INTRODUCTION:INTRODUCTION:

What are the main focus areas we’ll be looking at?• Mental Health• Emotional Health• Environmental Health

MENTAL and EMOTIONALMENTAL and EMOTIONALHEALTHHEALTH

• Overall mental healthOverall mental health

• Mental illnessesMental illnesses

• FeelingsFeelings

• AssertivenessAssertiveness

• Conflict resolutionConflict resolution

• Coping with stress and depressionCoping with stress and depression

• Personal standardsPersonal standards

• Self-esteemSelf-esteem

• Communication (esp. about problems)Communication (esp. about problems)

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTHENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

• Environmental issues awareness with Environmental issues awareness with regards to personal healthregards to personal health

• Health conditions caused or Health conditions caused or exacerbated by environmental exacerbated by environmental conditionsconditions

• Other health hazards like pollution Other health hazards like pollution and living/working conditionsand living/working conditions

Why is knowing this important?Why is knowing this important?

• Contributes to self-confidence and self-Contributes to self-confidence and self-esteemesteem

• Develop effective communication skillsDevelop effective communication skills• Develop effective coping strategies, Develop effective coping strategies,

including time-management skillsincluding time-management skills• Recognize your strengths and limitationsRecognize your strengths and limitations• Develop positive healthy habitsDevelop positive healthy habits• Improve mental as well as physical healthImprove mental as well as physical health

Why is knowing this important?Why is knowing this important?

• ““A healthy body leads to a healthy mind…” A healthy body leads to a healthy mind…” but the mind is a powerful thing and can but the mind is a powerful thing and can have negative effects on the body! So, “a have negative effects on the body! So, “a healthy mind can lead to a healthy body!”healthy mind can lead to a healthy body!”

• Being a positive role model by promoting Being a positive role model by promoting healthy lifestyles and taking an active role healthy lifestyles and taking an active role in the community with regards to in the community with regards to environmental issues that have negative environmental issues that have negative health effects.health effects.

Mental HealthMental Health

Is Essential To Overall HealthIs Essential To Overall Health

What is mental health?What is mental health?

- How you think, feel, and act in order to face How you think, feel, and act in order to face life’s situations…life’s situations…- For example, how you handle stress.For example, how you handle stress.

- How you look at yourself, your life and the How you look at yourself, your life and the people in your life…people in your life…- For example, how you relate to others.For example, how you relate to others.

- How you evaluate your options and make How you evaluate your options and make choices…choices…- For example: how you make decisions.For example: how you make decisions.

Key component of mental Key component of mental health: what you think.health: what you think.

• Thinking is the cognitive component of mental health. Thinking is the cognitive component of mental health. • It’s important to recognize your thoughts and to determine It’s important to recognize your thoughts and to determine

if they are reasonable for the situation.if they are reasonable for the situation.– For example, a friend invites another friend to go to a movie. For example, a friend invites another friend to go to a movie.

Do you think “That’s OK. She can do that. I know we’ll get Do you think “That’s OK. She can do that. I know we’ll get together another time.” Or, do you think “She’s not my friend together another time.” Or, do you think “She’s not my friend anymore. A real friend would always invite only me…” anymore. A real friend would always invite only me…”

• It’s important how you respond to your thoughts.It’s important how you respond to your thoughts.– Do you let negative, damaging thoughts continue or do you Do you let negative, damaging thoughts continue or do you

stop them? For example, if you think you’ve been slighted by a stop them? For example, if you think you’ve been slighted by a friend, do you go over and over in your mind that the friend is friend, do you go over and over in your mind that the friend is hurtful, disloyal, uncaring… hurtful, disloyal, uncaring…

• Thoughts produce feelings in us.Thoughts produce feelings in us.

Key component of mental Key component of mental health: what you feel.health: what you feel.• Feeling is the emotional / sensory component of mental Feeling is the emotional / sensory component of mental

health. health. • Thoughts produce feelings.Thoughts produce feelings.

– Thinking the same thoughts over and over in your mind will Thinking the same thoughts over and over in your mind will create feelings – negative thoughts will create more negative create feelings – negative thoughts will create more negative feelings and positive thoughts will create more positive feelings.feelings and positive thoughts will create more positive feelings.

• It’s important to recognize your feelings. It’s important to recognize your feelings. – For example, “I am angry and upset!”For example, “I am angry and upset!”

• It’s important to understand where these feelings are coming It’s important to understand where these feelings are coming from.from.– Ie: your thought processes and how you interpret what’s Ie: your thought processes and how you interpret what’s

happened.happened.• It’s important how you respond to your feelings. It’s important how you respond to your feelings.

