Getting HelpGetting Help

For mental and For mental and emotional problemsemotional problems

When should you get helpWhen should you get help

If any of the following feelings or behaviors If any of the following feelings or behaviors persist persist over a period of timeover a period of time or begin to interfere with daily or begin to interfere with daily livingliving– You feel trapped with no way out, or worry all the timeYou feel trapped with no way out, or worry all the time– Your feelings affect your sleep, eating habits, school Your feelings affect your sleep, eating habits, school

work, or relationshipswork, or relationships– Your family/friends express concernYour family/friends express concern– Involvement with drugs or alcoholInvolvement with drugs or alcohol– You are becoming increasingly aggressive, violent, or You are becoming increasingly aggressive, violent, or

recklessreckless

Signs to Seek Professional HelpSigns to Seek Professional Help

Prolonged sadness for no specific reasonProlonged sadness for no specific reason Frequent outbursts of angerFrequent outbursts of anger Overwhelming fear, anxiety or angerOverwhelming fear, anxiety or anger Unexplained change in sleeping or eating Unexplained change in sleeping or eating

habitshabits Social withdrawalSocial withdrawal

Methods for seeking helpMethods for seeking help

Parents and guardiansParents and guardians TeachersTeachers School psychologist School psychologist CounselorsCounselors CoachesCoaches Clergy membersClergy members Crisis hotlinesCrisis hotlines

– Contact Crisis – (972) 233-TEENContact Crisis – (972) 233-TEEN

Therapy MethodsTherapy Methods PsychotherapyPsychotherapy – Talking to a – Talking to a

counselorcounselor– Behavior therapyBehavior therapy

Focuses on changing unwanted behaviors Focuses on changing unwanted behaviors though rewards and reinforcementsthough rewards and reinforcements

– Cognitive therapyCognitive therapy Designed to identify and correct distorted Designed to identify and correct distorted

thinking patterns thinking patterns

– Group therapyGroup therapy Treating a group of people who have Treating a group of people who have

similar problems similar problems

Biomedical therapyBiomedical therapy– medicinesmedicines

Understanding Death and Understanding Death and GriefGrief

Expression of GriefExpression of Grief CopingCoping – dealing successfully with difficult – dealing successfully with difficult

changes in your lifechanges in your life Grief response Grief response – an individual’s total – an individual’s total

response to a major lossresponse to a major loss– The response is unique to the situationThe response is unique to the situation

The Grieving Process:The Grieving Process:reactions that may occur during the reactions that may occur during the

grief responsegrief response Denial or NumbnessDenial or Numbness

– Can’t believe the loss has occurredCan’t believe the loss has occurred– Protects the person from being overwhelmedProtects the person from being overwhelmed

Emotional ReleasesEmotional Releases– Periods of cryingPeriods of crying– Recognition of the lossRecognition of the loss

AngerAnger– May lash out because of feeling powerless and unfairly May lash out because of feeling powerless and unfairly

depriveddeprived BargainingBargaining

– Promise to change if only…Promise to change if only…

The Grieving Process:The Grieving Process:reactions that may occur during the reactions that may occur during the

grief responsegrief response

DepressionDepression– Feelings of isolation, alienation, and hopelessnessFeelings of isolation, alienation, and hopelessness

RemorseRemorse– What he/she could have done to prevent the loss or What he/she could have done to prevent the loss or

make things bettermake things better AcceptanceAcceptance

– Allows the person to face reality in constructive waysAllows the person to face reality in constructive ways HopeHope

– A point where remembering becomes less painfulA point where remembering becomes less painful– Begins to look ahead to the futureBegins to look ahead to the future

Unresolved GriefUnresolved Grief

Tends to affect the grieving process at the Tends to affect the grieving process at the next occurrence of loss – causing a person next occurrence of loss – causing a person to express some emotions and responses to express some emotions and responses that have been held backthat have been held back

Coping with DeathCoping with Death

Don’t think about what you should have Don’t think about what you should have donedone

Remember the wonderful things about the Remember the wonderful things about the person and the great memoriesperson and the great memories

Seek support from othersSeek support from others

Helping others through the grieving Helping others through the grieving processprocess

SupportSupport from friends and family is important from friends and family is important during mourningduring mourning– Mourning – the act of showing sorrow or griefMourning – the act of showing sorrow or grief

Show empathy or just listenShow empathy or just listen Share memories Share memories and appreciation of the and appreciation of the

person who has passed awayperson who has passed away Grief counselingGrief counseling

– Seeing a counselor that can help work through Seeing a counselor that can help work through the grieving processthe grieving process

Coping with Disasters and CrisesCoping with Disasters and Crises

Spend time with other people and Spend time with other people and discuss your feelingsdiscuss your feelings

Get back to daily routines as Get back to daily routines as quickly as possiblequickly as possible

Eat nutritious foods, exercise, and Eat nutritious foods, exercise, and get enough rest and sleepget enough rest and sleep

Do something positive to help Do something positive to help your community through the your community through the event, such as assisting with event, such as assisting with cleanup or raising money for aidcleanup or raising money for aid