A Health Outside Starts

with a Healthy Inside

Abby Mills
Mental and Emotional Health
April 13, 2016
 Rationale

Mental and emotional health is such an important topic in everyones lives. All people are

susceptible to it, so it is necessary to learn about it. According to teenmentalhealth.org, the

statistics are staggering, 1 in 5 young people suffer from a mental illness, thats 20 percent of our

population but yet only about 4 percent of the total health care budget is spent on our mental

health. Learning how to deal with and understand your own and others mental and emotional

health is a beneficial skill to have throughout life. Throughout this unit, students will learn how

to live a life that is mentally and emotionally healthy.

Being a teenager is one of the hardest times in a persons life. This is the time where

people grow into their bodys, create relationships, and mold themselves into the person the wish

to be for the rest of their life. With all of these new changes, often comes the development of

mental and emotional health disorders. The more common disorders are anxiety and depression.

According to adaa.org, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S.,

affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18% of the population. With

anxiety or depression affecting a person throughout these changes in their life, it can slow down

the change or change the outcome completely. Learning how to overcome mental and emotional

disorders such as anxiety and depression can help keep the normal changes of a teenager on

track.

As students are growing up, they will continue to face new challenges every day. This

unit will prepare the students to figure out how to not only overcome the challenges, but to do so

while keeping their mental and emotional health in check. My hope is to allow for each student

to come to an understanding and an acceptance of their current emotional and mental health
status and learn the best strategies to deal with it. Every student will be different when it comes

to their mental and emotional health. My hope is to allow for each student to come to an

understanding and an acceptance of their current emotional and mental health status and learn the

best strategies to deal with it.

 Expected Student Outcomes

Cognitive:

1. Students will be able to list and define 10 mental health disorders and provide 2 side

effects of each
2. Students will be able to list and define 10 emotional health disorders and provide 2 side

effects of each
3. Students will be able to list 10 risk factors for mental health disorders
4. Students will be able to list 10 risk factors for emotional health disorders
5. Students will be able to distinguish the difference between good character and bad

character
6. Students will be able to list 12 personality characteristics that promote good health
7. Students will be able to describe 3 addictions and who the addiction is more common to

affect.
8. Students will be able to list and describe 5 ways to manage stress
9. Students will be able to define depression and list 3 characteristics of depression.
10. Students will be able to determine which stage of grief a person is in based on their

characteristics

Psychomotor

1. Students will be able to create a positive social and emotional environment

2. Students will be able to construct a scenario in which you speak with someone you

believe is suffering from mental and emotional health that will be acted out
3. Students will be able to align symptoms of mental and emotional health with the correct

category on the while board

4. Students will be able to professionally speak to someone suffering with a mental and

emotional health disorder based on their specific disorder

5. Students will be able to develop and record positive internal messages for themselves
6. Students will be able to conduct a character check on themselves
7. Students will be able to create a positive social and emotional environment
8. Students will be able to create a role play with a partner involving the expressing

emotions in a healthy way

 9. Students will be able to create defending points for a debate on if staying connected on

social media is a stressor or not

10. Students will be able to create a survey to see the percentage of their peers affected by

Facebook depression

Affective

1. Students will be able to assume responsibility for their own mental and emotional health
2. Students will be able to demonstrate concern for people with mental and emotional health
3. Students will be able to develop awareness for their own mental and emotional health
4. Students will be able to display positive attitudes towards people who are suffering from

mental and emotional health

5. Students will be able to have a willingness to convince someone suffering from mental

and emotional health to seek medical attention

6. Students will be supportive of peers struggling in dealing with the loss of a loved ones
7. Students will be able to enjoy building happiness in their own life
 Standards of Learning
Essential Health Concepts
9.1 The student will apply health knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain long-term health and
wellness.
a) Describe the importance of health habits that promote personal wellness.
b) Explain how alcohol and other drugs increase the risk of injury.
c) Identify signs, symptoms, and sources of stress and anxiety at home, at school, and with peers.
d) Describe the positive and negative impacts of social networking.
e) Identify signs and symptoms of depression, risk factors for suicide, and risk factors for other
self-destructive behaviors.
f) Explain the relationship between body image and eating disorders.
g) Evaluate how social environments affect health and well-being.
h) Identify causes of conflict with friends and family.

Healthy Decisions
9.2 The student will explain the impact of health risks and identify strategies and resources to limit risk.
a) Develop a personal system for coping with distress and stress.
b) Identify appropriate coping and resiliency strategies to manage symptoms of stress, anxiety,
loss, and depression.
c) Demonstrate peaceful resolution of conflicts.
d) Explain the importance of community mental health services.
e) Discuss the causes, symptoms, harmful effects, and treatment of eating disorders.
f) Evaluate strategies for improving the societal and environmental conditions that contribute to
health.