– ““I feel this way so it’s right to feel this way.” I feel this way so it’s right to feel this way.” – Ask yourself questions such as: “Is this a legitimate feeling that Ask yourself questions such as: “Is this a legitimate feeling that

is appropriate for the situation?” is appropriate for the situation?”

Key component of mental Key component of mental health: how you act.health: how you act.• Action is the behavioral component of mental health. Action is the behavioral component of mental health. • Thoughts and feelings result in actions.Thoughts and feelings result in actions.

– For example, you dwell in your mind about how your friend For example, you dwell in your mind about how your friend has slighted you until you feel really angry and then you take has slighted you until you feel really angry and then you take an action as a result of your thoughts and feelings.an action as a result of your thoughts and feelings.

• Actions can be unhealthy. Actions can be unhealthy. – For example, you could pick up the phone and yell at your For example, you could pick up the phone and yell at your

friend and damage the relationship.friend and damage the relationship.– For example, you could go out for a smoke or take a drink For example, you could go out for a smoke or take a drink

and hide away in your room.and hide away in your room.• Actions can be healthy.Actions can be healthy.

– For example, you could talk over your thoughts and feelings For example, you could talk over your thoughts and feelings with your friend or with someone else who could help.with your friend or with someone else who could help.

Thoughts, feelings, and Thoughts, feelings, and actions have impact.actions have impact.

• Since you were a young child, you Since you were a young child, you realized that your behavior had realized that your behavior had consequences.consequences.– You touched a hot stove and were burned.You touched a hot stove and were burned.– You disobeyed a rule and were disciplined.You disobeyed a rule and were disciplined.

• It’s important to also realize that there It’s important to also realize that there are consequences to the way we think are consequences to the way we think and feel. and feel.

Why is mental health so Why is mental health so important?important?

Here are just a few reasons…Here are just a few reasons…

Mental health is important Mental health is important because:because:• It affects your relationships with others:It affects your relationships with others:

– Mental health problems lead to new problems with Mental health problems lead to new problems with friends, family, law enforcement or school friends, family, law enforcement or school officials( National Mental Health Association, 1997)officials( National Mental Health Association, 1997)

• It affects how you learn: It affects how you learn: – Your attentiveness,Your attentiveness,– Your concentration,Your concentration,– Your classroom conduct,Your classroom conduct,– Your ability to organize,Your ability to organize,– Your ability to communicate.Your ability to communicate.

• Source: SAMHSA. Source: SAMHSA. http://allmentalhealth.samhsa.gov/school_modules.html#mod2http://allmentalhealth.samhsa.gov/school_modules.html#mod2

Mental health is important Mental health is important because:because:

•Mental health problems can lead to other Mental health problems can lead to other problems such as:problems such as:

– Experimenting with drugs or alcohol, Experimenting with drugs or alcohol, – Being sexually promiscuous, Being sexually promiscuous, – Being hostile and aggressive, Being hostile and aggressive, – Taking risks in behavior.Taking risks in behavior.

What can I do to help What can I do to help protect my mental health?protect my mental health?

– Eat healthfully.Eat healthfully.– Exercise adequately.Exercise adequately.– Care for your health daily.Care for your health daily.– Take time for yourself regularly.Take time for yourself regularly.– Sleep bountifully.Sleep bountifully.– Manage stress diligently.Manage stress diligently.

What can I do to help What can I do to help protect my mental health?protect my mental health?

– PlayPlay• Learn to do something new and fun Learn to do something new and fun

– Know yourselfKnow yourself• Be attuned to your thoughts and feelings.Be attuned to your thoughts and feelings.• Keep a journal.Keep a journal.• Recognize when “this just doesn’t seem like I usually Recognize when “this just doesn’t seem like I usually

think or act”.think or act”.

– Say “no” sometimes. Don’t overbook your Say “no” sometimes. Don’t overbook your schedule or your life.schedule or your life.• Make time for quiet Make time for quiet

– Turn off the cell phone, TV…Turn off the cell phone, TV…

What can I do to help What can I do to help protect my mental health?protect my mental health?

– Recognize warning signs inRecognize warning signs in• How you think,How you think,

• How you feel,How you feel,

• How you act.How you act.

– Practice stress management and other self Practice stress management and other self care strategies throughout life.care strategies throughout life.

– Know when and where to get help.Know when and where to get help.• Get help as soon as you suspect you need it.Get help as soon as you suspect you need it.

• Get help from a trained counselor or through a Get help from a trained counselor or through a medical referral.medical referral.