s environment that is obvious to others

Compensation- Wanting to cover up weaknesses and mistakes by making them through gift-giving, hard work, or other extreme efforts

Defense Mechanisms Idealization – Seeing someone else as

perfect or more ideal or worthy, than everyone else.

Projection- Being unaware of attributing one’s own feelings or faults to another person or group even when these attributes do not apply

Displaced Aggression: taking anger out

on another person or object that was not

involved.