Advocacy and Health Promotion

9.3 The student will demonstrate skills to advocate for personal and community health.
a) Identify school and community mental health resources.
b) Determine how to help a friend exhibiting signs of depression, anxiety, disordered eating, or
other self-harming behavior.
 Outline
I. I will develop good character
A. Values and Character
1. A family value is a standard that is held by members of a family
a. EX. A family may have a high value on education so the family will
encourage all their children to learn new ideas and new skills to do well in
school
2. Character is a persons use of self-control to act on responsible values.
3. Self-Control is the degree to which person regulates her own behavior
a. EX. Suppose a person who values honesty is accidentally given too much
change by a grocery store clerk. Because this person values honesty, she uses
her self-control and avoids the temptation to keep the change.
4. Moderation is placing limits to avoid excess
5. Delayed gratification is the voluntary postponement of an immediate reward in
order to complete a task before enjoying a reward
a. EX. Suppose a student who values education has a test tomorrow morning and
needs to study for it. The NBA championship game is on but this student uses
her self-control to study for the test instead
6. People who have good character set limits for themselves. Their behavior reflects
responsible values. They practice delayed gratification when it is appropriate.
B. Self-Esteem
1. Self-esteem is ones belief about ones own worth
2. Positive self-esteem is a persons belief that he is worthy and deserves respect
3. Negative self-esteem is a persons belief that he is not worthy and does not
deserve respect
4. It is important to encourage young people to develop positive self-esteem based
on responsible actions, for several season
a. People with positive self-esteem are more likely to practice life skills
b. They take responsibility for their health by keeping their body, mind, and
relationships in top condition.
c. People with positive self-esteem are more likely to take calculated risks to
mature
5. Self-efficacy is a persons belief in his or her capability or ability to perform a
behavior or a skill in a desired way
1. People with high self-efficacy are confident that they can achieve personal
goals
6. Self-respect is a high regard for oneself because one behaves in responsible ways
a. Other people will tend to be respectful towards a person who behaves
responsibly and has self-respect
7. Conceit is excessive appreciation of ones own worth
C. Developing good character and improving self-esteem
1. To possess good character, ones actions must reflect responsible values
2. People should periodically conduct a character check on themselves
a. They do so by listing responsible values and then conducting a self-evaluation
to determine whether their own actions reflect these values
 b. Another good character check is to ask for feedback from responsible adults
who have good character
3. To improve self-esteem, ones belief statements must be responsible
a. A person must have a set of belief statements that motivate him to behave in
responsible ways
4. Some guidelines for individuals to show self-respect
a. Pay attention to your appearance
b. Make a list of responsible actions and review the list often
c. Be a friend to yourself by enjoying activities, such as hobbies, by yourself
d. Write your feelings in a journal
e. Make spending time with family members a priority
f. Care for other people in the way you would like to be cared for
g. Let other people know what helps you feel special
h. Support the interests of family members and friends, and ask them to support
you interests
i. Ask family members and friends to tell you examples of your actions that you
have shown character
j. Get plenty of exercise to generate feelings of well-being
1. Beta-endorphins are substances produced in the brain that create a feeling
of well-being
5. An important movement in education is character education
a. Character education involves efforts to positively influence the character of
students
b. Helps students learn qualities such caring, responsibility, respect for oneself
and others, fairness, trustworthiness, citizenship, and self-restraint promote a
healthy, safe, and supportive learning
II. I will interact in ways that help create a positive social-emotional environment
A. Social- Emotional Environment
1. The social-emotional environment is the quality of the contacts a person has with
the people with whom he or she interacts.
a. A positive social-emotional environment improves health status by allowing a
person and others to comfortably communicate needs, wants, and emotions
B. Social- Emotional Environments and Health Status
1. A social-emotional booster is a interpersonal contract that helps a person feel
encouragement and support, choose responsible behavior, and recognizes options
2. A negative social-emotional environment exists when a person experiences too
many social emotional pollutants.
3. A social-emotional pollutant is an interpersonal contact that closes options or may
cause a person to feel discouraged and alone of to choose wrong behavior
4. 10 ways that a positive social-emotional environment improves health status
a. Improves self-respect
b. Provides support for responsible behavior
c. Provides the support and encouragement you need to take calculated risks
d. Allows you to correct mistakes, forgive yourself and move on
e. Helps you be resilient
f. Helps you be optimistic
 g. Reduces stress
h. Helps prevent and relieve depression
i. Helps to prevent and relieve depression
j. Helps to prevent feelings of loneliness and alienation
k. Reduces the risk of psychosomatic disease
C. Strategies to improve the social-emotional environment
1. Minimize or avoid contact with people who put you down
a. Evaluate the positive and negative effects of various relationships such as
peers, family, and friends
2. Use positive self-statements if you are with a person or group of persons who are
negative
a. Evaluate the dynamics of your relationships with peers and family
b. Evaluate the dynamics of the social groups to which you belong
3. Spend time with a mentor
a. The significant people in your life may not give you social-emotional boosters
b. They may ignore your needs, wants, and emotions
4. Join a support group
a. The people in the support group can provide you with social-emotional
boosters
5. Expand the network of people with whom you communicate needs, wants, and
