Notes for Mr. Brown’s 11th grade Emotional Health class.

What is Mental Health?

   The National Association for Mental health defines mental health as

            #1 being comfortable with yourself.

            #2 feeling good about your relationships with others.

            #3 being able to meet the demands of life.

We studied a list of 27 Characteristics of Positive Mental Health.

http://www.jacobbrown.com/RidgewoodHealthEd/grade11-EmotionalHealth/UnitHomePages/Unit1-Who/27MHCharacteristics.jpg

Unit 3

Loss - Dealing with Loss.

From the small to the large - from bad grades to death.

Class Activity:

                Life Change Scale - change is equated with stress.  Major change = major stress

                                We studied changes and added up our score.

                Life is Difficult by Scott Peck - We read an introduction to the best selling book "The Road Less Traveled"

                                Once we understand that Life is Difficult then our lives become easier.

Stages of  Loss:

The stages are:

Denial and isolation - The "No, not me" stage.: "This is not happening to me."

Anger - The "Why me?" stage.: "How dare you do this to me?!

Bargaining - The "If I do this, you’ll do that" stage.: "Just let me live to see my son graduate."

Depression (mood)|Depression - The "It's really happened" stage.: "I can't bear to face going through this, putting my family through this."

Acceptance - The "This is going to happen" stage.: "I'm ready, I don't want to struggle anymore."

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

http://www.ekrfoundation.org/bio

Suicide:

Signs of Suicide

If someone is thinking about suicide, the following changes in behaviors might provide a clue to those around them.  A person who is contemplating suicide might:

• exhibit a drastic change in personality.
• withdraw from family and other people.
• lose interest in personal appearance.
• lose interest in schoolwork.
• have difficulty getting along with others.
• increase the use of chemicals, such as alcohol or marijuana.
• Change sleeping and eating habits drastically.
• Give away valued possessions
• Talk about getting even with parents.
• Talk about suicide.
• Talk about death.

Suicide Prevention

Ways that you can help when you suspect that someone is thinking about suicide.

1. Recognize the signs of suicide.
2. Trust your own judgment.  If you believe someone is in danger of suicide, act on your beliefs.  Do not let others mislead you into ignoring suicidal signals.
3. Tell others.  As quickly as possible, share your knowledge with parents, friends, teachers, or other people who might help in a suicidal crisis.  Do not worry about breaking a confidence if someone reveals suicidal plans to you.  You may have to betray a secret to save a life.
4. Stay with a suicidal person until help arrives of the crisis passes.
5. Listen intelligently.  Encourage a suicidal person to talk to you.  Do not give false reassurances that everything will be OK.  Listen and sympathize with what the person says.
6. Urge professional help.  Put pressure on a suicidal person to seek help from a psychiatrist, Psychologist, social worker, or other professional person during a suicidal crisis or after a suicide attempt.  Encourage the person to continue with therapy treatments.
7. Be supportive.  Show the person that you care.  Help the person feel worthwhile and wanted again.

More ideas on how to help someone in crisis:

http://www.jacobbrown.com/RidgewoodHealthEd/grade11-EmotionalHealth/UnitHomePages/Unit3-Loss/HowtoHelpThoseYouCareAbout.htm