emotions
a. Remember, you need social-emotional boosters to maintain physical and
emotional health
6. Give others social-emotional boosters
a. Contribute to the quality of the social-emotional environment by supporting
and encouraging peers, friends, and family members
III. I Will Develop Healthy Personality Characteristics
A. Personality
1. Personality is an individuals unique pattern of characteristics
2. An individuals personality is what makes that person different from others
3. There are many influences on personality such as
a. Heredity: helps determine ones intellectual abilities, temperament, and
talents
b. Environment
c. Attitudes
d. Behaviors
B. Personality Characteristics That promote Good Health
1. Ambition
2. Compassion
3. Confidence
4. Cooperativeness
5. Courage
6. Dedication
7. Enthusiasm
8. Faithfulness
9. Generosity
 10. Honesty
11. Hopefulness
12. Loyalty
13. Optimism
14. Patience
15. Perceptiveness
16. Persistence
17. Reliability
18. Resilience
19. Resoluteness
20. Respectfulness
21. Security
22. Self-determination
23. Self-discipline
24. Sincerity
IV. I Will Choose Behaviors to Promote a Healthy Mind
A. Mental Alertness and Mental Health
1. To be alert is to be quick to perceive and act, to be watchful and intelligent
2. People who are alert are interested in what is going on in their lives
a. They understand they will have problems and disappointments to
overwhelm them
b. People who are mentally alert understand that their minds need exercise
just as their bodies do
3. The difference between mental health and having a mental disorder is often
very slight
B. Strategies for a Healthy Mind
1. A healthy mind is important for performing normal activities of daily living
2. A healthy mind makes it possible to communicate with your friends and
family, to function effectively at work and school, and to perform other
important activities in your life
3. Exercise
a. Physical activity is beneficial for the mind as well as the body
b. Exercise improves blood flow to the brain and other organs resulting in
memory, creativity, problem-solving skills, and overall conditioning of
your body
c. Regular participation in physical activity helps to prevent feelings of stress
anxiety, and depression from building up
d. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children
and adolescents should participate in 60 or more minutes of moderate-to-
vigorous physical activity on a daily basis
4. Get enough sleep
a. Allowing the brain and body to get enough sleep in an important strategy
for having a healthy mind
b. Sleep has both physical and mental benefits
1. During sleep the mind and body renew their energy stores and rebuild
mental energy
 2. Too little sleep can result in memory problems
5. Learn new skills
a. Mental activity is important to keep your mind sharp
b. Here are some ideas for ways to challenge your mind
1. Learn a foreign language
2. Learn to play a musical instrument
3. Switch careers or start a new one
4. Start a new hobby, such as dancing, yoga, genealogy, or painting
5. Volunteer to help others
6. Take a class
c. It is important to be a lifelong learner, constantly learning new things
C. Protect your head
1. Injuries to the head can affect your mental ability
2. Head injuries can result in memory loss and other cognitive declines
3. Take precautions to protect your head when you participate in physical and
recreational activities
D. Avoid Addictions
1. An addiction is a compelling need to take a drug or engage in a specific
behavior
2. Types of addictions
a. Drug addiction
1. The compelling need for a drug even though it harms the body, mind,
or relationships
b. Exercise addiction
1. The compelling need to exercise
c. Eating disorders
1. A mental disorder in which a person has a compelling need to starve,
binge, or binge and purge
d. Food addiction
1. Food addiction is an obsessive and excessive craving for consumption
of foods high in sugar, salt, and fat
e. Gambling addiction
1. The compelling need to bet money or other valuables
f. Nicotine addiction
1. The compelling need for nicotine; also known as nicotine dependence
g. Perfectionism
1. The compelling need to do everything perfectly
h. Relationship addiction
1. The compelling need to be connected to another person
i. Sexual addiction
1. The compelling need for sexual activity without any commitment to a
sexual partner
j. Shopping addiction
1. The compelling need to purchase things
k. Television addiction
 1. The compelling need to watch TV and other forms of entertainment
media; a similar form of addiction is found among people who
excessively use computers
l. Thrill-seeking addiction
1. The compelling need to take unnecessary risks
m. Workaholism
1. The compelling need to work to fill an emptiness
n. Internet addiction
1. The compelling need to be in online activities such as social
networking, personal messaging, chat rooms, online gaming, email, or
cyber sexual activities
o. Cyberporn addiction
1. The compelling need to view online pornography or participate in
online sex chat rooms
E. Manage Stress
1. When your stressed, your brain releases hormones that can damage your brain
if youre exposed to them for days at a time
2. Chronic stress can make you feel depressed or anxious feelings that can
interfere with the way your brain processes memories
F. Build Happiness in your Own Life
1. According to Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychologist, a portion of your happiness
is fixed by our genes, but it accounts for only about half of our propensity to
be happy
2. Another 10% is due to circumstances, but around 40% is subject to influences
under our own control
3. 8 practical ways for building happiness
a. Count your blessings
b. Practice acts of kindness
c. Savor lifes joys
d. Thank a mentor
e. Learn to forgive
f. Invest time and energy in friends and family
g. Take care of your body
h. Develop strategies for coping with stress and hardships
G. Have a social life
1. Being socially active sustains feelings of self-worth and in the long term may
help in maintaining memory and cognitive function
2. Socializing with others requires attention, effort, and alertness, all of which
are important aspects of memory
3. Social isolation is harmful to mental health and cognitive functioning
a. Avoiding people and social interactions is often a major feature of
depression
V. I Will Express Emotions in Healthy Ways
A. Emotions and the mind-body connection
1. An emotion is a specific feeling
2. Emotions affect both mind and body
 a. The mind-connection is the close relationship between mental and
physical responses
b. For example, high blood pressure or a stomach ulcer might develop after a
particularly stressful or upsetting life event
3. A psychosomatic disease is a physical disorder caused or aggravated by
emotional responses
a. A person who has asthma might worry about not having enough money to
pay a bill and in response have difficulty breathing
b. To promote god health status, one must pay attention to the mind-body
connection
B. Expressing Emotions in Healthy Ways
1. Communication is the exchange of feelings, thoughts, or information with one
or more persons
2. The way a person expresses and shares feelings, thoughts, and information
influences how well this person relates to others
3. Difficulty in communicating
a. Many young people do not learn to recognize and express their feelings as
they mature
b. Denial is a condition in which a person refuses to recognize what she is
feeling because it is extremely painful
1. Denial can take many forms, such as minimizing problems, blaming
problems on others, making excuses for problems, pretending that a
problem does not exist, and avoiding issues
4. Guidelines for Expressing Emotions in Healthful Ways
a. Identify the emotion
b. Identify the source of the emotion
c. Decide whether or not there is the need to respond right away
d. Choose a responsible and healthful response
e. Protect your health
C. I-Messages and You-Messages
1. An I-Message is a statement that focuses on a specific behavior or event, how
that behavior or event makes the speaker feel
2. When a person uses I-Messages, she assumes responsibility for sharing
feelings, because I-Messages refer to the person speaking, her feelings, and
her needs.
3. A you-message is a statement that blames or shames another person
a. a you-message puts down the other person and puts him on defense
D. Active Listening
1. An important part of learning to communicate effectively is to learn to listen
carefully
2. Active listening is a way of responding that shows that the listener hears and
understands
3. An active listener might respond in 4 different kinds of ways
a. Might ask for more information
b. Might repeat in her own words what the speaker said
 c. Might recognize summarize the main idea
d. Might acknowledge and show appreciation for the speakers feelings
E. Nonverbal Communication and Mixed Messages
1. Nonverbal communication is the use of actions to express emotions and
thoughts
a. Tapping ones foot might express impatience
2. Mixed messages are messages in which behaviors (verbal or nonverbal) do
not match in meaning
a. Suppose a student would like to get to know a classmate better. He smiles,
but when there is an opportunity to speak to the other person, he walks
away without saying anything
b. The other person might be confused as to which message is the real
message
F. Anger Management Skills
1. Anger is an emotion varying in intensity from mild irritation to intense rage
that is often accompanied by physiological changes that prepare the body for
fighting
2. An anger trigger is a thought or event that causes a person to be angry
3. An anger cue is a body change that occurs when a person is angry
4. The response to anger is often called the fight-or-flight response because the
body changes prepare a person for an emergency
5. Hidden anger is anger that is not recognized or expressed in an inappropriate
way
a. The following types of behavior may be signs of hidden anger
1. Making cruel remarks to others
2. being sarcastic
3. being negative
4. procrastinating
5. blowing up easily
6. having little interest in anything
7. being bored
8. signing frequently
9. being depressed
b. hidden anger builds and eventually cannot be kept hidden; then it is
expressed in outbursts, temper tantrums, or fights
c. Hostility syndrome is a physical state in which the body is in the fight-or-
flight state at all times
1. In other words, the persons body always feels that an emergency is
about to happen
2. People with hostility syndrome have lower serotonin levels
d. Serotonin is a chemical in the body that helps regulate primitive drives and
emotions
e. Displacement is the releasing of anger on someone or something other
than the cause of the anger
1. A person angry about a family situation might destroy public property
 f. Anger management skills are healthful ways to control and express anger
1. Anger management skills:
a. Keep an anger self-inventory
b. Use self-statements to control anger
1. Self-statements are words you can say to yourself when you
experience anger triggers and cues
c. Use I-messages instead of you-statements
d. Write a letter
e. Write in a journal
f. Reduce the effects of anger cues with physical activity
g. Use safe physical actions to blow off steam
h. Keep a sense of humor
i. Rehearse what to do in situations what you know are your anger
triggers
j. Talk with a parent or a mentor
VI. I Will Use Stress Management Skills
A. Understanding stress
1. Stress is the bodys response to the demands of daily living
a. Stress is what you feel when you react to pressure, either from the outside
world or from inside yourself
2. A stressor is a source or cause of stress
a. Stressors can be physical, mental, social, or environmental
3. Eustress is a healthful response to a stressor that produces positive results
a. A person might diligently train for a race, and win that race
b. This person would feel terrific and gain confidence from the fact that she
accomplished a goal
4. Distress is a harmful response to a stressor that produces negative results
a. A person might postpone efforts to meet a deadline and end up not
completing the assignment. He then might be so angry at himself for
getting a poor grade that he compounds his disappointment by not doing
other assignments
B. The general adaptation syndrome
1. General adaptation syndrome (GAS) is a series of body changes that result
from stress
a. GAS occurs in three stages: the alarm stage, the resistance stage, and the
exhaustion stage
1. Alarm stage is when the body gets ready for quick action. Adrenaline
is released
2. Resistance stage is when the body is no longer in the emergency stage.
Adrenaline is no longer released and the muscles relax
3. Exhaustion stage is when the body is at high risk for wear and tear,
injury and illness.
C. How Stress Affects Health Status
1. Mental and emotional health
a. Prolonged stress makes it difficult to think clearly and concentrate.
b. Grades and work performance may be affected
 2. Family and Social Health
a. Prolonged stress in a relationship can cause changes inside the body
3. Growth and Development
a. Stress during puberty might cause growth impairment
b. Also, teens who are unfortunate with their body changes might be more
likely to develop an eating disorder
4. Nutrition
a. When a person is stressed, the body secretes adrenaline. This causes the
body to use up its supply of vitamins B and C
b. Some people respond to this stress by eating sweets
5. Personal Health and Physical Activity
a. Some people respond to stress by exercising to the point of exhaustion
b. Too much exercise can diminish the effectiveness of the immune system
6. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
a. The use of drugs such as tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, alcohol, or
tranquilizers, can decrease a persons ability to cope with stress
7. Communicable and Chronic Diseases
a. Periods of being overwhelmed and frustrated may suppress the bodys
immune system, making the person more susceptible to communicable
diseases, such as flu and the common cold
8. Consumer and Community Health
a. Boredom is a stressor which results from a lack of challenge
b. People who are bored with their time may turn to harmful behaviors
9. Environmental Health
a. Loud noise, such as rock music and concerts, heavy traffic, and airports,
initiates the alarm stage of GAS.
10. Injury Prevention and Safety
a. Stress is a major contributor to almost all kinds of accidents
b. People who are frustrated, aggressive, and angry because of the stress in
their lives may not be able to concentrate on safe driving
11. Sources of Stress
a. Dailey hassles are day-to-day stressors of normal living
b. Hassles may include concerns about physical appearance, relationships
with peers, worries about school assignments or grades, being criticized,
or losing belongings
D. Using Social Media to Stay Connected as a Stressor
1. In our modern world, the social demands of staying connected with peers
through its many forms such as social networking, text messaging, e-mailing,
and cell phones can be another source of stress
2. Many of todays students are online 24/7
3. If the use of technology is not managed properly, other aspects of someones
life might be affected adversely
4. There are ways that the improper management of using social media can
adversely affect health and well-being
 a. Young people may feel anxiety when they send a text message and do not
receive a response immediately
b. Misunderstandings and confusion about an email or text message can
cause stress
c. Receiving messages while studying or while you are in class can cause
distraction, interference with learning, and may even contribute to poor
grades
d. To avoid becoming stressed out from using social media, it is advisable for
young people to take time to disconnect
E. Stress Management Skills
A. A person who does not learn to manage stress can develop poor health
B. The immune system is the bodys system that fights disease and this can
become affected
C. Stress management skills are techniques that can be used to cope with the
harmful effects produced by stress
D. Stress management skills:
1. Use responsible decision making skills
2. Get plenty of rest and sleep
3. Participate in physical activities
4. Use a time management plan
5. Write in a journal
6. Develop friendships
7. Talk with parents and other trusted adults
8. Help others
9. Express affection in appropriate ways
10. Care for pets
11. Reframe your outlook
12. Keep a sense of humor
13. Use breathing techniques
VII. I Will Seek Help If I Feel Depressed
A. Recognizing depression
1. Depression affects people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds
2. About 2% of school-aged children and 8% if adolescents meet the criteria for
major depression
3. However 1 in 5 teens will suffer from depression by the time they reach
adulthood
4. Characteristics of depression
a. Persistent sadness
b. Loss of pleasure and interest in activities once enjoyed
c. Fatigued or loss of energy
d. Restlessness, irritability
e. Weight or appetite changes
f. Lack of concentration or difficulty making decisions
g. Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, low self-esteem, anger, or guilt
h. Thoughts or expressions of suicide or death
 5. Minor depression is a mood disorder accompanied by feelings of
hopelessness, sadness, or helplessness
B. Childhood and Adolescent Depression
1. Common symptoms of depression is children and adolescents
a. Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
b. Being bored
c. Reckless behavior
d. Outbursts of shouting, complaining, unexplained irritability, or crying
e. Poor school performance and frequent absences
f. Fear of death
g. Alcohol or substance abuse
h. Frequent nonspecific physical complaints such as headaches, muscle
aches, stomachaches, and fatigue
2. Causes
a. Inability to cope with a life crisis
b. Changes in brain structure
c. Genetic predisposition
1. The inheritance of genes that increase the likelihood of developing a
condition
d. Low serotonin levels
e. Traumatic family events
f. Physical illness and disorders
g. Alcohol or other drug use
3. Risks
a. School performance
1. Teens who are depressed are tired and have difficulty concentrating
b. Social isolation
1. Young people who are depressed often withdraw from friends
c. Drug addiction
d. Other addictions
e. Physical illness
f. Mental disorders
g. Suicide attempts
C. Facebook Depression Study
1. According to this study, Facebook depression develops when young people
spend a lot of time on social media sites, such as Facebook, and then
experience feelings of depression due to perceptions of not measuring up to
others postings on this site
2. The report explains that this may happen because social media sites create a
faade on users, causing them to equate what they perceive to be perfect lived
on their friends in comparison to the perception of their own lives
3. Young people are particularly vulnerable to these feelings because of the
importance to be accepted by their peers, and report states that those with poor
self-esteem are most likely to exhibit symptoms of depression due to spending
a great amount of time on social media websites
D. Treatment for Depression
 1. Depression is a treatable disease, and more than 80% of individuals who
receive treatment experience significant improvement
2. But, fewer than half the people who suffer seek help
3. Physical Examination
a. This is needed to evaluate health status
4. Therapy
a. Cognitive behavior therapy is a form of psychotherapy that involves
behavior therapy and cognitive therapy
b. This helps modify behavior and the persons way of thinking
5. Medication
a. Antidepressant is a drug used to relieve depression
1. Some regulate serotonin levels
2. Can take several weeks to become effective and require medical
supervision to check for side effects
6. Coping with Depression
a. Strategies to cope
1. Talk with a parent, guardian, mentor, or other trusted adult
2. Stay connected with friends
3. Practice healthful behaviors such as eating nutritious meals and getting
exercise
4. Use anger management skills
5. Practice stress management skills
6. Avoid the use of alcohol and other drugs
7. Take steps to develop resilience
8. Seek treatment of these strategies are not effective
VIII. I Will Use Suicide Prevention Strategies When Appropriate
A. Suicide Prevention
1. Suicide is the number three cause of death among people ages 15-24
2. Some view it is a way to escape problems, gain attention, or get even with
those who have rejected them
3. There is always a better choice and suicide
4. Suicide attempts
a. Are usually a cry for help
b. Young people who make suicide attempts are often depressed,
discouraged, and lack of hope
5. Suicidal tendencies
a. Aggressive behavior
b. Perfectionistic behavior
c. Feelings of hopelessness
d. Low self-esteem
e. Inadequate social skills
f. Mental disorders
g. Depression
h. Hidden anger
6. Risk factors of suicide
a. Abuse alcohol or other drugs
 b. Have experienced the death of a parent, parental separation, or potential
divorce
c. Feel alienated from family and friends
d. Are teased or rejected by peers
e. Have difficulty coping with body changes and sexuality
B. Recognizing Warning Signs
1. The following may be warning signs that might be given by a young person
who is considering suicide
a. Making a direct statement about killing herself/himself
b. Making an indirect statement about killing herself/himself
c. Having a change in personality
d. Withdrawing from family and friends
e. Losing interest in her personal appearance
f. Having a preoccupation with death and dying
g. Making frequent complaints about physical symptoms that can be related
to emotions, such as stomachaches
h. Using alcohol or other drugs
i. Losing interest in schoolwork
j. Giving away his possessions
k. Talking about a close friend or relative who has committed suicide
C. Prevention strategies
1. Keep suicide hotline numbers available
2. Take action when a person feels depressed
3. Help the person become involved in rewarding activities
4. Take action if someone shows warning signs
a. Do not ignore any warning signs or treat them lightly
b. Let the person know you care
c. Listen and try not to shocked by what the person says
d. Ask the person directly if she or he is considering suicide
e. Help the person think of better ways to solve problems
f. Identify other supportive people with whom the person can talk
g. Get professional help
h. Do not leave the person alone
i. Use a contract for life
IX. I Will Cope with Loss and Grief in Healthful Ways
A. Loss and Greif
1. The feeling that occurs when someone dies or a life situation changes or ends
is loss
2. Greif is intense emotional suffering caused by a loss, disaster, or misfortune
3. Anticipatory grief is grief experienced prior to a loss
B. Causes of Loss and Greif
1. Changes in family
2. Changes in living conditions
3. Death of a friend
4. Suicide
5. Death of a well-known person
 6. Tragedies
7. The end of something special
8. Holidays
9. Symptoms of loss and grief:
a. Numbness
b. Shock
c. Loss of appetite
d. Intestinal upsets
e. Sleep disturbances
f. Loss of energy
g. Shortness of breath
h. Confusion
i. Crying spells
j. Moodiness
k. Outbursts of anger
l. Depression
C. Drug and Alcohol Use and Loss and Grief
1. Feelings associated with grief and loss may range from numbness and
isolation to anger and resentment or sadness and depression
2. Some people may turn to a form of self-medication in an attempt to feel better
or to escape the feelings of grief
3. Positive ways to cope with grief include talking about feelings with close
friends, family members, or a trusted teacher or religious teacher
D. 5 Stages of Loss and Greif
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
E. Dealing with a Terminal Illness
1. Someone who learns from a doctor that she has a terminal illness may first
refuse to believe that she is dying
2. She may pretend the information the doctor told her is wrong
3. Different people may spend different amounts of time in each of the stages
a. Some people progress through the stages, whereas others get stuck or go
backwards
F. Healthful Ways to Respond to a Loss
1. There are no rules about grieving and no right way to grieve
2. Each person experiences grief in her or her own way
3. The response to a loss and grief differs based on
a. Who we are
b. Whom or what we have lost
c. How much our day-to-day life is changed
G. Grieving a Loss
1. Talk with a parent, guardian, mentor, or other trusted adult
2. Ask your friends to comfort and support you
 3. Have someone stay by your side for a period of alone time
4. Express feelings in healthy ways
5. Maintain a normal schedule and routine as much as possible
6. Protect your health
7. Maintain your sleep and rest schedule
8. Use breathing techniques
9. Avoid harmful behaviors as ways of coping
H. When someone close to you in dying
1. Spend time with the friend or family
2. Share loving feelings and memories
3. Share your feelings of loss and pain
4. Encourage the person to talk about his or her death
5. Listen carefully to the persons feelings and thoughts about the past, present,
and future
6. Share your grief with family members and friends
7. Continue your daily routines if possible
8. Consider what you will do to keep alive the memory of the person
9. Allow yourself time to grieve
X. I Will Be Resilient in Difficult Times
A. The following steps will help you be prepared to deal with difficult situations
1. Work on your relationships with members of your family
2. Develop a close relationship with a mentor
3. Choose friends who are supportive and who have responsible behavior
4. Do not put off dealing with the difficult situations
5. Avoid choosing harmful behaviors as a way of coping with tough times
6. Ask for support when you need it
7. Discuss available support groups with a parent, guardian, or other responsible
adult
8. Be involved in school and community activities

Teaching Methods
I. I Will Develop Good Character
A. Value Clarification
 1. Discussion Questions:
a. What are our values?
b. What are your familys values?
c. How have your values changed over the years?
2. PowerPoint
a. Define values and character
b. Explain different types of values
c. Explain good character vs. bad character
3. Materials needed
a. Projector, screen, computer
B. Personal Improvement Projects
1. Discussion Questions
a. What is self-esteem?
b. How is ones self-esteem effected?
c. What is self-efficacy?
d. Why is it important to have self-respect?
2. Homework Assignment:
a. Students will take a quiz to see what level their self-esteem is at. Based on the
result of the quiz, the students are to write a self-esteem improvement plan.
This plan should include examples of how they are going to improve their
self-improvement (I.e. self-talk) and a timeline for improvement.
C. Self-Appraisals and Lecture
1. PowerPoint
a. How to conduct a character check
b. Guidelines for showing self-respect
c. Character education explanation and examples
2. Self- appraisal homework
a. Students are to conduct a character check for homework and turn it in the
following class period. Students are to follow the character check learned
about in class today.
3. Materials Needed
a. Projector, screen, computer, character check worksheet
4. Quiz
II. I will interact in ways that help create a positive social-emotional environment
A. Lecture and Discussion
1. PowerPoint
a. Explanation of Social- emotional environment and why having a positive
social-emotional environment is important to health status
b. Negative social-emotional environment effects
c. Social-emotional boosters
d. Strategies to improve social-emotional environment
2. Discussion questions:
a. How do you think the environment of school, sports, and home have different
effects on ones social-emotional environment?
b. What is the best way to improve your social-emotional environment?
 c. How can you help make someone elses social-emotional environment more
positive?
d. How are you going to improve your own social-emotional environment?
e. What characteristics do you think someone possesses who lives in a positive
social-emotional environment? A negative social-emotional environment?
3. Materials Needed
a. Projector, screen, computer
4. Quiz
III. I Will Develop Healthy Personality Characteristics
A. Brainstorming
1. Brainstorming topics
a. What do you think influence personality?
1. Write down as many influences as you and your partner can think of
and explain why they would influence personality
b. What personality characteristics do you think promote good health?
1. On your own, list as many personality characteristics you can think of
that would promote good health for someone.
2. Think-pair-share. Get with a new partner and share your ideas.
B. Lecture
1. PowerPoint
a. Personality definition
b. Influences on personality
c. Personality characteristics that promote good health
2. Materials needed
a. Projector, screen, computer
3. Quiz
IV. I Will Choose Behaviors to Promote a Healthy Mind
A. Lecture
1. Mental alertness and mental health
a. Definition
b. Example of a person who is mentally alert
c. Brief explanation of difference between mental health and having a mental
health disorder
B. Peer Teaching
1. Students will be broken up into 8 groups. Each group will be assigned a
strategy for a healthy mind. The students will have to read the section in the
book about their strategy, do some research outside of class, and make a
PowerPoint presentation to teach the class. This will count as a project grade.
2. Materials needed
a. Projector, screen, computer
3. Quiz
C. Lecture
1. PowerPoint
a. Define stress
b. How to manage stress
c. How to build happiness in your own life
 d. How to have a social life
2. Materials needed:
a. Projector, screen, computer
V. I Will Express Emotions in Healthy Ways
A. Lecture
1. PowerPoint
a. Definition of emotion
b. How emotions affect the mind and the body
c. Psychomotor diseases
2. Materials needed
a. Projector, screen, computer
B. Peer Education
1. Students will be split up into 5 groups. Each group will give a 5-10-minute
presentation on their topic to the class on expressing emotions in a healthy
way.
a. Expressing emotions in healthy ways
b. I-Messages and You-Messages
c. Active Listening
d. Nonverbal Communication and Mixed Messages
e. Anger Management Skills
C. Quiz
VI. I Will Use Stress Management Skills
A. Lecture and Discussion
1. PowerPoint
a. Define stress
b. How stress affects the mind and body
c. The general adaption syndrome
d. Stress management skills
2. Materials Needed
a. Projector, screen, computer
B. Student Projects
1. Students will be broken up into 11 groups. Each group will be given a poster
board and a marker. The groups will be expected to research how stress affects
their topic and share with the class.
a. Mental and emotional health
b. Family and social health
c. Growth and development
d. Nutrition
e. Personal health and physical activity
f. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
g. Communicable diseases
h. Consumer and community health
i. Environmental health
j. Injury prevention and safety
k. Sources of stress
2. Materials needed
 a. Poster board, markers
C. Debate
1. Homework assignment:
a. Students will research statistics on both sides of the debate for social
media as a stressor. Each student must find at least 5 benefits for each side
in preparation for the debate.
2. Students will be divided into 2 groups. One group will be arguing that using
social media to stay connected in a stressor and another group will be arguing
that using social media to stay connected is not a stressor.
D. Quiz
VII. I Will Seek Help If I Feel Depressed
A. Lecture and Discussion
1. PowerPoint
a. Define depression
b. Characteristics of depression
c. Childhood and adolescent depression (symptoms/causes/risks)
d. Facebook depression study
e. Treatment for depression
2. Discussion Questions
a. Do you think depression is more common in girls or boys?
b. Which characteristics do you think are more relevant for people
your age?
c. Brainstorm other risks for depression in your life
d. What are some ways to eliminate Facebook depression?
3. Materials needed
a. Projector, screen, computer
4. Homework: Students are to create their own survey to see the
percentage of their peers dealing with Facebook depression. Students
must survey at least 30 students.
B. Quiz
VIII. I Will Use Suicide Prevention Strategies When Appropriate
A. Video on suicide prevention
B. Materials needed
1. Projector, screen, DVD player
C. Quiz
IX. I Will Cope with Loss and Grief in Healthful Ways
A. Lecture
1. PowerPoint
a. Loss and Greif
b. Causes of loss and grief
c. Drugs and alcohol use and loss and grief
2. Materials needed:
a. Projector, screen, computer
B. Student Projects
 1. Students will get into 5 groups and will be given a poster board. Each group
will have to research a topic and write their findings on their poster board to
present in front of the class.
2. Materials needed:
a. Poster board, markers
C. Video on death and how to deal with losses.
D. Quiz
X. I Will Be Resilient in Difficult Times
A. Lecture
1. PowerPoint
a. Relationships with family members
b. Mentors
c. Choosing friends
d. Not putting off hard situations
e. Seeking support
f. Involvement in schools and community
B. Quiz

Teaching Aids
Computer
Projector
Screen
Pens
Poster boards
Markers
Loose leaf paper
 Evaluation Procedures

Attendance and Participation 10%

- Students will be graded on their attendance in class. I will not doc points for excused
absences, but students will lower their grade by having unexcused absences
- Students will be expected to participate during discussions. During discussion days,
students will receive 2 participation sticks at the beginning of class. Each time a
student chooses to participate by answering a question or rebuttals another students
answer.
2 sticks left F
1 stick left C
0 sticks left A
Quizzes 50%
- Students will be given a 10 question multiple choice quiz at the end of each section of
the unit. Each quiz will be worth 5% of their grade.
In Class Assignments 20%
- Students will be asked to participate in several in class assignments throughout the
semester. These assignments consist of group presentations, student projects, and
debates.
Homework 10%
- Students will be given several homework assignments over the unit. All of the
homework is described in the teaching methods section. If students do not finish in
class assignments in class, they will be expected to finish the assignment for
completion homework grade.
a. Self-esteem online quiz
b. Character check
c. Debate research points
d. Facebook survey
Exam 10%
- Students will be given a final exam for the unit that will be cumulative. This test will
contain multiple choice questions, matching, true & false, and one essay question.
 References
A. Student References
- http://teenmentalhealth.org
- http://adaa.org
- http://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotional-health/improving-emotional-health.htm
- http://www.essentiallifeskills.net/emotionalhealth.html
- http://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/

B. Teacher References
- http://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health/
- http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/index.aspx
- http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/healthy-mental-and-emotional-development
- https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/mental-emotional-health
- https://www.csun.edu/science/health/
C. References used in preparing this unit
- Meeks, L. B., Heit, P., & Paige, R. (1992). Comprehensive school health
education: Totally awesome strategies for teaching health (8th ed.). Blacklick,
OH: MeeksHeit Pub.
- Champeau, D. (1998). Great ideas in teaching health. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
- Greenberg, J. S. (1992). Health education: Learner-centered instructional
strategies. Dubuque, IA: W.C. Brown.
- http://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
- http://teenmentalhealth.org/learn/mental-disorders/